Call for Papers

Asia and Oceania Section

Theme:
Future libraries – multiple futures

The Asia and Oceania Section's open session in Singapore focuses on how library services in the Asia and Oceania (A & O) region must change to meet the challenges of many possible futures in a fast-changing and uncertain world.

In keeping with the conference’s overall theme, ‘Future Libraries: Infinite Possibilities’, the Asia and Oceania Open Session will focus on the remarkably diverse social, economic and geographic contexts in which library and information services operate across our vast region.

Libraries in the A & O region are located in a hugely diverse area that includes tiny sparsely populated island nations in the world's biggest ocean as well as expansive heavily populated countries spreading across the world's largest continent. Some libraries are situated in the heart of wealthy highly developed countries, leaders in connectivity, while others are in isolated and deprived areas that epitomise the digital divide. While their contexts are extremely diverse, what these libraries have in common is the urgent need to confront fundamental challenges to their way of operating. They all must develop their vision of future services to meet changing needs. For all of them, the future is now.

We seek contributions that illustrate the multiple futures confronting libraries in Asia and Oceania, including papers that describe the contexts, the strategic planning and visions, as well as actual developments of facilities, services, and resources that are shaping the future.

We encourage professionals across the region to consider submitting proposals for papers on a topic of their choice, or on one of the following topics:

Formats, access and services: out with the old, in with the new?
Will tomorrow’s consumers of information still need libraries?
Preparing for the future while preserving access to the past.
The role of community libraries in times of great social change.
Increasing demands on public libraries in hard economic times.
Lessons from natural and man-made disasters: how to plan for resilient library services.
Library services under different political philosophies.
Urban planning and libraries.
The media and libraries.
Strategic collaboration among libraries, archives and museums.
Workforce planning for new digital information services

Submissions

The deadline for submitting a detailed abstract (500 words) and full author details is 10 February 2013. Selection of papers is based on the abstract, and presenters will be notified whether they have been successful by mid-March 2013.
The full paper is due on 1 May 2012 and must be an original submission not presented or published elsewhere.
Both abstracts and full papers should be submitted by e-mail as a MS Word file (.doc or .docx) or in Open Doc text (.odt) format. Fax or post should be used only as a last resort.
Papers should be of 20 pages maximum, double spaced.
Papers should be in English with an abstract, and the presenter (who need not be the author) must be fluent in English.
20 minutes will be allowed for a summary delivery of the paper in the Conference; the full written paper is not to be read.
The author(s) should indicate his/her personal full contact details and include a brief biographical note with the paper. Also, a digital photograph would be useful.

Selection

Full abstracts (500 words) should be prepared following the template provided below. Each abstract will be blind reviewed by members of the Regional Standing Committee for Asia and Oceania.

Abbreviated abstracts or late submissions will not be considered.

Purpose of this paper	What are the reason(s) for writing the paper (or the aims of the research)?
Theme	How does it relate to the theme?
Design/methodology/approach	How are the objectives achieved? Include the main method(s) used for the study. What is the approach to the topic, and what is the theoretical or subject scope of the paper?
Findings	What was found in the course of the work? This will refer to analysis, discussion, or results.
Research limitations/implications (if applicable)	If research is reported on in the paper, this section must be completed and should include suggestions for future research and any identified limitations in the research process.
Practical implications (if applicable)	What outcomes and implications for practice, applications and consequences are identified? All papers should have practical applications. What changes to practice might be made as a result of this research/paper?
What is original/value of paper	What is new in the paper? State the value of the paper and to whom.

Please send your abstract to:

Dr Dan Dorner, Chair, Regional Standing Committee for Asia and Oceania
Email: dan.dorner@vuw.ac.nz
AND
Dr Chihfeng P. Lin, Secretary, Regional Standing Committee for Asia and Oceania
Email: chihfeng@cc.shu.edu

Submissions

All proposals must be in before 10 February 2013.

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.

Last update: 10 December 2012