International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
IFLA is the global non-governmental federation of library associations, institutions, and professionals, founded in 1927 and headquartered in The Hague. It develops international library standards, runs the annual WLIC congress, and represents 1,838 members across 153 countries in UN policy processes.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersDen Haag, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions does
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the global non-governmental federation representing the library and information services sector, founded in 1927 and headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, with ANBI public benefit status under Dutch law. It serves library associations, academic, public, national, parliamentary, and government libraries, and individual library and information professionals, organized into eight professional divisions, six regional divisions, multiple sections, and Special Interest Groups covering all major library domains. As of the available data, membership totals 1,838 entities spanning 153 countries, making it the most internationally represented library body.
IFLA's core products and technical assets center on international standards (ISBD, LRM, UNIMARC), a digital repository of 7,000+ professional resources, the Library Map of the World advocacy and statistics platform, the IFLA Trend Report strategic foresight series, the DA2I research report on libraries and the UN SDGs, and the International Interlibrary Voucher Scheme (EUR 8 per full voucher, EUR 4 per half voucher) for cross-border interlibrary loan payments. It maintains consultative status with UNESCO, WIPO, WSIS, IGF, and other UN agencies, runs the annual World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) and the new Information Futures Summit, and distributes the IFLA Journal through SAGE Publishing. Technology infrastructure is modest and standards-focused; no public APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML systems are documented.
IFLA's revenue model is multi-stream and non-commercial: recurring membership fees from associations, institutions, and individuals; transaction fees from interlibrary voucher sales (including a EUR 21 fixed plus 4% variable handling fee); event registration income from WLIC and satellite conferences; publications sales; and donations channeled through two affiliated foundations (Stichting IFLA Foundation and Stichting IFLA Global Libraries). The go-to-market motion is community-led, driven through volunteer professional units, regional divisions, advocacy impact, and global events. Customer concentration is low, with revenue spread across a large, geographically diverse membership base.
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
- Legal name
- International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
- Website
- https://ifla.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- IFLA is the global non-governmental federation of library associations, institutions, and professionals, founded in 1927 and headquartered in The Hague. It develops international library standards, runs the annual WLIC congress, and represents 1,838 members across 153 countries in UN policy processes.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- Business Associations (813910), Libraries and Archives (51921)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations (EDAEAGAK), Academic & Research Library Operations (College/University Libraries) (EDAEAGAB)
Keywords
Where International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Den Haag
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from library associations, institutions, and individual affiliates. Institutional members receive discounts on interlibrary voucher purchases and event registrations.
- Interlibrary Voucher Sales: Sale of international interlibrary vouchers at EUR 8 per full voucher or EUR 4 per half voucher, with institutional members receiving 10% discount. Supplying libraries can redeem vouchers for refunds.
- Event Registration Fees: Revenue from the annual World Library and Information Congress (WLIC), regional conferences, satellite meetings, and professional webinars. Members receive discounted registration rates.
- Publications Sales: Sales of IFLA Publications Series, IFLA Journal subscriptions, and other professional publications. Members receive discounted rates.
