In commemoration of the American Philosophical Society’s 275th anniversary, the Society’s Library, along with the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), is hosting an interdisciplinary and international conference that explores the history of libraries, the present opportunities for libraries (especially independent research libraries and those with special collections), and the potential future for libraries as they continue to evolve in the 21st century.
What, when & where
Call for papers: “The Past, Present, and Future of Libraries”. A conference organized by the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, PA
The conference will begin with a keynote discussion focused on the future of libraries on Thursday, September 27, hosted by Sarah Thomas (Vice President for the Harvard Library and University Librarian and Roy E. Larsen Librarian for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences) and including Mary Lee Kennedy (Executive Director, Association of Research Libraries), Khalil Gibran Muhammad (Professor of History, Race, and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and Suzanne Young Murray Professor, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies), and Michael Witmore (Folger Shakespeare Library).
The conference is interested in papers from scholars, librarians, and other practitioners whose work contributes to the themes of the conference.
Potential topics include (but are not limited to):
Past:
· The history and evolution of libraries, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries
· The uses and users of libraries over time
· Reception and readership studies
· Scholarship based on the analysis of library records and catalogues
Present:
· Changing practices at libraries
· Access issues, especially those that deal with government records and culturally sensitive materials
· New modes and tools of cataloguing and description
· Innovative projects at special collection and other libraries
Future:
· The opportunities and challenges presented by the digital revolution
· Works of digital scholarship
· Visions of and ideas for libraries of the future
· The evolving roles of libraries as repositories, work spaces, and places for exchange
We hope the chronological scope and topical breadth of the conference will stimulate an interdisciplinary dialogue that crosses traditional professional barriers.
Deadline & how to apply
Applicants should submit a title and 250-word proposal along with a C.V. by May 15, 2018 to http://apply.interfolio.com/49
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