Founded in Edinburgh on 30 September 1927 during the International Congress of Libraries (the 50th Anniversary Conference of the British Library Association), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) was established initially as a small association of mainly national library associations and academic libraries. The Federation was one of the first international non-profit, non-governmental organisations aiming to further the cause of librarianship. Its primary function was to provide librarians throughout the world with a general forum for international contacts and exchange of ideas and experiences, principally in the field of bibliography. Nowadays, IFLA is an organisation of worldwide scope representing more than 1,600 members in almost 150 countries. IFLA's principal function is to promote international understanding, co-operation, discussion, research and development in all fields of library activity, including bibliography, information services and the education of personnel, and to provide a body through which librarianship can be represented in matters of international interest.