ASIS&T - The Information Society for the Information Age

ASIS&T Takes Steps to Initiate Global Alliance                 

Tentative Outline for

The Global Alliance of Information Sciences, Technologies and Services Societies

             The international dimensions of information work can no longer be treated as a marginal elective interest. In order to remain informed and relevant in an increasingly global society, information professionals need and want to be able to expand their networks in order to learn from and partner with colleagues in different parts of the world.

             Information is in essence an "international" good, produced, disseminated and used anywhere in the world. The rise of economical and scientific output of a number of countries that were previously left at the periphery, the intensification of international trade and the expansion of complex networks of international cooperation supported by an increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICT) have made this characteristic even more fundamental and its consequences far reaching.

             Information professionals work with increasingly "international" resources and within organizations that are increasingly involved in, or dependent on, global markets and interactions. These organizations are often multinational themselves. The constituents they serve, or indirectly reach by posting information on the public Internet, are also multinational and multicultural. Legislation, regulation mechanisms, technologies and policies related to information activities are increasingly shaped by international influences.

             Scientific and professional societies related to information have proliferated, as have regular events such as trade shows or conferences that relate to the broad information field. In their vast majority these bodies and events are devoted to a particular aspect of the field. Synergies among them are very limited and mostly dependant on a few individuals. A number of international societies exist but most are primarily either specialized in a particular area or inter-societies bodies with limited reach vis-a-vis the individual lay professional or scholar. The perception of a common core and identity of the information professions is therefore undermined.

             The Alliance aims at responding to this challenge by creating a common space in which national and international scholarly and professional societies active in whole or part of the broad field of information sciences, technologies and services will be able to:

• jointly offer an attractive image to prospective entrants in the information professions
• facilitate the sharing of public information resources
• facilitate the identification and implementation of joint activities
• facilitate for their members exposure to international activities and resources and international networking
• therefore better respond to the needs of their members with regard to the growing importance of the international dimensions of the field.

             Societies can join the Alliance by sending through appropriate means to the officers in charge of the societies already participating in the alliance a declaration of adhesion duly approved by their authorized bodies. They may withdraw from the alliance in the same way. 

             Participating societies will appoint one chief representative in the Alliance (preferably a multi-lingual person).The chief representatives will be responsible for the day to day liaison with fellow members and smooth operation of the Alliance .

            A dedicated electronic communication space will be established in order to allow for:

• individual and group e-mail
• posting of announcements
• sharing of documents
• other functions as required and feasible.

This space will be open to all officers of the participating societies (members of the board, executive directors, chairs of committees, special interest groups and chapters, etc., chief representatives) with a view to facilitate the widest possible interaction. When established, discussion or working groups involving members of several partner societies may choose to use this space for their communication and make it accessible to all users.

            The presidents and/or their chief representatives will hold a semi-annual virtual conference in order to:

• inform each other of significant achievements and plans of their societies
• review current and prospective developments in the field
• identify areas of common interest
• identify opportunities for joint activities
• initiate joint ventures involving two or more participating societies[1]

            Standard cooperative and reciprocal benefits agreements for all members of participating organizations will be established. A basic benefit should consist of automatically granting to members of participating societies the members' rebates for meetings and continuing education events. Other benefits such as member rates for publications may be established as conditions permit on a bi- or multi-lateral basis. Participating societies will facilitate the publication in their news bulletins or newsletters of announcements by the member societies of the Alliance .

            Participating societies will jointly set up and manage a global  multi-lingual information science portal with a view to facilitate interaction among the member societies and among their members and a wider outreach for the field[2].

            Participating societies will publicize the Alliance by systematically mentioning the Alliance and their participation in it in their communication, e.g. by a mention "Member of the Global Alliance of Information Sciences, Technologies and Services Societies" or displaying the Alliance logo.