2nd Global Information Village Plaza – Connecting Multi-Cultural, Multi-Lingual and Multi-media Universes

 

Moderators:

 

Nadia Caidi

Faculty of Information Studies, 140 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G6, Canada caidi@fis.utoronto.ca

 

 

 Michel J. Menou

City University London, Northampton Square EC1V 0HB, London, U.K., menou@soi.ctiy.ac.uk

and Nadia Caidi

Faculty of Information Studies, 140 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G6, Canada caidi@fis.utoronto.ca

 

Michel J. Menou

City University London, Northampton Square EC1V 0HB, London, U.K., menou@soi.ctiy.ac.uk

 

Presenters: ASIS&T members, especially SIG/III members, and conference attendees

 

Building on the success of the previous 2002 Global Information Village Plaza (2002 ), this new edition of the Global Information Village Plaza maintains its successful interactive format (aimed at giving ASIS&T members an opportunity to express their personal views about the challenges and opportunities that the so called "information society" represents in their personal and professional lives) and adds a new multimedia dimension. New features include an edited video segment  showcasing individuals and communities from around the world and the ways in which they frame the debate; another feature is the international contest for Best Graphic Art piece related to the overarching topic of the Globalthe Global Information Village Plaza. The award for the best poster, cartoon, drawing, etc. will be presented during the session. FinallyMoreover, in an attempt to widen the debate, all the SIGs will be contacted and asked to submit their reflections on the issues debated and submit their contribution to the forum. A complete web resource complete website dedicated to the Global Information Village Plaza will be developed that includes results from the previous year’s discussions; identification of recurring themes; areas where more research is needed; links to existing resources, initiatives, policy statements, etc.

 

The discussion will focus on the main issues identified in the first 1st Global Information Village Plaza will provide the basis for the discussion . To keep up with the spirit of the Global Information Village Plaza, personal submission of position statements will be sought from the information professional community around the globe. The process is due to run from May through December October 2003. It will include posting and discussion by those interested of short position statements on ASIS&T and other professional listservs. Selected statements will be summarized through  ion? a series of panelsposters during a special session. During the session, participants in the Annual Meeting will be invited to first browse through the posters and comment in writing. A general discussion will later on take place. SIG/III plans to publish a summary of the process and its outcome.

 

Introduction

 

The global nature of [TO UPDATE] A major feature in the so-called ‘information society’ or else ‘digital economy’ has been extensively  is its global nature. It is analyzed, described and commented on by various ‘specialists.’ by many “specialists”. The same specialists and other happy few are involved in the preparation of policies and programs supposed to support the transition into this new era. Yet the lay professional public has little opportunity to express and confront its views. While general economic and social challenges or current practices are often debated, what do this ‘new’ society mean and imply for people is more often than not overlooked.

 

The ‘Global Information Village Plaza’ (now in its second year) was ais project borne out of the idea toaims at provideing an opportunity for all ASIS&T members and information professionals at large to express and share in a convivial and informal fashion their personal views -, as opposed to institutional, corporate or other predetermined and politically correct onesones.

 

Building on the findings of the 2002 Global Information Village Plaza, this session aims at both deepening the reflections on the issues raised in the public forum and through the interactive sessions, as well as exploring these issues through various media forms. In particular, a video segment will be added along with a contest for the best graphic art depiction of globalization and other related themes.    

 

Before the Annual Meeting

 

VIDEO SEGMENT (TBA)

Wendy Sealy pour Trinidad et Tobaggo

A. Arko-Cobbah pour l'Afrique du Sud

Merlyna Lim pour l'Indonesie

Bernard pour l'Ouganda

Miriam da Cunha pour le Bresil

Roman Santillan pour Mexico

Nadia Caidi & Chryss Mylopoulos pour Toronto

 

INTERNATIONAL CONTEST FOR THE BEST GRAPHIC ART PIECE (TBA)

 

SIGs CONTRIBUTION (TBA)

 

PUBLIC FORUM: (To be Updated)

In January May 2003 a call for participation will be issued on all ASIS&T listservs and possibly other professional lists around the world, as far as possible.

People will be asked to send to the SIG/III list a short  (300 words maximum) position statements on the following themes (which arose from the 2002 Global Information Village Plaza statements and subsequent discussions at the Annual Conference):

 

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. In other words, the goal is to deepen the definition of the issues and propose research and action agendas. Additions to the list of topics will of course be welcome.

 

1° What in your opinion will be radically changed in your professional life as a result of the globalization of the information society?

- Why?

- What should you do in order to cope with the change?

- What should the information science & technology community do to help you and itself cope with the change?

- What should the information science & technology community do to help itself cope with the change?

2° What in your opinion will be radically changed in your personal life as a result of the globalization of the information society?

- Why?

- What should you do in order to cope with the change?

- What should the information science & technology community do to help you cope with the change?

 

As far as possible, statements will be selected and grouped into clusters. They may also possibly be amended and/or merged, and reposted for discussion on the SIG/III list.  In preparation for the session the statements and discussions about each main topic will be summarized in a poster by the moderators.

 

SIGs CONTRIBUTION:

 Special efforts will be made with a view to obtain input from all SIGs of ASIS&T input about into the relevant themes. This will be undertaken by posting a note to individual SIG listservs as well as the main ASIST listserv. Both personal contributions and position statements from the SIG as a whole will be included and summarized.  

 

VIDEO SEGMENTT (TBA):

Since many colleagues around the world have no chance to attend the ASIS&T Annual Meeting, we will invite digital video testimonies to be recorded and provided for display at the Plaza. The videos 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 video will be edited by moderators for content and length.

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL CONTEST FOR THE BEST GRAPHIC ART PIECE :

The call for contributions will also include a special call for providing cartoons, posters, drawings, graphic art pieces of any kind that illustrate the issues under discussion at the Plaza. The award for the best poster, cartoon, drawing, etc. will be presented during the session.

 

 

 

 

At the Annual Meeting (To be Updated)

 

During the session at the Annual Meeting

a) The P 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. TheyParticipants will be encouraged to contribute to the topics and invited to add their comments on stickers available at the various panels and booths.. Participants will be able to move around the room and contribute to all topics they wish. 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, or their main concept(s) and proposals, if appropriate.

c) There will then be a presentation of the position statements by the moderators standing on a platform in the middle of the room issues and contributions, followed by a general discussion that will be recorded.

 

After the Annual Meeting

 

After the Annual Meeting the final version of the most significant position statements will be edited and assembled into a paper for publication in a professional journal (such as the Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology).