Thank you for signing the petition calling for transparent and accountable governance of SIGL. We are very pleased and gratified that in just over 2 weeks it has been signed by 316 people.
In response to our letter to the SIGL Board Gloria Perez-Salmeron and Agnes Hajdu Barat have informed us that they have appointed Deborah Jacobs to the vacancy. Deborah was previously on the board from its inception in 2016 until July 2024. While acknowledging that there would be no Legacy Grant without her, it is unfortunate and disappointing that the board has not taken this opportunity to refresh its members for the final three years of the program.
SIGL now states that it expects to spend €250,000 per annum on board costs in the years to come. This is a lot of money for a board of three to spend to fulfil only one task: the annual transfer of money from SIGL to IFLA. We do not see the need for multiple in-person meetings with high travel and hotel costs, or for renting a year-round office in The Hague, or attending international conferences. Nor is there need for expensive advisors such as ex IFLA Secretary General Gerald Leitner, and expensive lawyers.
IFLA has issued a statement from the IFLA Governing Board on SIGL and communications from IFLA Members, available on the IFLA Website
Those of you who are subscribed to IFLA-L will have seen the letters of SIGL and our letter, as well as the responses coming from the library field. These are powerful messages from people across the world calling upon the SIGL board to keep operational costs as low as possible, spend as much money as possible on the great work IFLA does for libraries, as intended by the Gates Foundation, and be transparent and accountable in doing so.
If you wish to follow the discussion you can subscribe to IFLA-L, just follow the instructions at https://www.ifla.org/ifla-l/
We are keeping the petition open until 27 November - it would be marvellous to get to 500 signatures. Please keep spreading the word!