IN THIS DOCUMENT:

Officers (1995-1997)

The Scope of the Round Table

Recent Activites and Publications

Call for Proposals for Round Table's Upcoming Paris Conference on Libraries, Reading and Publishing in the Cold War

Round Table on Library History Medium Term Plan for 1998-2001

Round Table on Library History

Excerpts from 1996 Annual Report of the Round Table on Library History

Officers (1995-1997)

The Scope of the Round Table

The Round Table on Library History is intended to be the means within IFLA by which professionals specializing in all fields of librarianship can be made aware of the importance of an understanding of he past and of the profession’s theoretical foundations to the successful provision of library services in the present and future. In particular, the Round Table concentrates on universal and broad themes of library history, regional or international topics and national or local experience of general significance.

Recent Activites and Publications

(All in collaboration with the IFLA Section on Reading):

Conference on Libraries and Reading in Times of Cultural Change at Vologda, Russia, 19-21 June 1996. Proceedings to be published in January 1998 special issue of Libraries and Culture. A sample of talks given: "Culture Wars in American Libraries", "The Censorship of Public Reading in Russia in the l9th and 20th Centuries", "On Reading in America Prisons"; "’Dangerous’ Reading in the Soviet Era"; "Library Services and the African-American Intelligentsia before l960".

Open session at August 1996 IFLA General Conference at Beijing on "History of Libraries in the Far East". Contributors and talks: Ryoko Takashima on "Development of Japanese Public Libraries since World War II"; Chansik Cho on "The development of libraries and librarianship in South Korea since l945"; and Donald Davis and Cheng Huanwen on "The destruction of Chinese library treasures during the Boxer rebellion".

Open session planned for August 1997 IFLA General Conference at Copenhagen on "Aspects of American and Baltic Library History". Contributors and talks: Boris Volodin on "The Imperial Public Library in St. Petersburg and its relation with the libraries of the Baltic Area in the l9th and early 20th centuries; David Carr on " The Common Historical and Philosophical Foundations of the Great American Libraries and Museums"; and Jorgen Svane-Mikkelson on "The Danish Public Library Model: Reality or Myth?"

Call for Proposals for Round Table's Upcoming Paris Conference on Libraries, Reading and Publishing in the Cold War

11-12 June 1998

The IFLA Round Table on Library History and the Section on Reading are planning an international conference to be given ll-l2 June 1998 in Paris, France, on "Libraries, Reading and Publishing in the Cold War".

The conference is being co-sponsored by the Library History Round Table of the American Library Association.

Proposals are solicited from those who would be interested in participating. Proposals might address such topics as: the effect of the geo-political environment from l945-199l on the mass media; publishing; scholarly communication; library collection development; library construction; library education; library legislation; reading; censorship; literacy; and international library programs. Proposals on other relevant themes are also welcome.

Those interested are encouraged to send a one-page proposal in English, plus a one-page curriculum vitae, to Mme. Martine Poulain, Bulletin des Bibliotheques de France,27 rue Bezout, 750l4 Paris, France. Fax: 33 l 40 64 l089. Email: poulain@ext.jussieu.fr. Proposals should reach Mme. Poulain by l June 1997. The organizing committee will issue final invitations early in September 1997.

Round Table on Library History Medium Term Plan for 1998-2001

Goals 1998-200l:

1. Assume an international leadership role in stimulating research into the history of libraries and librarianship.
2. Provide an international forum for the discussion of library history.
3. Coordinate and provide information on library historians and research in progress in various countries.

Action Plan 1998-200l:

l.l   Editor for publication the conference proceedings on "Libraries and Reading in Times of Cultural Crisis" for Libraries and Culture.
l.2   Develop website for library history on the IFLAnet.
l.3   Organize the first conference on libraries and reading during the Cold War, in collaboration with the section on Reading.

2.l   Present open forum at IFLA Copenhagen on "Baltic and American Trends in Library Development".
2.2   Present open forum at 1998 IFLA Amsterdam on "Library History of the Low Countries in the Twentieth Century." Scheduled speakers include Ludo Simon (Belgium); Paul Schneiders (Netherlands) and James Carmichael (USA).
2.3   Organize preconference on library history and preservation before IFLA in 1999 (Bangkok) in collaboration with sections on Conservation and Rare Books and Manuscripts.
2.4   Include public opinion and discussion columns in LHRT Newsletter.

3.l   Publish short summaries of research in Newsletter.
3.2   Publish bibliographies of current library history publications in Newsletter.
3.3   Maintain electronic data base with names and addresses of library historians and amateurs of library history world-wide.