Do Internet Librarians Need Maps of Cyberspace?
9:00 – 10:00

Martin Dodge, Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College, UK

Does cyberspace have a geography? Do librarians need maps of cyberspace? What do we know about the nature, shape, size, distribution, and geography of the Internet, the World Wide Web, and cyberspace? Cybermaps help us visualise and comprehend the new digital landscape. Like maps of the real world, cybermaps are navigation tools for the new information landscapes, as well as objects of aesthetic interest. Some cybermaps may look familiar, using the cartographic conventions of real-world maps, but many are abstract representations of electronic spaces. In this thought-provoking keynote, Dr. Martin Dodge, one of the leading authorities on the geography of the Internet, explores information mapping and what it means for librarians.
 

Coffee Break
10:00 – 10:30

Session A301 — Leadership in the Internet Age
10:30 – 11:15

Richard Hulser, Infotrieve, USA

Leading a library or information service in the Internet age is definitely a challenge with all the new strategies, skills, and technologies swirling around. We hear the cry from senior management, “It’s all on the Internet, and it’s free.” So how do those of us leading our enterprise strategies with respect to the Internet, intranets, and the virtual world demonstrate the impact of our key competencies on our organisations and gain support to further our organisation’s goals and strategies? This session deals with key leadership strategies for the Internet age—a must for all Internet librarians.
 

Session A302 — Unstructured Information Management
11:30 – 12:30

Mikael Thorson, Partner, Infosphere AB, Stockholm, Sweden

There is data, data everywhere, but is it organised in any structured way? Mikael Thorson suggests a major problem facing information professionals and content managers is not only finding information, but making sense of huge volumes of data. Explore the new realm of Unstructured Information Management (UIM) and its potential for changing day-to-day research and information management.
 

Lunch Break
12:30 – 14:00
 

Session A303 — Increasing Content Velocity
14:00 – 14:45

Ramana Rao, Chief Technology Officer & Senior Vice President, Inxight Software, USA

According to Ramana Rao, basic content, including e-mail and electronic documents, is probably the single most ineffectively Keeping up with the pace of change is a challenge for most librarians and information professionals. Get up to speed with utilised asset in modern large organisations and businesses. In this session, Rao describes new opportunities for integrating traditional library and information science practices and new technologies for structuring and accessing these important, but fundamental digital assets.
 

Session A304 — Network Security in Libraries
15:00 – 15:45

Frank Cervone, Assistant University Librarian for Information Technology, Northwestern University, USA

What actually happens when a computer network is attacked? With the large investment that libraries have in electronic resources, it is important that librarians understand the threats, vulnerabilities, and legal issues related to computer hacking and network attacks. In this session, Frank Cervone shows how to keep up with these dynamic vulnerabilities and how to protect your library’s resources. Learn what a “computer hack” 
is, how to evaluate the various types of software and hardware that provide protection, and how to identify sources of potential exposure and develop a plan to close those exposures.
 

Session A305 — Wireless Devices in Libraries
16:15 – 17:00

Mary Peterson, Deputy Librarian, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Institute of Medical & Veterinary Science, Australia

Do PDAs belong in libraries? Can you envision reference librarians roaming the stacks or reference room equipped with headsets and hand-held devices that enable them to access the library catalogue or the Internet to answer on-the-spot reference questions? Integrating library resources into a hand-held information environment opens endless possibilities and presents many technical challenges. Hear how one Australian library is adapting and embracing wireless applications. Learn how to evaluate the types of PDAs that are available and discover what information sources might be appropriate for them.

Session B301 — Intranets & Portals: Managing the Expectations
10:30 – 11:15

Martin White, Managing Director, Intranet Focus, Ltd., UK

“Our intranet doesn’t meet business objectives, so we'll integrate it into a portal.” This session discusses whether the intranet-to-portal strategy makes sense—considering information content, information technology, and intranet/portal governance issues. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of current generation portal technology, and hear a perspective on future technology directions such as web services.
 

Session B302 — Selecting a Content Management System
11:30 – 12:30

Chris Meaney, Managing Director, Harvard Consultancy Services Ltd., UK

What should a content management system deliver to be useful and practical for libraries? This session examines issues such as appropriate operating platforms, levels of interoperability, cross-domain potential, the Web interface (from a functional as well as a sustainability perspective), appropriate support levels, and value. The tendering process will also be examined and backed up with relevant case studies. Delegates will learn what they need to match their information and service aspirations against the software marketplace. A carefully selected content management system will save a library time and money in the medium to long term.
 

