SIG III Newsletter

Volume 3 Number 2 April 2003

 

Table of Contents

 

1. ASIST PVC Teams up with SIG III to Help Travel Grant Winners. 1

2. CALL FOR PAPERS: SIG III 2003 International Paper Contest 1

3. CALL FOR PAPERS: JCDL 2003. 2

4. Call for Participation: Global Information Village Plaza II 3

5. SIG III sent books donated by Information Today to the Vilnius Library School in Lithuania. 6

6. Success Story of SIG III International Paper Contest Winner 6

7. A Message to Potential SIG III Members. 7

8. Frequently Asked Questions about sigiii-l Subscriptions and SIG III Web Site. 7

 

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1. ASIST PVC Teams up with SIG III to Help Travel Grant Winners

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The ASIST PVC Chapter is teaming up with SIG III to raise money to help pay hotel/food expenses for six ASIST international travel grant winners to go to the Long Beach conference in October 2003. A list of winners and their photos are available at:

http://www.asis.org/Chapters/asispvc/may_15_2003/scholars.html

 

Members and friends are invited to the "International Bazaar and Merrymaking Evening" in an absolutely beautiful setting on a patio overlooking the Potomac River!  There will be an exciting international silent auction at the event. The goal of this event is to raise $2,000 to pay for hotel rooms, meals and some extra airfare (some prices have gone up since we awarded the amounts last year) for the 6 travel grant winners who could not get visas last year.

 

Registration is still open. More detail and registration form are available at:

http://www.asis.org/Chapters/asispvc/may_15_2003/index.html

 

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2. CALL FOR PAPERS: SIG III 2003 International Paper Contest

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International Digital Libraries and Information Science & Technology Advances

in Developing Countries

 

The American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIST), International Information Issues Special Interest Group, is pleased to announce its fourth competition for papers to be submitted for the 2003 Annual Meeting, Oct. 20-23, 2003, Long Beach, CA. 

 

The theme of the paper is:

“Humanizing Information Technology - From Ideas to Bits and Back: the developing world perspective.”

 

The paper topic could be at the country or regional level. Papers could discuss issues, policies and case studies on specific aspects of this theme, such as, but not limited to, the following: information management, organization and access; information seeking and use; information retrieval; interactivity; ethical, social, political, legal and economic issues related to the role of information in society, such as privacy, copyright, information policy, as well as the social role of information technologies such as the Internet and the World Wide Web; information production, transfer, and delivery; technologies for computing and networking

 

There will be six winners.  Winners will be selected by a panel of judges, which will include Nadia Caidi, University of Toronto; Nathalie Leroy, United Nations; Michel Menou, City University of London; Margarita Studemeister, United States Institute of Peace, and Hong Xu, University of Pittsburgh. The prize for each winner is a two-year individual membership in ASIST.  In the case of multiple authors, the principal author will be awarded the ASIST membership. The first place winner will be awarded a $1,000 travel grant, and Conference registration fee to the ASIST Annual Conference in Long Beach California, October 19-22, 2003. Depending on the availability of additional resources, the SIG/III International Paper Competition Committee will provide some travel funds for a second winner who has not previously been in the United States.

 

Publishing opportunities

Submitted papers will be considered for posting on the SIG III web site as pre-publications.  In addition they will also be considered for inclusion in the ASIST Bulletin, based on the decision of Editor-in-Chief, Irene Travis, Ph.D. Papers will also be reviewed for inclusion in a special issue of the International Information and Library Review, subject to the usual peer refereeing process.

 

Information for authors

Only papers by a principal author who is a citizen of, and resides in a developing country are eligible. Winners in the 2000, 2001 or 2002 contests are not eligible. The papers should be original, unpublished, preferably in English, but submissions in French or Spanish will be accepted. We encourage submissions from librarians, information and network specialists, and educators involved in the creation, representation, maintenance, exchange, discovery, delivery, and use of digital information.

 

ASIST Copyright Policy

ASIST will have the non-exclusive right to publish any of the papers submitted on its web site or in print, with ownership and all other rights remaining with the author.

 

Deadline for submission of full papers

Authors are invited to submit manuscripts, not to exceed 6000 words, by June 30, 2003. Authors are encouraged to submit papers electronically. For more information or to submit manuscripts, please contact Yunfei Du by e-mail at the following address: ydu@lis.admin.unt.edu

 

Please check SIG III website (http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/) for a list of previous winners, sample papers, and success stories of some previous winners! 

