Statistics and Evaluation Section
& Education and Training Section

Statistics are ubiquitous. Quantitative data is needed and used in research projects, evidence-based management, and as part of any advocacy process in the library and information sector. It is also part of most LIS curricula at all levels. Yet many students graduate with little knowledge and less confidence about their statistical competences; practitioners resent the "number crunching" part of their work, and arguments made to funding bodies on the basis of statistics sometimes prove not to be as convincing as expected.

The Statistics and Evaluation Section and the Education and Training Section of IFLA will hold a joint session during the 79th IFLA World Information Congress, Singapore, 17-23 August 2013, dedicated to new ways of teaching, presenting and communicating quantitative methods and results.

We invite papers on the following aspects:

• Teaching statistics differently: empowering LIS students to use statistical methods with confidence and competence
• Motivating library practitioners and teaching colleagues to collect and use empirical evidence, and to integrate a culture of assessment in their library
• Presenting and communicating library data in convincing and accessible ways, e.g. by combining statistics and "storytelling"
• Innovative ways to use quantitative data for advocacy and showing the impact of libraries

Submission Guidelines

The session has a duration of 2 hrs and will comprise 4 presentations. Presentations should be no longer than 20 minutes with 10 minutes for questions from the audience. Full papers must be between 3000 and 6000 words in length. They must be original and not have been published elsewhere.

Proposals for papers should be in English and include:

• An abstract of no longer than 250 words, including illustrations if appropriate
• Name, institution and full address of the presenter (name, postal address, phone, fax, email) At least one presenter will have to be on site to deliver the presentation
• A short biography of the presenter

All full papers will be published on IFLA.org

Please send your proposal to:

Ulla Wimmer
Chair, Statistics and Evaluation Section
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Berlin School of Library and Information Science
E-Mail: ulla.wimmer@ibi.hu-berlin.de

Important dates

• February 6th, 2013: Submission deadline. Please indicate "IFLA Proposal Singapore 2013" on the subject line
• March 8th, 2013: notification of successful applicants
• May 25th, 2013: submission of full written papers (between 3000 and 6000 words in length)

Please note

All expenses, including registration for the conference, travel, accommodation etc., are the responsibility of the authors/presenters. No financial support can be provided by IFLA, but a special invitation can be issued to authors.

Congress Attendance Grants

The Singapore National Committee and IFLA have worked hard to secure funds for Conference Participation Grants. Up-to-date information will be available on our Conference Participation Grants webpage.