- Donations: Voluntary donations from supporters to fund IFLA's vision of sustainable futures through knowledge and information access. Supports capacity building, advocacy, and professional development programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Full Interlibrary Voucher - EUR 8 per voucher (EUR 7.20 for members) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Half Interlibrary Voucher - EUR 4 per voucher (EUR 3.60 for members) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Voucher Handling Fees - EUR 21 fixed + 4% variable |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IFLA is the global federation representing library associations, institutions, and information professionals across 150+ countries. It develops international library standards (ISBD, LRM, UNIMARC), operates the International Interlibrary Voucher Scheme for cross-border document delivery, publishes the IFLA Journal and Trend Report, and runs the annual World Library and Information Congress (WLIC). The federation advocates for libraries within UN policy processes, including UNESCO, WIPO, and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Product overview
IFLA is a global federation (not a product company) offering a portfolio of professional resources, advocacy tools, and institutional services to the library field worldwide. Core offerings include: the Library Map of the World (advocacy statistics platform), IFLA Trend Report (strategic foresight publication), DA2I Report (development impact research), IFLA Standards (professional standards library), and the International Interlibrary Voucher Scheme (payment system). The organization is structured around Professional Divisions (8 divisions), Sections (domain-specific networks), Special Interest Groups (emerging topics), and Regional Divisions (6 regions). Major events include the WLIC Congress, Information Futures Summit, ILDS Conference, and METLIB Conference. Supporting platforms include the IFLA Repository (document archive), IFLA Namespaces (identifier services), and IFLA Journal (academic publication).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- IFLA WLIC: IFLA World Library and Information Congress - the leading international conference for the library and information services sector
- IFLA Trend Report
- IFLA Voucher Scheme
- Library Map of the World
- DA2I Report
- IFLA Information Futures Summit
Products and services
- Library Map of the World An online platform that collects and visualizes country-level library statistics, SDG contribution stories, and information about library environments, organizations, policies, and legislation across nations. Used by libraries, associations, and policy advocates worldwide to demonstrate library impact.
- IFLA Trend Report A strategic foresight publication series launched in 2013 that brings together perspectives from thought leaders on changes affecting the information and library environment, including trend analysis, scenario development, and a Skills Agenda.
- Development and Access to Information (DA2I) Report A research report monitoring progress towards delivering information access for all and demonstrating how libraries contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, developed jointly with TASCHA at the University of Washington.
- IFLA Standards International standards, guidelines, technical standards, toolkits, statements, and manifestos for library and information-related activities, including ISBD, IFLA Library Reference Model (LRM), and UNIMARC. Developed through professional unit collaboration, peer review, and consensus processes.
- International Interlibrary Voucher Scheme A payment system for international interlibrary transactions using vouchers (EUR 8 full / EUR 4 half) that enables libraries to pay for ILL requests without bank charges or exchange rate issues. Institutional members receive a 10% discount. Vouchers have unlimited validity and can be reused indefinitely.
- IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) The leading international conference for library and information services, held annually in rotating global locations, offering paper presentations, workshops, networking, cultural events, and various registration tiers with member discounts and grants.
- IFLA Information Futures Summit (IIFS) A focused summit premiered in 2024 that brings together the library field's energy, expertise, and diversity to address information challenges facing the profession.
- IFLA Interlending and Document Supply Conference (ILDS) A biannual conference held since 1988 for the international community to discuss delivery of quality interlibrary and document supply services, sponsored by the IFLA Document Delivery and Resources Section.
- IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Conference (METLIB) An annual meeting held since 1968 for innovators, practitioners, and strategists shaping public library services in metropolitan and urban areas.
- IFLA Repository A digital repository hosting over 7,000 resources including standards, publications, reports, minutes, newsletters, and other institutional documents, providing 24/7 access to IFLA's professional content library.
- IFLA Namespaces A technical namespace service (iflastandards.info) supporting IFLA standards and identifier systems for the library community.
- IFLA Journal A peer-reviewed academic journal published by IFLA in partnership with SAGE Publishing, covering all aspects of librarianship and information science, distributed with searchable electronic access through SAGE Journals.
- IFLA Publications Series A series of professional publications developed by IFLA covering various aspects of library and information work, sold to members and non-members with member discounts available.
Quantifiable outcome
- Libraries are increasingly recognized as partners in UN Sustainable Development Goals implementation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and major.
- Cloudflare (Galileo Project)supportingCloudflare provides technical support through its Galileo Project, which supports humanitarian and civil society organizations with security and infrastructure services.
- Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA), University of Washington Information SchoolcoreJoint development of the Development and Access to Information (DA2I) Report, a collaborative monitoring initiative tracking libraries' contribution to UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- United NationscoreIFLA holds consultative status with UN agencies and participates in High-Level Political Forum, contributing to global development agenda including UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)coreIFLA participates in WIPO's Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights, advocating for library-friendly copyright exceptions and limitations globally.