 

 

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3. CALL FOR PAPERS: JCDL 2003

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Joint Conference on Digital Libraries (JCDL) 2003
May 27-31, 2003
Rice University, Houston (TX)

Workshop Theme:
Cross-Cultural Usability for Digital Libraries
(http://www.fis.utoronto.ca/faculty/caidi/JCDL03.html)

OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVES

The scope and reach of digital libraries (DL) is truly global, spanning geographical and cultural boundaries, yet few scholars have investigated the influence of culture as it pertains to the design and use of digital libraries. This workshop will examine cross-cultural issues around the use and development of DLs, especially as they relate to supporting cross-cultural usability of DLs. This workshop brings together researchers from a variety of disciplines to present current projects and contribute to a collaborative research agenda. The goals of the workshop are:

1) to increase awareness about the area of cross-cultural usability in the digital library community

2) to identify new tools, techniques and methodologies for cross-cultural study of user behavior in DLs and international user interface design

3) to provide a forum for generating new research directions and cross- disciplinary collaboration.

FORMAT OF WORKSHOP

The format will be highly interactive. In addition to reviews of actual projects being undertaken, attendees will be asked to contribute real examples of successful (and/or poor) interfaces and website designs. The outcome of the workshop will be the establishment of a road map for this type of research, which includes the identification of key issues/questions around cross-cultural usability (e.g., international user interface design guidelines, methodological considerations, etc.).

SUBMISSION AND DEADLINE

You are invited to submit a position paper by May 10, 2003. Papers should be 2-4 pages long. All submitted papers will be peer-reviewed by the review committee below. Please use the ACM SIG Proceedings Templates for formatting submissions: http://www.acm.org/sigs/pubs/proceed/template.html

Send submissions in MS Word or PDF format to: Nadia Caidi (caidi@fis.utoronto.ca) and Anita Komlodi (komlodi@umbc.edu).

PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

Nadia Caidi, University of Toronto, Canada
Anita Komlodi, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

REVIEW COMMITEE:

Christine L. Borgman, UCLA, USA
Andrew Dillon, University of Texas, Austin, USA
Elke Duncker, Middlesex University, UK
Preben Hansen, Swedish Institute of Computer Science, Kista, Sweden
Noriko Kando, National Institute of Informatics, Tokyo, Japan
Elaine Toms, University of Toronto (Canada)

 

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4. Call for Participation: Global Information Village Plaza II

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CALL FOR PARTICIPATION

 

2nd Global Information Village Plaza: Connecting Multi-Cultural, Multi-Lingual and Multi-Media Universes

 

  -What is the Global Information Village Plaza?

 

  The Global Information Village Plaza was born out of the idea of going beyond the hype,

  rhetoric and ‘expert’ analysis by the happy few involved in the preparation of policies and

  programs supposed to support the transition into the “information society" or "digital

  economy.” Instead, it sought to give ASIS&T members -and information professionals at

  large- an opportunity to informally and vigorously express their views about the challenges

  and opportunities that the so called "information society" represents in their personal and

  professional lives.

 

  -Outcomes of the of 1st Global Information Village Plaza:

 

  Between July and December 2002, individuals were invited to post short position statements

  and engage in discussion about these issues on the SIG-III listserv. The archive of the event

  can be seen at http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/plaza.htm. The position statements and major

  discussion threads (originating from the USA, Canada, Europe, Africa and Latin America)

  revolved around a number of recurring themes:

 

  *   Multiculturalism and multilingualism

  *   Lifelong learning for information professionals

  *   Public sphere and its information spaces

  *   Strategies for coping with information overload and pollution

  *   Switching focus from information systems toward interactive learning systems

  *   User-friendliness and reliability of ICT applications

  *   New patterns of work and social life

  *   ICT and information as instruments of domination and/or liberation on the

      international scene

  *   The state of information post 9/11

 

  -Global Information Village Plaza 2: What is next?

 

  The goal of this second edition of the Global Information Village Plaza is to deepen the

  definition of the issues and propose research and action agendas. In addition to collecting

  statements about the considered issues, new features are added: multimedia presentations and

  a graphic arts contest.

