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

Libraries for children and young adults section

Theme: Setting sails for new horizons: what tools do we need and do we want?

In order to optimize global sharing and learning at the 2008 IFLA Conference, the Libraries for children and young adults section is planning a session where we can discuss how to respond the different challenges children's libraries are facing these years.

The children live different lives all over the world, the various media are changing very fast - and the libraries still have to offer relevant library services in harmony with society and with children.

What specific challenges has your library faced and how have you dealt with them? (Challenges for example: staff untrained, old insufficient or inadequate collections, lack of budget to buy books, lack of information about good books, lack of books in the readers' language, lack of communication with other colleagues, lack of understanding by the community of the importance of children's reading...)

How can libraries support and encourage reading? Opening the book to children and give the children "a hunger for reading"
How can we offer the proper media or formats?
How must the library room change in order to be attractive to children?
How can libraries support education and digital knowledge?
How can libraries develop digital services to children?
How do we reach the children in their own world?
How can we close the gap between children and staff; do they speak the same language?

Participants are asked to present visually enticing materials to engage IFLA delegates and show best practices. Participants' contributions could include demonstrations of reading activities, story telling, the provision and use of local language materials, training techniques, reading promotion, theatre etc. that take place as part of a library or community programme in different parts of the world.

Submissions:

You are invited to submit proposal in English for this session.

The following should be provided:

Name and institution of presenter(s).
Description of programme/project/research/campaign/storytelling session etc. (1 page, up to 350 words).
Relevant biographical information of author(s)/presenter(s).
Kinds of materials to be presented.
Equipment needed (table, board) - organisers will not be able to supply computers or electronic equipment.

Send your proposals by January 15, 2008 via e-mail to:
Ingrid Bon
E-mail: ingrid.bon@biblioservice.nl

The abstracts will be reviewed by the Review Committee and 4 proposals will be selected. The RC will make every effort to have representation from all continents. Diversity of language will be accepted but a simple hand-out in one of the IFLA languages will be encouraged. Successful proposals will be identified and announced by February 20, 2008.

All presenters will be listed in the final IFLA Programme. Therefore they will be invited to prepare a full text of presentation of their programme, by April 15, 2008 to allow time for the review of papers and preparation of translations; papers should be no longer than 20 pages.

Expenses:

Please note that it is the presenters' responsibility to find funding for their participation (registration fee, travel, accommodation and associated costs). IFLA, The libraries for children and young adults section are not in a position to fund the attendance at the Conference.