The All-Division 9 conference in Sarajevo, May 9-11 2012, gives us a great opportunity to explore these newly-unified territories and discover synergies within them that will benefit both IUFRO’s internal information exchange and the global forest information network. Each subgroup of 9.01 will offer an individual programme, and this is a call for contributions for the session to be organised by 9.01.01, Library, Information Networks and Terminology, entitled IUFRO and Information: Direction 2012. For full details of the Sarajevo conference see http://www.foper.org/iufro_1.html.
Objectives for the session are:
1) To involve the widest possible cross-section of those with an interest in forest-related information
2) To explore opportunities for cross-sectoral work between the various sub-sections of 9.01 and across IUFRO generally, to support and enhance information provision is its widest sense
3) To derive from this a timely and relevant agenda for 9.01.01 to take us up to the next World Congress in 2014 and beyond.
So we invite your ideas! In which directions should we be heading in 2012? What are your priorities in managing information today? What solutions have you found, and what support do you need to help establish new systems and services – or to reinforce existing systems much valued but now under threat, perhaps for economic or staffing reasons?
We welcome proposals for conventional papers (15min maximum), and also short contributions (maximum 5 mins) which can be presented in café-style discussion sessions. We recognise that funding to attend conferences is often difficult to come by these days, particularly in the library and information sector, and many who would be interested may be unable to attend. We welcome contributions from you too! and strongly encourage you to send in short pieces which can be discussed by conference participants. This can be in any form you like, e.g. PowerPoint, video (e.g. YouTube), social media (Twitter etc), e-mail etc. We are not looking for sophisticated or time-consuming presentation, but for ideas : suggestions for activities where we as a group of information professionals can make a difference to you, whether you are an information provider or user, or both.
Traditionally, our group has been active in the areas of networking, classification and terminology, and in supporting the Global Forest Information Service (GFIS); and more recently in the developing areas of data management/archiving, mentoring, training & support and evidence-based forestry. Ideas for further development in those areas are welcome, but do not limit yourselves to them:
information is key to every area of human activity so nothing is barred!
Please send your suggestions in not more than 450 words, together with full name of authors, affiliations, and an e-mail address by February 20, 2012, to gillian.petrokofsky@plants.ox.ac.uk” style=”color: rgb(28, 81, 168); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; “>gillian.petrokofsky@plants.ox.ac.uk.
