Elsevier, Eugene Garfield Foundation, SIGs, Chapters, LIS Schools, and Individuals have contributed $7,970 to the ASIST SIG III International Paper Contest

SIG III would like to thank the generous donors for their support for the International Paper Contest, who have helped raise $7,970 since mid-March 2006. The SIG III fundraising campaign is ongoing and we welcome contributions to keep the program going. Here is the list of donors that have received as of August 20, 2006:

This year marks the seventh anniversary of the ASIST SIG III International Paper Contest on International Digital Libraries and Information Science & Technology Advances in Developing Countries. The International Paper Contest is one of the most successful programs run by SIG III each year. The papers submitted represent important developments in information science, and they serve to advance the information profession worldwide. To date, 323 authors of 270 papers from 51 countries/areas have participated in the SIG III International Paper Contest. Many of the papers have been published in library and information literature, including the International Information and Library Review and the Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. In addition, contest winners often see advances in their professional careers. Their stories are posted on the ASIST SIG III website at http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/. This valuable opportunity would not be available without the financial support provided by all of our generous donors.

The raised funds will support two-year ASIST memberships for six to eight of the paper contest winners each year and cover expenses of the top winner(s) to travel from his or her home country to the ASIST Annual Meeting. Since the first paper contest in 2000, through this program, SIG III has sponsored over forty two-year ASIST memberships to contest winners from 15 different countries, and has supported 16 winners to attend the ASIST Annual Meeting.

SIG III is currently reaping the benefits of our International Paper Contest fundraising campaign, which is bringing in donations from all over the world. As in the past years, SIG III was privileged enough to receive donations from various ASIST Chapters (including the newly formed European Chapter), many of which donate on a regular basis, and others that have contributed greatly to our fundraising effort throughout the past several years. Elsevier has also been a constant help, donating $3000 this year ($2000 for the International Paper Contest alone, and another $1000 for the International Reception). The Eugene Garfield Foundation has also generously provided us with $2150. We are also thankful to the LIS schools throughout North America that have contributed generously to this campaign. Finally, thanks to individual donors and to Berkshire Publishing, which has graciously offered two copies of their Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction.

We would like to thank all of these donors for their ongoing support, as it means a great deal to us. We are also extremely grateful for the help of these donors. Without their contributions, we would not be able to run the International Paper Contest, which benefits so many scholars and information professionals around the world. Additionally, we would like to thank all the individual donors who have contributed in the past and will contribute again in the future.

Finally, we would like to thank the Executive Director Richard Hill and Director of Finance Janice Hatzakos at ASIST headquarters for their help in processing the donations and making them available for our digital scholar funds.

The officers and members of SIG III are always working diligently to make this SIG the best it can be. Between this effort and all the support received this year, it is certain that this year's International Paper Contest will be just as successful as it has been in the past years. Again, thanks for the continued support.
For more information about the International Paper Contest, please visit the International Paper Contest section of the SIG III website (http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/).
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We would greatly appreciate more donations to keep this paper competition running. If this is possible, please send a check, made payable to ASIST for the "Digital Scholars Fund," to Richard Hill
Executive Director, ASIST
1320 Fenwick Lane, Suite 510
Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
We thank you for your generosity in contributing to this International Paper Contest that has benefited so many people.