Barbara Lison

German librarian

Barbara Lison
in 2022
Born	2 October 1956 (1956-10-02) (age 67) Zbrosławice
Nationality	German
Education	Ruhr University Bochum
Occupation	Librarian
Employer	Bremen City Libraries
Known for	International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)'s President

Barbara Lison (born 2 October 1956) is a German librarian. She has led the Bremen public library service for thirty years. She led the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) from 2021 to 2023 stressing open-access and fair copyright.

Life

Lison was born in Zbrosławice in Poland in 1956. She studied Slavic studies, history and educational science at Ruhr University Bochum.^[1]^[2] She initially taught Russian in Düsseldorf followed by a teacher traineeship in Düsseldorf and then by a library traineeship in Bochum, Oldenburg while studying LIS in Cologne. In 1986 she worked as head of the information department at the Federal Institute for Industrial Health and Safety Standards in Dortmund.^[1]

In 1987 she was appointed to lead the city library in Oldenburg. In 1992 she became director of the Bremen City Library.^[3] There are nine branch libraries in Bremen.^[4]

She initially became involved with the IFLA while organising a successful bid to host the World Library and Information Congress in Berlin in 2003.^[5]

In 2016 she became the Deutscher Bibliotheksverband [de]'s President for three years.^[3] After about twenty years of involvement with IFLA, including being the treasurer, she was elected IFLA President-elect in 2019. Between 2021 and 2023 she was IFLA President.^[6] She had already been involved with a free e-lending scheme and her focus points included open-access and fair copyright.^[7]

In an interview she said her favourite book was Roald Dahl's Matilda because it told the story of a girl who succeeds with the aid of a teacher and a librarian.^[8]

Awards

In 2022 she was given the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "Executive Committee Biographies". web10.kaapeli.fi. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
^ "Bremen Public Library Director Barbara Lison elected to OCLC Board of Trustees; new leaders, members participate in November Board meeting". November 14, 2012 – via librarytechnology.org. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ ^a ^b "Barbara Lison". OCLC (in Canadian French). 2022-07-08. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
^ "Bremen City Library – Welcome to Bremen". welcometobremen.de. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
^ "In conversation with... Barbara Lison, IFLA President 2021-2023". IFLA. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
^ "Barbara Lison | Qatar National Library". www.qnl.qa. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
^ "Statement of Candidacy for IFLA President-elect 2019-2021: Barbara Lison (Germany)". IFLA. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
^ Gomułka, Magdalena (2019-04-04). "Interview: Barbara Lison". IFLA New Professionals Special Interest Group. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
^ "Bürgermeister Bovenschulte: "Sie prägt nicht nur die Entwicklung der öffentlichen Bibliotheken in Bremen" - Pressestelle des Senats". www.senatspressestelle.bremen.de. Retrieved 2023-08-30.