The National Library and Documentation Services (NLDS) is inviting Library and information practitioners, Archivists, Artists and Interested stakeholders to submit papers and posters for the annual conference scheduled to take place from the 27 to 31st of August 2012 in Bulawayo.
The theme of the conference is “Information Centres as gateways to information: advocacy and lobbying strategies” and several other sub-themes should be reflected in the papers and posters for the conference. In a statement NLDS said that “the conference offers an opportunity to present new and exciting innovations in the information sector at an interdisciplinary forum.” The conference is expected to attract personal from libraries, archives, records managers and artist to discuss and share how they are facilitating access to information as a basic right. Libraries – information centres alike – have been in existence since time immemorial and continue to serve the multitudes as a sources of information critical for development. Along with that technological advancement has threatened the roles of the library somehow, thus need for advocacy and lobbying strategies to for to maintain the role of libraries in communities they exist.
The concept of social media has a negative impact on library usage as people can easily share information. Libraries thus are forced to implement advocacy and lobbying strategies to remain relevant and reclaim their roles in society. The NLDS conference is expected to address such issues through papers and posters that address the concept of information centres as gateways to information and provide new innovative ways to play that role.
Last year the NLDS conference was held in Kariba and attracted more than 100 participants. The annual conference is part of the NLDS of engaging information professionals to promote the continual usage of libraries.
Complete call for papers NLDS Call for Papers 2012
