1. IAMSLIC Latin American Regional Group “A bridge to knowledge and a link to information in marine and aquatic sciences” Report 2006-2007 Guillermina Cosulich IAMSLIC Regional Group Coordinator (2006-2008) INIDEP, Mar del Plata, Argentina IAMSLIC: Changes on the Horizon 33rd IAMSLIC Conference and 17th Annual SAIL Meeting- Sarasota, Florida, USA, October 7th -11th, 2007

2.  Historical background (2001-2006)  Main goals 2006-2008  Memberships  Promotion and marketing  Resource sharing  International cooperation and alliances  Discussion and perspectives OVERVIEW

3. Historical Background in the Latin American Libraries and Librarians 2001 Only 5 out of 18 specialized Latin American (Lat. Am.) libraries were associated to IAMSLIC and 5 countries were ASFA national focal points. 2002 ASFA Training Course on WWW-ISIS-ASFA software for Lat. Am. countries (March, Viña del Mar, Chile). First survey of South American libraries in marine science, showing the state of the art in documentation and IT needs, presented at the IAMSLIC Conference- Mazatlán, Mexico (Sept.-Oct.) (Cosulich-Silvoni). First ODINCARSA-IOC Training Course in MIM (Sept.-Oct., Mazatlán, Mexico) 2003 Creation of the IAMSLIC Lat. Am. Regional Group. First Coordinator: Miss Clara Ramírez Jauregui (UNAM-Mazatlán, Mexico). 2004 ASFA Board Meeting in a Lat. Am. country (July, INIDEP, Mar del Plata, Argentina). 2005 2nd ODINCARSA-IOC Training Course in MIM (Nov., Ostend, Belgium) with 12 participants from 9 Lat. Am. countries. It is the starting point of OceanDocs Repository Project. 17 Lat. Am. institutions start in the IAMSLIC Union List of Serials with their Library catalogues. 2006 ASFA Board Annual Meeting (Sept., Ostend, Belgium) with the participation of 6 out of 8 Lat. Am. ASFA national focal points.

4. Main priorities identified and agreed for 2007 and 2008  To position ourselves, libraries as well as librarians, among our users, authorities and colleagues.  To hold the 1st Latin American Regional Group Meeting.

5. Main Goals and Activities accomplished during 2007 and underway PROMOTION AND MARKETING OF IAMSLIC AND THE LATIN AMERICAN REGIONAL GROUP PROMOTION AND MARKETING OF IAMSLIC AND THE LATIN AMERICAN REGIONAL GROUP “A bridge to knowledge and a link to information in marine and aquatic sciences” A strong phrase representing the vision of the group agreed by E-List.  An IAMSLIC Regional Group poster with phrase was printed and sent to several regional meetings and conferences to be distributed among members.  Marine Information Resources three-fold-leaflet includes general information on IAMSLIC, OCEAN-DOCS and ASFA, as well as SIDALC- IICA.  The Membership leaflet in Spanish was printed- mailed- distributed.  The Regional Group poster for the Sarasota Conference. http://ola.icmyl.unam.mx/larg/ http://ola.icmyl.unam.mx/larg/  The Regional Group web site http://ola.icmyl.unam.mx/larg/ was updated.http://ola.icmyl.unam.mx/larg/  Newsletter announcements and contacts.

6.  Participation at the XII COLACMAR  Participation at the XII COLACMAR, the most important Latin American Marine Sciences Congress held every 2 years, April 15-19, at Florianópolis, Brazil, with the participation of Regional Coordinator At the Stand in the Conventions Exhibition Hall- 'Latin American Marine Libraries', scientists were contacted, a Directory of Brazilian libraries was updated, and material was distributed: - the IAMSLIC Regional group Posters designed at INIDEP - the three-fold-leaflets on various marine information resources available. - the IAMSLIC membership leaflets in Spanish. The only two Brazilian Libraries associated to IAMSLIC were contacted but could not participate.

7. MEMBERSHIPS 2003: 18; 2004: 32; 2005: 36; 2006: 45 Potential Members: Potential Members: Special efforts were made to recruit Brazilian and Colombian new members with little feedback so far. New Members: New Members: (14) 3 Sponsored by IAMSLIC 11 Sponsored by ODINCARSA-COI Renewed Memberships: Renewed Memberships: (5) Sponsored by ASFA Today almost 50% of our Lat. Am. membership is sponsored by IAMSLIC, ASFA and ODINCARSA-COI is sponsored by IAMSLIC, ASFA and ODINCARSA-COI.

