Iraqi librarians learn tricks of the trade at McMaster

Two Iraqi librarians are at McMaster this week receiving training that will help in the
rebuilding of their war-torn country.

Suzan Azeez Ali and Sawsan Fawzi Mahdi, librarians with the Specialized Institute for
Engineering Industries (SIEI), are at McMaster to better understand how to run a 21st
century engineering library. Their organization, located in Baghdad, assists
Iraqi industry with the application of national standards and quality assurance systems
and the testing of industrial products – things Canadians may take for granted, but
have been disrupted in Iraq due to years of conflict.

With funding from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Ali and
Mahdi have spent the last week at McMaster meeting with and shadowing Library staff
at Thode and Mills. What they learn at the University will allow them to better assist
companies in Iraq which have industrial, engineering and scientific problems.

“The training has showed us there is so much to learn in the library world – so much
more than just classification and cataloguing,” said Ali. “There are many things that we
weren't familiar with until visiting McMaster but that we will now try to get the benefit
of using back home.”

Of particular interest to the librarians is the Integrated Science Program (iSci), an
interdisciplinary program that directly involves students in scientific research from their
first year of study to graduation. The program utilizes many of the Library's state-of-
the-art technologies for research purposes.

“We knew that the iSci Program at McMaster was considered to be a step forward in
librarianship and that it serves the promising capabilities of high school graduates,
developing them into future scientists and researchers,” said Ali. “We think that it is
very important to share this information with our universities and institutes in Iraq.”

On campus until the end of the week, Ali and Mahdi have so far kept a busy schedule,
facilitated by engineering liaison librarian Linda Michtics. The pair have already met
with staff focused on everything from the curation of engineering databases
and
the development of library collections to digitization and new media. Their favourite
topic of discussion so far, however, has been the marketing of library activities.

“You have to be able to let people know what resources you have and what your
abilities are,” they agreed.

In addition to the distractions of war and economic sanctions, all of the SIEI's
laboratories and production workshops were either partially or totally destroyed.
Repeated conflict has also hindered its technical capacity and access to new
information and modern technologies. Their facilities have since been rebuilt, and Ali
and Mahdi are looking forward
to returning to Baghdad to help expand their library.

“There is so much for us to learn from McMaster's training. When we get back we have
so much to talk about – and so much to do!”