 

  1- OPINION STATEMENTS

  All ASIS&T members and information professionals at large are invited to express and share

  their personal views on the list of themes identified at the previous Plaza (see above). The

  statements should articulate what is really new and challenging aboutin the issue; what

  should be investigated and how; what individuals, information services and professional

  societies should do in order for all to better deal with the issue.

  Additions to the list of topics are of course welcome.

 

  2- MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS

  Since most colleagues around the world have no chance to attend an ASIS&T Annual

  Meeting, we invite digital video testimonies to be recorded and provided for display at the

  Plaza. They should address the selected issues or any relevant one, and provide, as far as

  possible, appropriate background and illustration for people not familiar with the particular

  context to understand the points made. It his hoped that these videos could offer a virtual trip

  to remote corners of the global information village. The videos could be either MPEG films

  or Slideshow compatible with standard software; they may be edited by the moderators for

  content and length.

 

  3- GRAPHIC ART

  Do you express yourself better through graphic arts? Then, consider entering the contest for

  the best cartoon, poster, drawing, or graphic art pieces of any kind that illustrates the issues

  under discussion at the Plaza. The award for the best poster, cartoon, drawing, etc. will be

  presented during the session.

 

  -The Plaza Spirit: How to participate?

 

  In keeping up with the spirit of the Plaza –i.e., the 'public place' or shared community space

  reminiscent of the public sphere- the social interaction between the various participants and

  contributors is an important part of the 2nd Global Plaza. Participate in three easy steps:

 

  STEP #1:

  Send a short position statement (300 words maximum) to the SIG/III

  discussion list (sigiii-l@asis.org) on the following questions:

 

  1° Which of the issues listed do you consider most important for your personal or professional life? Why? What is challenging about this issue? How should this issue be investigated and dealt with? What should the information science & technology community do to help you and itself cope with the issue(s)?

 

  2° Are there other issues that are equally or more important in your opinion, and which result

  from the globalization of the information society? What should be done in order to cope with

  these? What can the information science & technology community do to address these issues?

 

  All messages should clearly indicate "Plaza" in the subject line.

  Anyone can post messages to the sigiii-l list but if you wish to see what others have posted

  and participate in further discussion, we recommend that you subscribe to the list (see

  http://mail.asis.org/mailman/listinfo/sigiii-l for details on how to subscribe). Note that the list

  will be moderated to avoid spamming and unrelated announcements.

 

  Note: In the case of video shows and graphic art presentations, please send a message to the

  list with a short description of the format, duration (for videos) and content (e.g., relationship

  to the topics under consideration). A copy of all multimedia products should be sent to the

  moderators for display at the ASIS&T meeting. Contact the moderators for more information.

 

  STEP #2:

  Send your comments about the statements posted on the list.

 

  STEP #3:

  Attend the "Global Information Plaza" session at the ASIS&T Annual Meeting in Long

  Beach, CA (http://www.asis.org/Conferences/) and participate in the debates.

 

  -What will happen at the ASIS&T Annual meeting?

 

  A special session on the Global Information Village Plaza 2 will be held at the annual ASIST

  conference in Long Beach. The moderators, Nadia Caidi and Michel Menou will summarize

  the contributions:

 

  a) The posters will be placed on the walls around the room showing teaxt and graphic

  contributions; a few laptops will be used to present the video shows. Participants will be

  able to move around the room and contribute to the topics by adding their comments on

  stickers that will be made available at the various panels and booths. They will also be able to

  discuss with other participants.

 

  b) After 30 to 40 minutes, individual discussions will stop. The moderators will summarize

  the position statements, as well as the main concept(s) and proposals that emerged from the

  contributions.

 

  c) A presentation of the position statements by the moderators standing on a platform in the

  middle of the room issues and contributions will ensue, followed by a general discussion that

  will be recorded.

 

  A summary of the session will be subsequently posted on the Sigiii-l discussion list along

  with edited position statement(s). It is our hope to revise and expand these contributions and

  discussion threads for publication in a professional journal, along with reflections on the

  process and outcomes of the experience.

 

  Don't miss the opportunity to say your word (politically correct language NOT required). It

  might not change the course of history but it may make you feel better.

 

  THE MODERATORS:

  Nadia Caidi, Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto (caidi@fis.utoronto.ca)

  and

  Michel J. Menou, Department of Information Science, City University London

  (menou@soi.ctiy.ac.uk)

 

  Check the Global Plaza Archive on the SIG-III website (http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/) and stay tuned!

