World Library and Information Congress: 74th IFLA General Conference and Council

"Libraries without borders: Navigating towards global understanding"

10-14 August 2008, Québec, Canada

Call for Papers

Library Buildings and Equipment Section, with the Metropolitan Libraries Section

Theme: Renovating and renewing libraries: the wow factor

The Library Buildings and Equipment Section in conjunction with the Metropolitan Libraries Section is holding its Open Session in Québec 2008 on the theme: Renovating and renewing libraries: the wow factor

In the age of global electronic information, library buildings more than ever have to be welcoming attractive places that people want to visit. Despite gloomy predictions about the end of libraries and their collections, new buildings (and dramatic, exciting new buildings at that) continue to be designed. For many, however, a new building is not an option and there is a need for existing buildings to be cleverly renovated and refurbished to attract ever more users. People come to consult both printed and electronic resources; they come for help from the experts in navigating the increasingly complex world of virtual information; and they come to socialize and learn, or share leisure pursuits, together. The Quebec session will focus on imaginative re-use of existing buildings.

Speakers should consider:

The wow factor – how to transform existing spaces to achieve inspiring and exciting buildings
The importance focusing on users when renovating library buildings
The use of best practice case studies and pre- and post-renovation evaluations
How upgrading library buildings can help area regeneration

It should be stressed that all papers presented at the session in Québec should address aspects of library buildings and design preferably using case studies and evaluation studies and not library services or functionality.

An abstract of approximately 400 words plus information on the author should be submitted by 22nd February 2008.

The abstracts will be reviewed and identified, and authors will be notified by the 15th March 2008.

Full papers must be submitted no later than 16th May 2008. Papers should be between 10 and 20 pages, including illustrations. There will be a maximum of twenty minutes for presentations of papers at the open session in Québec.

Abstracts should be sent to:

Andrew Cranfield
Chair, Library Buildings and Equipment Section
cranfield@debibliotheken.nl

Please note that the expenses of attending the Québec conference will be the responsibility of the authors/presenters of accepted papers.