Call for Papers: IFLA Social Science Libraries Section, Satellite Conference
Disappearing disciplinary borders in the social science library - global studies or sea change?
University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
6-7 August 2008
Conference Web:
http://ilabs.inquiry.uiuc.edu/ilab/ssls/
Theme and Objectives
Over the past decade, the nature of social science research and scholarship has undergone shifts that have blurred the traditional disciplinary boundaries as research attempts to grapple with phenomena and issues that require interdisciplinary knowledge and collaboration. For example, a growing number of institutions and scholars are venturing into the arena of global studies and globalization studies. Situated in economics, political science, policy studies, and other discrete fields of the social sciences, global studies encompass both the perception and reality of an
interconnected world society. The multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary nature of studies and resources in this and similar emerging disciplines draws upon and influences knowledge in the natural sciences, social sciences, and policy studies, spanning the entire spectrum of IFLA
interests, including agricultural libraries, information literacy programs, digital libraries, government libraries, information technology, health and biosciences libraries, and professional development, and while covering all of the world's geographic regions.
Given the changes within the social sciences as they have traditionally been defined, how can academic and special libraries continue to provide services and resources to researchers who are working on necessarily interdisciplinary research questions within the constraints of organizational structures (universities, libraries, associations, and journals) that can't easily support this work?
The conference organizing committee invites proposals for papers on any topic related to the theme of Disappearing Disciplinary Borders in the Social Science Library. Conference papers will be peer reviewed for acceptance and become eligible for the Social Science Section's proposed
IFLA monograph on the subject.
Paper topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:
* What resources are available to support the librarian's work in interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary fields?
* What strategies are available to promote this type of librarianship?
* What resources are being developed to assist the interdisciplinary scholar?
* How are virtual spaces being used to foster collaboration?
* How can libraries foster and support research communities that focus on interdisciplinary research and teaching among colleagues locally and internationally?
* How are new library services such as support for electronic publishing and archiving affecting interdisciplinary scholarship?
* How are changing models of librarianship, such as the "field" or "imbedded" librarian, changing the scholarly landscape?
* How do libraries respond to emerging disciplines: at what point do they become emerging disciplines and when are they simply passing fads?
* How can collection development strategies support interdisciplinary collections?
* How can catalogers and indexers use classification systems to provide better access to works of interdisciplinary importance?
* How can we help better educate our "global" students?
* What are the changing roles of data and datasets?
* Social networking and digital difference, how can the librarian facilitate communication?
Final papers should be no more than 5,000 words in length.
Presentations
for the conference should be approximately 20 minutes in length, with an additional 10 minutes available for discussion of the presentation.
Submission of Proposals
Please submit an abstract of no more than 1,000 words in electronic format - preferably via e-mail. Proposals sent as e-mail attachments must be in either a generally available word-processing file format such as Word, or in RTF format. Include the following information:
1. Name of Presenter/s
2. Institutional Affiliation
3. Mailing address
4. E-mail address
5. Phone and/or fax information
6. Title of Paper
7. Abstract of Paper (maximum 1,000 words)
8. Brief biographical statement (maximum 150 words)
English is the official language of the conference.
Submit to
Steve Witt
Chair, Social Sciences Section
swwitt@uiuc.edu
FAX: 1.217.265.7519
Center for Global Studies
302 E. John, Suite 1705
Champaign, IL 61820
USA
Important Dates
1. Proposal must be received by February 8, 2008
2. Notification of acceptance will be sent by February 2008
3. Deadline for text of presentation is May 1, 2008
Conference Venue
The conference will be held in Toronto, Canada. The venue includes the University of Toronto Robards Library and the University Faculty Club. A block of rooms have been reserved at the Toronto Holiday Inn Midtown, 280 Bloor Street West, which is very nearby.
Registration Costs
$80.00
The fee will cover a set of the published conference presentations, lunch, mid-morning and mid-afternoon refreshments, and the conference dinner. Registration options will include registration for the full 2 day conference and single day registration. An optional tour package at the conclusion of the conference will also be available.
Presenters will be required to pay the registration fee and their own travel, accommodation and associated costs.
Register Online at http://ilabs.inquiry.uiuc.edu/ilab/ssls/
Steve Witt
Associate Director
Center for Global Studies
University of Illinois
302 E. John St. Suite 1705
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
Phone: 217.265.7518
Fax: 217.265.7519
Web: http://www.cgs.uiuc.edu/
