IFLA Satellite meeting: "Libraries and society. A pan-mediterranean perspective"

The IFLA Library Services to Multicultural Populations Section invites cultural heritage operators, researchers and technology developers, professional educators focusing on Mediterranean issues, and especially librarians and information specialists running projects, developing library collections and offering innovative services in Mediterranean countries, to submit proposals for its IFLA post-conference to be held in Palermo, Italy, on 31st August and 1st September 2009.

The committee is seeking proposals on programmes that deal with some crucial issues like freedom of information, bridging the digital divide, promoting literacy and lifelong learning, and the economic and social impact of library services. We are also looking for contributions exploring some aspects of the advancement of librarianship, such as the improvement of LIS programmes, the development of library collections and services meeting user needs, and the management and marketing of libraries in the Mediterranean context.

The sessions welcome papers that discuss:

• The role of libraries in the information society
• Advocacy of libraries and best practices in library policies
• Social benefits coming form the development of the library service
• Remarkable experience from cultural and education institutions (libraries, archives, museum, galleries, universities)
• Libraries' programmes that foster reading promotion and community learning, while promoting cross-cultural dialogue and understanding
• Teaching and learning library and information science

in the Mediterranean region.

Furthermore, we take into consideration paper proposals about:

• Mediterranean-oriented modern library collections and services (throughout the world)
• Specific library and cultural services targeted to communities from Mediterranean countries (throughout the world)
• Digital and/or multimedia collections of documents on Mediterranean historical and cultural heritage.

Paper proposals should match one of the following Conference sessions (tracks):

Mediterranean-based Library Collections and Services

Resources on the Mediterranean in Libraries

Libraries Bridging the Digital Divide

Cultural Institutions and the Mediterranean

 

Please notice that the Conference Tracks "Teaching and Learning LIS in the Mediterranean Countries" and "Freedom of Information" are Key-note sessions. Papers for these two sessions will be submitted only by invitation from the IFLA Satellite Meeting Committee.