It seems that Australia is too far away for most library associations and the conference is to be relocated to as yet unknown location.
Here is the announcement from IFLA
IFLA regretfully cancels the 2010 IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Brisbane, Australia
In 2007 IFLA announced Brisbane, Australia as the location for the IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) for 2010. It is our great regret to advise that the2010 IFLA WLIC will not be held in Brisbane. With the uncertainty around the world economic crisis combined with very limited opportunity for government and local financial support the Governing Board has agreed that it cannot risk a potential significant financial loss for IFLA. This is a great disappointment for the Governing Board members, the National Committee members, our Australian colleagues, and I’m sure all of you looking forward to the 2010 WLIC in Brisbane. We will be announcing
separately the new location for the 2010 IFLA WLIC.
The IFLA Governing Board very much appreciates the hard work of our Australian National Committee colleagues in their efforts to secure government and local industry funding support. At the time of the selection of Brisbane the bid committee advised Governing Board that there would be very limited opportunity for this funding support. The Governing Board was optimistic that this situation would change and that enough support would be identified to make the WLIC financially viable.
A significant contribution to the WLIC by local government and industry is required for IFLA to offer its members and delegates, sponsors and exhibitors the services and quality they expect in our flagship congress.
This contribution, in funds and in kind, assists us in the provision of features such as audio visual support, simultaneous interpretation, IFLA Express in our seven languages, the cultural evening and services for our exhibitors.
The Governing Board members thank the Brisbane National Committee members for alerting them to the impact of limited local funding and possible reduced delegate numbers due to the world economic crisis and restrictions on travel budgets.
We also note the following insightful comments from Gayle Davies the librarian who manages the PLLAO legal info list in Australia who suggests that ALIA (Australian Library & Information Assoc) have not been pulling their weight and that the conference is relocating because they have been unable to raise the required funding and sponsorship.
She writes on the PLLAO discussion list
How pathetic is this – reading behind the diplomatic language, it seems that ALIA has pulled out because it can’t get local funding. In 1994, I attended the IFLA Conference in CUBA – one of the poorest countries in the world, and totally cut off from the global financial system. It was a great conference – a lot of countries provided support in various forms, and it attracted over 2,000 delegates from all over the world, even though Cuba was, and is, quite difficult to travel to. Cuba was able to provide everything listed below – simultaneous translation, etc etc., but Australia can’t.
Sydney hosted the Olympics in 2000, and Brisbane regularly hosts international sporting events, such as football games etc. The PM was on the news this morning touting for the soccer world cup – why FIFA, not IFLA?
How hard did ALIA actually try?
We agree Gayle – but you know .. it is Australia. Pitting information vs sport !!
