The International Board on Books for Young People is a non-profit organization that represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. Today, IBBY is represented by more than 60 National Sections worldwide, with headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.
National Sections are organized in many different ways and operate on national, regional and international levels. In countries with an established National Section, we invite you to join your local Section. If there is no National Section in your country and you believe that your country could support and benefit from IBBY, it is possible for groups to apply for membership as a National Section. For further information about establishing a National Section, please contact the IBBY Secretariat.
Alternatively, Individual Membership of IBBY is possible wherever there is no existing National Section. We also welcome Supporting Members who prefer to support IBBY globally rather than nationally.
All forms of membership have to be approved by the IBBY Executive Committee. The IBBY Secretariat will be happy to provide you with the necessary information.
National Sections
National Sections represent IBBY in their country. Each Section receives all IBBY information: IBBY Newsletter, Press Releases, IBBY’s journal Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature. Every Section is entitled to vote in the IBBY Membership Assembly and have the right to nominate the serving IBBY Officers, including the members of the Hans Christian Andersen Award Jury. In addition, the National Sections have the exclusive right to nominate candidates for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award and titles for the IBBY Honour List.
The National Sections are expected to pay annual membership dues and submit a biennial report of their activities. The IBBY Executive Committee sets the level of dues for each National Section following criteria that include the member country’s economic standing, its standard of living, its children’s book production and the country’s presence on the international book market. The dues are reviewed annually. When prospective members apply to establish a National Section, in certain situations a starter discount for the first year of membership is available, or entry into a special programme of Aspirant Membership for developing countries is possible.
Establishing a Section of IBBY
Individual Members
If a National Section does not exist in your country it is possible to apply for Individual Membership of IBBY. Individual Members receive all IBBY information: IBBY Newsletter, Press Releases, IBBY’s journal Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature. Individual Members are always invited to attend IBBY events.
The annual fees for Individual Members are CHF 250.00. (Swiss Francs)
Supporting Members
Supporting Membership is for individuals or institutions that wish to support IBBY globally. Supporting Members receive all IBBY information: IBBY Newsletter, Press Releases, IBBY’s journal Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature. The annual dues expected from Supporting Members are a minimum of CHF 1,000.00 (Swiss Francs) for individuals or CHF 2,000.00 for institutions.
Contact the IBBY Secretariat: ibby@ibby.org