• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

CONFERENCE CIRCUIT Crimea ’98 Libraries and associations in the transient world by Lester J. Pourciau he fifth anniversary of the international James Billington, librarian of Congress; and T conference Crimea ’98, “Libraries and Asso­ Ekaterina Genieva, president of the Open So­ ciations in the Transient World: New Technolo­ ciety Institute-Russia and director general of the gies and New Forms of Cooperation,” was held Library for Foreign Literature in Moscow. June 6-14 in Sudak, Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Ukraine. Growing almost tenfold since Traditional and digital library the first Crimea conference in 1994, registration needed for this year’s event was more than 1,000 and Billington spoke about “The Historic Library represented people from 30 countries. and the Information Age,” describing the digi­ As has been the case with each of the pre­ tal efforts of the Library of Congress and adopt­ vious Crimea conferences, the primary orga­ ing a very rational and balanced position be­ nizer was the Russian National Public Library tween endorsement of the traditional library for Science and Technology. Co-organizers and the forthcoming digital society. were the Ministries of Culture of the Russian Andrei Zemskov, director of the Russian Federation and of Culture and Arts of Ukraine; National Public Library for Science and Tech­ the Kiev Mohyla Acad­ nology and, by original emy; the Ministry of Cul­ training, a plasma physi­ ture of the autonomous cist, spoke of scientific Republic of Crimea; the and technical libraries Russian State Library; the and the Russian approach Library for Foreign Litera­ to what everyone wants ture in Moscow; the Uni­ to predict as the informa­ versity of Memphis in the tion society. United States; the Inter­ He characterized the national Library, Infor­ situation in Russia as hav­ mation, and Analytical ing sufficient computers Welcoming sign in English, Russian, and Center (ILIAC); the Book Ukranian. and networking to move Chamber of Ukraine; and deliberately toward the the Ukrainian Library Association. Yakov L. information society, but he spoke somewhat Shraiberg, first deputy director of the Russian skeptically about officials who speak about National Public Library for Science and Tech­ … information security as opposed to infor­ nology, served as executive chair of the Inter­ mation transparency.” national Organizing Committee and I was Ekaterina Genieva described programs of deputy chair. the Soros Foundation for the Advancement of Participating in the opening plenary ses­ Science, Culture, and Education in Russia. sions were Leo Voogt, IFLA secretary general; (continued on p. 603) About the author LesterJ. Pourciau is director of libraries at the University of Memphis, e-mail: [email protected] 596 / C&RL News ■ September 1998 for electronic reserves systems, home deliv­ Finally, I expect to spend a greater portion ery of monographic and other “hard-copy” of my time on the values of higher education, materials, and remote (probably Web-based) discussing all, protecting some, discarding oth­ library use instruction. ers. (I see this as an extension of the impor­ We will be installing wireless networking tant dialogue ACRL began last year.) Progres­ in the library and elsewhere on my campus. sively more confused by our fast-changing With more and more students, faculty, and world, we in higher education will check this staff using laptops instead o f specially- headlong progress against our ethical bedrock, configured and hard-wired public PCs, we will asking some important questions along the need a common interface. That interface will way. “Who are we? What do we stand for? likely remain the Web. We will spend less time What are we trying to accomplish?” configuring machines and more time design­ In planning services and systems, it will be ing user interfaces/front ends. in part my responsibility to ensure that new There will be less focus on the acquisi­ services and systems take advantage of tech­ tion and servicing of technology— whether nological advances without betraying our core that technology is in the library, on a fac­ values.—Mark Cain ulty/staff member’s desktop, or in a com­ puter lab. More important will be fostering Your opinion is sought the effective use of that technology to im­ C&RL News wants opinions from librarians, prove research, learning, and service; to faculty, and administrators in all types of aca­ streamline administrative processes; to re­ demic institutions, holding a variety of posi­ duce costs; and to increase revenue. A great tions. To be considered as a respondent to a deal of attention will be given to process question-based “Way I See It” column, please reengineering. In the library, this will mean send your name, title, institution, e-mail ad­ reconceiving library technical processes and dress, and photo to “Way I See It,” C&RL News, helping users redesign tried-and-true but ACRL/ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago IL 60611- now obsolescent research methodologies. (Crimea ’98 continued from p. 596) An IFLA update ternational OCLC, presented “OCLC and Mem­ Leo Voogt provided plenary attendees with ber Libraries: Architects of the Global Library.” an overview of recent developments within Using a PowerPoint presentation, Spies de­ IFLA, characterizing them as indicative of a scribed the viewpoints of various persons from strong period of growth and serious invest­ different countries throughout the world. ment in information technology. He pointed Her presentation explored two points: one, out that one of IFLA’s cornerstones has been, the key trends in the global information mar­ and remains, the volunteer effort of many ex­ ketplace and, two, a brief characterization of perts and specialists from around the world. OCLC’s strategic international directions in light While he applauded the growth and de­ of these global trends. She spoke about the velopment of information technology within information revolution, comparing and con­ the context of IFLA’s activities, he made a point trasting it to the industrial revolution, point­ of stating that “efforts must be fed by elec­ ing out that “technology’s effects on us today tronic communication, but cannot flourish are different from those of the industrial revo­ without personal communication.” lution. They are more democratic, more per­ For this to occur, he argued for a strong sonal; more subtle and profound.” need for IFLA to continue to rely on personal Crimea ’98 was indeed an interesting and networks, networks that can be established rewarding experience. It has become the domi­ and maintained during IFLA’s general confer­ nant conference throughout central and East­ ence, and, he added, during important regional ern Europe and annually provides an excel­ events like the Crimea conference. lent forum and context for large numbers of librarians throughout the region to intermingle, The global perspective to network, to exchange views and experi­ Phyllis Spies, vice president, Sales and In­ ences, and to profit from one another. C&RL News ■ September 1998 / 603.

Load more

  2

Copy Link