In search of grassroots frugality: Everyday learning and experiential knowledge to navigate water uncertainties in the Bundelkhand region, India

by Birendra Singh, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 2023, ISBN: 9789064901751
Abstract: Different disciplines, philosophical traditions, cultures, and religions have discussed frugality and its various material and non-material implications for human life. The application of frugality in the context of innovation and technology to cater to the needs of poorer sections of society is often known as frugal innovation. This thesis situates various manifestations of frugality in their social context while emphasizing everyday grassroots realities. Taking inspiration from sociology and anthropology, it zooms in on the intersectional relationship between resource ownership, institutional access, and lived experience (i.e., prior knowledge) to understand what is frugal and who embraces frugality in a particular local context.

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May 2026 — Vol. 6, No. 5
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IFLA Highlights

After the Governing Board meetings in Toronto in the middle of last month, IFLA’s leadership have been keeping up the pace!

IFLA President Leslie Weir visited China in order to take part in the World Library Forum on Information Technology in Education (ITIE) 2026 in Beijing, where she was a distinguished speaker. This provided a great opportunity to engage with members across the country. She also offered words of welcome at the Libraries Lead Forum at Qatar National Library.

IFLA Secretary General was just at BiblioCon, the annual German library conference, alongside many IFLA volunteers and members from Germany and Europe more broadly, and colleagues are also in London, engaging with the local library association ahead of WLIC2027. IFLA was also proud to be represented at the AIFDB École d’été in Dakar, Senegal.

In the coming month, IFLA’s President and Secretary General will be at ALA Annual in Chicago, and we’ll also be present at QQML in Bucharest and the United Cities and Local Governments Congress in Tangier.

You can also catch up on the ongoing work of the Governing Board in our latest President’s Message!

Finally, our 2026 General Assembly is set for 8 July, in hybrid format, in The Hague, Netherlands and online. IFLA Members have received a call for agenda items and resolutions.

A preliminary but packed version of our Congress programme is now available. That’s great timing because Early Bird registration has been extended until the end of the month! Save on your booking by registering before 31 May.

And speaking of Congress planning, get ahead of your journey with our curated reading list. Browse our Read Busan selection to discover recommended titles ahead of your journey. You can also explore how Korean libraries are shaping the future through digital innovation and knowledge transformation in our latest news article. Then take a step back in time to see how deep the bonds between Korea and IFLA go!

Finally, a reminder that a number of WLIC 2026 Open Session and Satellite Meeting Call for Papers are still active but closing soon. Don’t miss the opportunity to share your work and ideas with the global library community!

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We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2026 IFLA PressReader International Marketing Award! Learn more about the libraries that demonstrated exceptional marketing campaigns in innovation, impact, and community engagement.
We are also pleased to announce that the programmes for both IFLA METLIB 2026 and IFLA ILDS 2026 are now available.
Check out what speakers from publishing, research, the open movement and the sustainable development space said at our UN Science, Technology and Innovation side-event “Knowledge in the Post-2030 Agenda”.
As part of our first edition of our Futures Club, find out about how Masud Khokhar at the University of Leeds and Matt Huculak at the University of Victoria are making futures a structural part of their libraries’ work!
Read the highlights of our workshop last week in Toronto, looking ahead to some of the key themes for IFLA100.
IFLA joins partners in calling for concerted and comprehensive efforts towards Open Science in Europe. Read the full statement.
Be Bold for Copyright: Introducing the IFLA Copyright Education Fellows Zambia Cohort – meet the colleagues from Sub-Saharan Africa learning about how they can build skills and advocate more effectively.
Explore the new IFLA Statement on Accessibility Metadata. Effectively describing accessibility characteristics plays a key role in enabling libraries to support an equitable and inclusive knowledge society.
No, AI is not an excuse for The Purge. Read our latest IFLA blog post, where we argue that not all novelty requires destruction.
Something BIG is coming soon! IFLA has been a part of a project that we believe will help libraries and communities worldwide strengthen their resilience. This is a game-changer for Heritage in the face of climate change, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Mark your calendars for 4 June!

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Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (Libraries Without Borders - BSF), coordinator of the LiBri project, invites suggestions for multilingual library collections for crisis response. Submit in French, English, or Arabic through a 10-minute form.
Join the IFLA 100 Photo Competition and showcase your work: Open to ALL members and volunteers! Submission deadline: 30 June 2026.
What does the future hold for libraries? Tell us in the Li-Sci-Fi: IFLA100 Library Science Fiction Short Story Competition! Deadline: 1 September 2026
Call for papers is open for the IFLA Journal, Special Issue on Universal Access to Healthcare Information as a Human Right. Submission deadline: 27 November 2026.

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Don’t miss what’s coming up at IFLA! Explore exciting upcoming events and register now, online or onsite, through our Events Calendar.

Looking ahead, on 30 September 2027, IFLA celebrates its 100th anniversary! 🎂

Do you have ideas, initiatives, or partnership proposals to help shape this historic moment? Contact us at ifla100@ifla.org.

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Member Spotlight

This month, we are spotlightingthe National Library of Peru, whose “Digital Authors of Peru” initiative champions open access, inclusion and visibility of contemporary voices.

By bringing new works into BNP Digital, the initiative broadens access to cultural and academic content, supports authors without digital platforms, and shows how libraries can reduce gaps in access to information and strengthen the visibility of Peruvian authors at national and international levels.

Are you an IFLA organisation member?

We want to spotlight you! Share what’s new: successes, initiatives, and highlights in a few sentences using this form, and we’ll feature your organisation front and center!