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Minister Ring welcomes announcement that Ireland will host the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in 2020

Mr Michael Ring TD, Minister for Rural and Community Development, today (Tuesday, 10 September) welcomed the news that Ireland has been selected as the location for the next International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress. The event will be held in Dublin from August 15 – 21, 2020.

The IFLA World Library and Information Congress is the flagship professional and trade event for the international library and information services sector. It is expected that over 4,000 participants from more than 140 countries will travel to Ireland to attend this conference.

Minister Michael Ring TD said:

I am delighted that IFLA has chosen Ireland for their next international Congress so that we can showcase our world class library services. This Congress will significantly add to the tourism related revenue for our economy.

Dublin is an ideal base for the Congress due to its status as a UNESCO City of Literature; its association with four Nobel Laureates in literature and its hosting of the long-running International Dublin Literary Award. I am also delighted that the 4,000 attendees will be travelling around the country to visit many of our libraries and in particular branches which operate the My Open Library service.

We look forward to welcoming IFLA and international delegates to Ireland for the first time for what I am sure will be an excellent Congress in an exciting location.

Tom Enright, Chair of the National Libraries Development Committee echoed the Minister’s warm welcome and said:

We are delighted that the IFLA Conference is coming to Ireland next year. We have very ambitious plans for our public libraries over the next few years, and the conference will be a wonderful opportunity to share these plans and our innovative service with colleagues from around the world and to learn from international best practice right on our doorstep.