8. Purpose: RESOURCE SHARING : Z39-50 DISTRIBUTED LIBRARY AND DUPLICATE LISTS Purpose: To improve quality of service offered by the Group.  Union List of Serials: * 20 Lat. Am. Library catalogues are in the IAMSLIC Union List of Serials. * Lat. Am. lending libraries - 80% positive answers. * Irregularities were detected. Still have to be solved.  Duplicate Lists:  Duplicate Lists: Lat. Am. libraries request but do not send material.

9. COOPERATION AND ALLIANCES WITH REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Funds requested to:  JICA - Japan International Cooperation Agency, Argentine delegation For Regional Meetings and short trainings - no luck (Aug.2007).  The Elsevier Foundation For 1-3 yrs Competence Building-Regional Meetings

10. MEMORANDUMs OF UNDERSTANDING (MOUs) IAMSLIC and FAO Joint Activities 2006-2007 Annex 2 http://www.iamslic.org/index.php?section=144 IAMSLIC MEMBERSHIPS – ASFA - FAO paid during 2004 and 2005 ASFA, Mombasa, 3 -7 Sept. 2007 approved to pay fees for ASFA Partners and Collaborators for further two years - U$ 840. WAIVER approved Sept 2007 allows IAMSLIC, non ASFA member organization, to apply Fund Proposals for projects of mutual benefits up to U$ 14.000 per/year, during 2 years. IAMSLIC and COI The MOU is pending to be renewed at this Conference. ODINCARSA/COI paid 1 year membership - to 11 new associates, mostly from Central American Caribbean countries.

11. Purpose : SHARING OF EXPERTISE AND SKILLS IN THE REGION Purpose : To improve quality of service (usage of resources: Z39-50, Portals, Agora, Avano, etc.); to increase our participation in Information Systems (ASFA, Ocean-Docs, Aquatic Commons, SIDALC-IICA), and the access to our institutional/country publications. ** Short library trainships in the Region supported with IAMSLIC Regional Group funds, not accomplished during 2007. **2 important training courses were held on marine and aquatic information resources -ASFA and OceanDocs in Guayaquil, Ecuador (annex).

12. Discussion and Perspectives  The IAMSLIC Lat. Am. Regional Group has to increase memberships (only 39).  Communication among members has to grow and become more committed to common projects.  The First Regional Meeting has to be organized during 2008.

13. Memberships and MOUs Memberships and commitments within national marine and aquatic librarians Members as actors involved in several programmes Memberships and MOUs Almost 50% of memberships of Lat. Am. Reg. Group are sponsored Both ASFA and ODINCARSA-COI give sustainability to this Group and MOUs must be renewed periodically. Memberships and commitments within national marine and aquatic librarians Cuba and Chile are building librarians networks of marine or science related fields. Colombia, Brazil or Venezuela, with important marine resources, large scientific research groups and high impact publications on the field, little feedback. Members as actors involved in several programmes IAMSLIC Lat. Am. Regional group members are also active actors in several specialized Information Systems, such as: OceanDocs Repository, ASFIS Information System, ODINCARSA or IODE projects. ** Meetings among IAMSLIC members have to be used as new opportunities of sharing expertise and skills. ** A need to simplify input methodologies and reduce duplicate work. Should we consider it as a weakness or a strength?

14. Meetings and Competence Building in 2008 In spite of the constant difficulties, the challenge is worthwhile in an IAMSLIC environment. The umbrella for all the activities related to marine and aquatic science libraries should be approached with the professional advise of IAMSLIC, because this Association has the vision of all aspects related to the profession, the services and the management. Meetings and Competence Building in 2008 The importance of the delayed Regional Meeting is great because of the need to strengthen the sense of belonging and pertaining to this cooperative specialized Association through personal contacts. Requests of funding to international organizations should be continued and promoted, and answers should be favorable ……………… In spite of the constant difficulties, the challenge is worthwhile in an IAMSLIC environment. The umbrella for all the activities related to marine and aquatic science libraries should be approached with the professional advise of IAMSLIC, because this Association has the vision of all aspects related to the profession, the services and the management.

