Palau hosts Pacific Islands Association for Libraries, Archives, and Museums conference

Photograph: JKPL photos. Retrieved from mvariety.com

The Pacific Islands Association of Libraries, Archives, and Museums recently concluded its 32nd annual conference, with attendees hailing the event as a tremendous success. The conference took place in-person in pristine Koror, Palau on Nov. 13-17, 2023, and brought over 75 professionals from across the Pacific region to share best practices and discuss innovative strategies for preserving and promoting cultural heritage.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Re-evaluate, Re-focus, and Re-connect: Adapting to the New Norm in the Pacific” and featured a wide range of presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities. Attendees from the Pacific — the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Hawaii, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Yap, Kosrae, and Pohnpei), New Zealand, American Samoa and the U.S. mainland — had the chance to learn from industry experts, participate in hands-on activities, and engage in discussions about the unique challenges and opportunities facing cultural institutions in the Pacific.

“I would like to take this time to thank the amazing the PIALA Organizing Committee members responsible for coordinating these efforts — the Palau Association of Libraries, PAL President Lorraine Tellei and PIALA Vice President Abel Noah,” PIALA President Erlinda C. Naputi, who is also Joeten-Kiyu Public Library’s director.