Biblioteca Complutense

Maria Cotera

Maria Cotera is the Convener of IFLA Women, Information and Libraries Special Interest Group, which she founded in 2007.

She has a LIS degree from Granada University, Spain, and spent three years working as a public librarian in Tenerife, Canary Islands, before moving to London in 1999 where she gained employment at the London School of Economics Library. In 2001 Maria was appointed to the library staff of University College London (UCL), London's leading multidisciplinary university. Maria left UCL at the end of July 2010 and is currently enjoying a break from paid employment while investing her time and energies in her professional interests.

Maria is passionate about CPD and professional activism. Her other professional interests include advocacy for libraries, access to information as a human right, women empowerment though education, and diversity and equality issues within the profession. She translates these passions into her work within IFLA Women, Information and Libraries Special Interest Group and the Management of Library Associations Section, and CILIP International Library and Information Group (ILIG) in the UK.