15. Thank you very much for your constant cooperation with this Latin American Regional Group

16. http://www.cenpat.edu.ar/vijncm http://www.cenpat.edu.ar/vijncm Keeping track of the professional, training and promotion activities of each Latin IAMSLIC member participating from September 2006 to September 2007, whether involved with OceanDocs Repository, ASFIS Information System, ODINCARSAs projects, or IAMSLIC itself, at local regional or international levels. 2006 September-December MEXICO: International Conference on Metadata for Knowledge and Leaning, October 3-6, in Manzanillo, Colima http://dc2006.ucol.mx, coordinators of GOTT (Group of the Ten) made a presentation of the first stage of OceanDocs. CUBA: During the MARCUBA Conference, December 4-8 in La Habana http://www.medioambiente.cu An Exhibition of Cuban Marine Libraries and a Panel on Marine Information Management. were organized. ARGENTINA: The INIDEP Librarians during the - 6th National Marine Science Congress (JNCM), December 4-8, in Puerto Madryn, Chubut, http://www.cenpat.edu.ar/vijncm, a workshop for librarians was held on a national marine sciences repository, as well as marine information systems and IAMSLIC. – JICA, November 2006, a ppt presentation to Regional marine biologists on: Building Regional and International Alliances among Marine Libraries in Latin America. http://www.cenpat.edu.ar/vijncm

17. ASFA in Ostende, Belgium, September 4-8 http://www.vliz.be/asfa/ where 6 latin ASFA members participated during the Executive Board Meeting: Patricia Muñoz (IFOP- Chile), Andrea Cristiani (IIP-Uruguay), Nikita Gabor (INP-Ecuador), Marco Montes (UNAM-Méjico), Marisela Hernández (CIP-Cuba) and Guillermina Cosulich (INIDEP-Argentina). IAMSLIC 32° Conference, Every Continent, Every Ocean, October 8-12, in Portland, Oregon, the former Regional Coordinator and colaborators Ramirez Jauregui, Maria Clara, Chavez Comparán, Amelia and Ramirez Resendiz, German, presenting – Results of the IAMSLIC Latin American Regional Group during 2005-2006- CHINA: Ocean Libraries, Meeting of the GPA, October 16-20 in Beijing. G. Cosulich participated with a ppt presentation on Latin America: Building Regional and International Alliances among Marine Libraries. 2007 January-September OCEANDOCS Latin America Training of Trainers, April., in Ostend, Belgium. Trainees were Catalina López (Mexico), Gabriela Silvoni (Iargentina) and Patricia Muñoz (Chile)

18. BRASIL: Latin American Marine Science Congress, April 15-19 in Florianopolis, the most important regional meeting for marine scientists held every 2 years. G. Cosulich participated with an oral presentation in a panel and with a Stand in the Conventions Exhibition Hall, named as 'Latin American Marine Libraries'. Scientists were contacted, a directory of Brazilian libraries was updated, and material was distributed. CUBA: Letter of Agreement signed June 7 th, in La Habana, on the Cuban Librarians Day, ensuring future common activities and commitments on Marine Information Mangement. COLOMBIA: International Congress on Specialized Science and Technology Networks and Information Units, August 29-31 I Bogotá. Teresa Barriga (CICIMAR, IPN, Mx), participated with an oral presentation on: Postgraduated Thesis Digital Library in Marine Science and Related Fields: the case of “Reuben Lasker” Library, CICIMAR-IPN. IAMSLIC and other marine resources were promoted sending posters and leaflets. ASFA in Mombasa, Kenya, October 3-7, where the IAMSLIC Coordinator, G. Cosulich was the only invited Latin American participant.

19. ASFA Latin Training Course, August.27-31 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, at the INP, National Fisheries Research Institute, Marco Montes (UNAM, México) was the trainer and participants were Victoria Plaza, Carmen Mosquera, Fátima Canales and Josefa Manrique (ESPOL, Ecuador); Emira Antonietti and Margarita Portal (IMARPE, Perú), Alicia Alvarez and Enriqueta Alvarez (INOCAR, Ecuador), and Nikita Gaibor (INP, Ecuador). IAMSLIC and other marine resources were promoted sending posters and leaflets OCEANDOCS Latin America Repository, August 20-24. in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Training Course in use and management to participants from Ecuador, Perú and Colombia. Trainers: Andrea Cristiani, IIP, Uruguay and Patricia Muñoz, IFOP, Chile. GE-MIM/IODE Meeting, September 17-19 at Ostend, Belgium. Report of Patricia Muñoz, GE-MIM- IFOP, Chile on ODINCARSA-OceanDocs activities and other projects involved in Marine Information Management for the Region.