Lunch Break
12:30 – 14:00
 

Session B303 — Intranet Showcase
14:00 – 14:45

Eileen Hume, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council UK, and
Nicola Ball, Kirkby Library, UK
Jens Bang Petersen & Peter Jensen, Gentofte Bibliotekerne, Denmark

See two intranets at work in libraries in this learn-by-example session. Eileen Hume and Nicola Ball show an innovative intranet site at the Knowsley schools. Their case study explores the methodology and the technical problems they encountered in creating a small-scale intranet. A second case study, Musikbibliotek.dk, is a site designed to include all the splendours and knowledge of the Danish music libraries. One part of the site is an ambitious intranet intended solely for librarians. The intranet is intended to be the primary tool for Danish music librarians in all aspects of their daily work, with guidelines for selecting material, reference, exchange of experiences, and knowledge management.
 

Session B304 — The Role of the Information & Knowledge Audit in Corporate Intranet Design
15:00 – 15:45

Ann Hylton, Founder & CEO, Hylton Associates, UK

Most medium and large companies have in place or are building corporate intranets. This session describes the pivotal role of an information and knowledge audit in the planning and design of the corporate intranet. Without such an audit, an intranet cannot properly serve its function as a prime information and knowledge conduit, since it would lack evidence-based information and knowledge of the most appropriate content, format, and interface suitable for targeted end-users.
 

Session B305 — The Subject Portals Project: Features & Functionality
16:00 – 17:00

Richard Young, University of Birmingham, UK, &
Malcolm Moffat, Herriot Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
Francisco Pinto & Michael Fraser, Humbul Humanities Hub, University of Oxford, UK

The Subject Portals Project (SPP) is developing services offering one-step, authenticated cross-searching of bibliographic databases. What additional functionality might higher education users want from portal services? Which services and functions are important to end-users? Are they interested in community-building tools? Based on a series of surveys, the JISC-funded Subject Portals Project presents findings about end-user wish lists of features and functionalities. Behind-the-scenes account management has a crucial role within the SPP since users have to be authenticated via multiple authentication mechanisms and scenarios that allow access for remote users. Learn how SPP has dealt with authenticating users, and take home some ideas about desirable portal features based on the surveys described by Richard Young and Malcolm Moffat.

Session C301 — Information Literacy: Today and Tomorrow
10:30 – 11:15

Sheila Webber, University of Sheffield, UK

The field of teaching information literacy has been growing steadily, spreading to different parts of the world and to different education, business, and economic sectors. Initiatives in knowledge management, lifelong learning, and distance learning and a rapidly growing, information-savvy world population have stimulated demand. Sheila Webber launches this forward-thinking track with a snapshot of key developments and alternative viewpoints in the field.
 

Session C302 — Information Literacy Challenges & Opportunities
11:30 – 12:30

Margaret Markland, Centre for Research in Library and Information Management (CERLIM), Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Diane Clark, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Canada

The rapid growth of electronic resources has increased the need for information literacy programmes and distance education programmes have added special demands. Developing online courses (and a virtual library) at a distance is even more complex. Training users in a cross-cultural environment and techniques for developing online courses require special sensitivity to cultural differences, according to Diane Clark’s experience in a collaborative project. Facing a different challenge, Margaret Markland describes how lecturers in UK colleges and universities are unilaterally selecting and presenting dynamic links to online information resources for their students. She discusses some of the difficulties and how library and information professionals can support the teaching community.
 

Lunch Break
12:30 – 14:00
 

Session C303 — Teaching Tools & Techniques
14:00 – 14:45

Alexander Sussman, University of Sydney, Australia
Portia Diaz-Martin, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USA
Basil Martin, Clarion University, USA

FLASH is a software development tool that can be very useful for librarians who need to develop online information literacy tutorials, because it can incorporate interactive interfaces and support multimedia. Hear one librarian’s experience with using FLASH to develop information literacy tutorials. Its costs, advantages, and disadvantages will be discussed. On the other end of the spectrum of teaching tools, learn about course management software and the nuts and bolts of how to use WebCT to support an information literacy programme.
 

Session C304 — Teaching the Internet
15:00 – 15:45

George Geddes, University of Strathclyde, UK
Karen Blakeman, RBA Information Services, UK
Andrew Madden, University of Sheffield, UK
Sheila Webber, University of Sheffield, UK

Teaching end-users how to search the Internet has become an important function for many librarians. What skills should be taught? At what level? Should you teach skills and strategies or how to use specific resources? Hands-on or using demos? The speakers in this two-part session explore and debate approaches on how to teach the Internet. Sheila Webber suggests that students have failed to “get it” from traditional ways of teaching in a university environment. Karen Blakeman teaches business and non-academic users, who need to acquire different skills and who also bring a different mind-set to their efforts to become information-literate. According to Andrew Madden’s experiences, teaching the Internet to younger schoolchildren requires yet another approach, and at the opposite end of the spectrum George Geddes has taught a 10-week, 30-hour, credit-bearing course on “Exploring the Internet” for adult learners. In this thought-provoking, interactive panel session, you’ll have the opportunity to add your own ideas to the discussion and come away with ideas that work for you.
 

Session C305 — Teaching the Internet (continued)
16:00 – 17:00