Migrations in Society, Culture, and the Library

WESS European Conference, Paris 2004

WESS Newsletter

Spring 2002, Vol. 25, no. 2

Association of College & Research Libraries
© American Library Association

Many of us remember the 1988 ACRL-WESS Conference in Florence, "Shared Resources Shared Responsibilities: Libraries and Western European Studies in North America and Western Europe" as a highlight of our careers. Trying to recapture that spirit and excitement, planning for the next WESS international Conference, this time in Paris to coincide with the Salon du Livre in March 2004, is well underway. The conference has the following general goals:

• To increase our knowledge of European librarianship & issues facing European libraries.
• To increase WESS and institutional ties to French institutions and libraries.
• To increase our knowledge of and contact with the French book trade.
• To share our projects and challenges with European librarians.
• To provide an outstanding professional, individual and collegial experience.

Libraries not only gather, catalog, and archive social and cultural production — both scholarly and popular — but also react to and help shape it.  Migration taken in the broadest sense (demographic, technological, cultural, intellectual, etc.) will continue to enhance Europe's historically rich intellectual and artistic life, as well as affecting attitudes and expectations.

This conference will address the opportunities and tensions these changes bring to Western Europe, its libraries' collections and services, and American libraries that support the study of Western Europe. Well-known cultural historian Roger Chartier has already agreed to be a speaker.

Below is a survey to help the Planning Committee estimate numbers of attendees at Migrations in Society, Culture and the Library: WESS European Conference 2004. The conference will include attendance at the Salon du Livre and arranged visits to local libraries and/or archives not usually accessible to tourists.

For more details, the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings and the names and contact information of the committee members see: http://www.library.jhu.edu/rsd/other/wess2004/wess2004.html

Note: Responding to this survey is an expression of serious intent, not firm commitment.

Thanks for your participation.

For the Paris 2004 Planning Committee,

Helene Baumann, Chair, Publicity Subcommittee

SURVEY (Deadline for submission: May 31, 2002)

1. I plan to attend the Paris 2004 Conference:

Name:

Institution:

2. I will be accompanied by: ___ adults ___ children
   
   
3. I would like to participate in arranged visits to libraries/archives, even if it would mean that I may miss some panels or presentations. yes / no
   
   
4. I would prefer to stay on an extra day or two for such visits yes / no
   
   
5. I would like you to arrange group visits to the following libraries/archives/other cultural sites:

 

 

 

6. When the time comes, I would be interested in submitting a paper for presentation with the following topic:

 

 

 

7. I am interested in a travel agent's package deal to include hotel accommodations and air travel. yes / no
   
   
8. I would prefer to make my own arrangements. yes / no
   
   
9. I will need special assistance: yes / no
   
   
10. Comments:

After filling out the survey, copy and paste it into an e-mail message to helene.baumann@duke.edu

or mail a paper copy to:

Helene Baumann
International and Area Studies
Perkins Library
Duke University
Durham, NC 27708