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The American Library Association (ALA) International Relations Round Table (IRRT) Mission Enhancement Project, in collaboration with IFLA WLIC 2026 and the Korea National Committee, presents a series of webinars to support library staff capacity-building.
Registration: Participants must register for each webinar individually. Please see below for the links.
Capacity Building Webinar Series: Basic Building Blocks of Librarianship, 2026
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Date/Time |
Topic/ Presenter |
Duration |
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Tuesday, 17 March 3 pm (SGT) |
Webinar 4: Internationally Available Open Tools for Business & Economics: Search Environments, Research Support, and Global Services via EconBiz provided by ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics Dr. Tamara Pianos, Head, Information Provision and Access, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, Germany Learn how free resources- including EconBiz for global research, EconStor for open publications, the Open Economics Guide, and Intereconomics for accessible EU insights- along with expert chat support, can enrich study and teaching worldwide. |
60 mins with Q & A |
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https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0ZeeNT5cQRK3xcCFfuQ4bg |
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Tuesday, 24 March, 7:00 am (EST) 8:00 pm (SGT) |
Webinar 5: Unlocking World Bank Group Knowledge: Free Online Resources for Research & Learning Devika McWalters, Publishing Officer, Marketing and Outreach Lead, Digital Publishing, World Bank Library Discover the World Bank’s open access initiatives and explore a suite of free resources designed for students, professors, and researchers. |
60 mins with Q & A |
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https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_iyUYt7TWS4amU89BM8XfPQ |
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Thursday, 26 Mar, 3:00 PM (SGT) |
Webinar 6: Beyond Discovery: AI and the Future of Librarianship Nirmal Prabu, Director Tech Operations & Integration, Asia; Lecturer, Wee Kim Wee SIS, NTU, Singapore; and Library Consultant Learn how AI is transforming library roles, reshaping tasks, and introducing new risks. With examples across academic, public, and school libraries, this session highlights what’s changing, what’s at stake, and how professionals can prepare while staying true to core values. |
90 mins with Q & A |
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https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_N-QuJoIXQjub8EjFmzILMA |
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Tue, 31 March, 3:00 pm (SGT) |
Webinar 7: Practical Open Educational Strategies for LIS Professionals Dr Adrian Stagg, Manager, Open Educational Practice, Library, University of Southern Queensland & Scout (Emilia) Bell, Manager, Research and Digital Services, Library Services, Murdoch University, Australia Get introduced to two hands‑on approaches: the ecology of open educational practice for analyzing local enablers, barriers, and opportunities, and the OPEN framework (Objective, Purpose, Evidence, Narrative) for demonstrating the value of open education to stakeholders. |
90 mins with Q & A |
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https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MwMnSdN0Ttqo8eqNv7GzPA |
Webinar Series Moderator: Gina de Alwis Jayasuriya, PhD
A CPD Researcher & Program Coordinator, she is the recipient of the ALA IRRT Mission Enhancement Grant 2025. Since 2019, her research has focused on capacity-building opportunities for LIS professionals in selected countries, with limited studies, particularly on Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The 2024 Capacity Building Webinar Series, funded through the ALA IRRT Mission Enhancement Grant 2023, laid the foundation for the upcoming 2026 series, which advances her ongoing work to expand CPD opportunities in the LIS sector. She served as Head of the Singapore Institute of Management Library for over 25 years.
The IRRT Mission Enhancement Grant, established in 2016, supports member-initiated international projects and partnerships that foster global dialogue in librarianship; raise the visibility of international opportunities for U.S. and international librarians, and encourage collaboration across borders- strengthening ALA’s role in global librarianship.
Libraries Powering Transformation: The 90th IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC 2026), 10–13 August 2026, will be in the vibrant coastal city of Busan, South Korea. Join WLIC 2026 for days filled with inspiration, innovation, and global connection alongside the world’s most dynamic community of library and information professionals.
Gina de Alwis Jayasuriya, PhD