- UNESCOcoreUNESCO-IFLA collaboration on public library manifesto, cultural heritage initiatives, and global literacy and access to information programs.
- World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS)majorIFLA contributes to WSIS processes addressing internet governance, digital inclusion, and information society development.
- Internet Governance Forum (IGF)majorIFLA participates in IGF multi-stakeholder discussions on internet policy, digital rights, and access to information.
- SAGE PublishingcorePartnership for IFLA Journal distribution, providing searchable electronic access through SAGE Journals platform as a member benefit.
- G4 Libraries (Netherlands)majorConsortium of four largest Dutch city libraries (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht) hosting IFLA Metropolitan Libraries Conference 2026.
- International Committee of the Blue ShieldmajorCollaboration on protection of cultural heritage, disaster preparedness, and preservation of documentary heritage during conflicts and emergencies.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- International Council of Museums (ICOM): A global membership federation for museums with UNESCO consultative status, standards-setting, and ethics work, structurally analogous to IFLA within an adjacent cultural-heritage sector.
- NISO (National Information Standards Organization): A standards body developing technical and interoperability standards for libraries, publishers, and information services, directly comparable to IFLA's standards-development mandate (ISBD, UNIMARC).
- OCLC: A global library cooperative that maintains shared cataloging standards, WorldCat, and interlibrary loan infrastructure, overlapping directly with IFLA's standards and resource-sharing (voucher/ILL) activities.
- International Council on Archives (ICA): A global non-governmental federation for the archives profession that sets standards and advocates internationally, mirroring IFLA's federation model and consultative posture but for archives rather than libraries.
Regional players
- CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals): The UK professional body for librarians and information workers offering accreditation, advocacy, and professional development, overlapping with IFLA's membership and professional-development role in a single geography.
- Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA): A national library and information professional association providing membership services, advocacy, and professional development, mirroring IFLA's model within Australia.
- LIBER (Association of European Research Libraries): A membership network of European research libraries focused on advocacy, open science, and standards, comparable to IFLA but concentrated on the European research-library territory.
- Association of Research Libraries (ARL): A North American membership organization of research libraries pursuing advocacy, policy, and scholarly communication agendas, comparable to IFLA's institutional-membership and advocacy functions in one region.
Others
- SPARC: An advocacy coalition for open access and open science within the library and research community, thematically overlapping with IFLA's copyright, open-science, and access-to-information advocacy.
Broad incumbents
- American Library Association (ALA): The largest and oldest library association, delivering advocacy, standards, publications, and a major annual conference to library professionals, closely paralleling IFLA's membership model at national scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions social profiles
Digital presenceInternational Federation of Library Associations and Institutions compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
What does International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions do?
IFLA is the global federation representing library associations, institutions, and information professionals across 150+ countries. It develops international library standards (ISBD, LRM, UNIMARC), operates the International Interlibrary Voucher Scheme for cross-border document delivery, publishes the IFLA Journal and Trend Report, and runs the annual World Library and Information Congress (WLIC). The federation advocates for libraries within UN policy processes, including UNESCO, WIPO, and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Is International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions a public or private company?
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions founded?
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions was founded in 1927. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions based?
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions is headquartered in Den Haag, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are interlibrary Voucher Sales, event Registration Fees, publications Sales and donations.
Who are International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are International Council of Museums (ICOM), NISO (National Information Standards Organization), OCLC and International Council on Archives (ICA). Regional players are CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals), Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), LIBER (Association of European Research Libraries) and Association of Research Libraries (ARL). SPARC is listed as an others. American Library Association (ALA) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions have an API?
No public API is recorded for International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.
What industry is International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions in?
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADANAB, Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels, with a secondary code of EDAEAGAK, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) & Resource Sharing Operations. Its NAICS code is 813910 and its SIC code is 8600.