 

 

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5. SIG III sent books donated by Information Today to the Vilnius Library School in Lithuania

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SIG III has sent books donated by Information Today Publishers to the University Vilnius Library School.  This activity was based on the suggestion of Ms Andzela Armoniene, who won a Eugene Garfield Travel Grant to attend the conference in Philadelphia, PA, USA in October 2002.  ASIST office helped with the mailing. The titles of these books include: Web of Knowledge; Statistical Methods for the information professional; Knowledge management; and Information management for the Intelligent Organization, 3rd Ed.  In addition ASIST has included a book, "Scientometrics" from Kluwer Academic Publishers. One of the authors is Eugene Garfield.

 

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6. Success Story of SIG III International Paper Contest Winner

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Duncan Omole Wambogo, who was originally from Kenya and won the sixth place in the first International Paper contest in 2000, the only winner from Africa that year. Duncan was awarded an IFLA Fellowship in April 2001. He now works at the World Bank in Washington D.C. where he started in January 2003.  Duncan remains a member of ASIST. Here is a note from him about his current job at World Bank:

 

As Information Analyst at the Bank, I am  responsible for Global outreach programmes and research. Under global outreach, I work closely with all country offices in designing model country office public information centres and libraries, training of country office staff on library and information management and advising on electronic information resources available to country office staff. Under research, I offer reference services on sectoral areas such as health, nutrition, population, education, finance etc to both Bank and Fund staff.

 

Please check SIG III website / “Paper Contest” / “Successful stories from previous winners” for other success stories. 

 

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7. A Message to Potential SIG III Members

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EVER WONDERED WHAT MAKES SIG/III THE HOTTEST SIG AROUND?

 

Welcome to SIG/III, the special interest group on International Information Issues of ASIS&T. Since its inception, SIG/III has won the SIG-of-the-Year Award eight times. Last year, SIG/III was once again the co-winner of the award at the 2002 Annual Meeting, and has made history by winning this award three times in a row!

 

What makes SIG/III so successful?

 

1) its members: SIG/III has about 200 members, including most non-U.S. ASIST members as well as a true cross-section of U.S. ASIST members.

 

2) its officers: the SIG/III officers have affiliations both with the academic and professional worlds, and are actively involved in international research and work. They are also members of various other SIGs and professional associations, thus enabling cross-fertilization, multidisciplinary perspectives and collaboration.

 

3) its mission statement: the purposes of SIG/III are a) to promote better awareness among ASIST members and information professionals of the importance of international cooperation; b) to facilitate and enhance better

communication and interaction among ASIST members and their foreign colleagues on information issues; and c) to provide a forum for exploring and discussing international information issues and problems.

 

Beyond the benefits that one gets as an ASIST member (e.g., subscriptions to the Bulletin, the Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (JASIST) and JobLine, ASIST's regular listing of career opportunities in the information professions), SIG-III members have access to a large network of international colleagues and experts, along with the opportunity to raise their concerns, and have a voice about information issues in an increasingly globalized world. And... they are also more likely to meet someone who speaks their language, knows about and enjoys their music and food at the International Reception.

 

So join the SIG/III family: become a member if you are not one already; tell your friends, colleagues and students about SIG/III; and more importantly get involved!

 

For more information, check our webpage at: http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/

 

This item is contributed by Nadia Caidi, SIG III Outreach and Membership Officer

 

 

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8. Frequently Asked Questions about sigiii-l Subscriptions and SIG III Web Site

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To post a message to sigiii-l:

Send your message to <sigiii-l@asis.org  [All lower case!]

Attachments will NOT be processed.

 

To subscribe or view prior postings

            Visit the page http://mail.asis.org/mailman/listinfo/sigiii-l

 

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For example, if your list delivery address is msmith@yahoo.com, the

URL to access your subscription page should be:

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Step 2. On the subscription page, type your password to unsubscribe.

 

If you forget your password, click "Email My Password to Me"

button to have your password emailed to you.

 

SIG III website:

The official Web site of SIG III is located at http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/index.html. Please contact the SIG III Communication Officer, Yin Zhang (yinzhang@slis.kent.edu), if you have any questions regarding the sigiii-l listserv and the SIG III web site.

 

 

This issue of SIGIII newsletter is compiled by: Yin Zhang (yinzhang@slis.kent.edu)

Copyright 2003, SIG III.  All Rights Reserved.