The Issues:

"Open Access and Libraries" will focus on what is going on today and the future prospects for electronic book and serial publishing.

What does open access mean for libraries, library users, and the general public?

Will the riches and resources of our libraries and the publications of our scholars be freely accessible to all or will access be limited only to those who can pay for it?

What is going on along the twin paths of open access book and serial projects and the proprietary Google Books Library Project and Google Book Search? How will they coexist? Who will pay and how much? What are the key points of the Google Book Search Settlement Agreement?

What does all of this mean for library users? What will become of the library ideal and the cornerstone of the public library movement, free access to information?

What are the implications of "open "digital library projects such as the Internet Archive, Project Gutenberg, etc. and the role of the Open Knowledge Commons—all of which were created to advance the cause of open access to recorded knowledge?

These initiatives aim to ensure that knowledge in the digital age does not become a commodity, bought and sold by commercial interests. These massive scale digitization projects have resulted in technological advances including better and faster scanning technology, shared regional repositories and new discovery and delivery services.

SPARC and the role it plays as an agency promoting open access to scholarly serial publishing will be examined, especially as a response to the seemingly predatory and monopolistic practices of many serial publishers.

What are the plans of Google for developing its proprietary Google Books Library Project and Google Book Search? Especially important is the question, what will be the pricing strategy—for libraries and their users and for the public?

What is the status of open access in Russia and the CIS? Are the issues similar or different than we face in the U.S.? How do developments in the U.S. effect people in these countries and elsewhere?

And more...

Intended Audience:

The future of databases of electronic versions of books and serials should be of interest to everyone who works in libraries and in the publishing industry, and even the general public. In addition to the broad appeal, all reference librarians need to know what is going on in the most crucial growth areas of electronic information resources. Library managers will need to have an understanding of the budget implications for proprietary and open access databases. Academic and research librarians need to know what the issues and developments are in accessing scholarly serial electronic publications. People in the publishing community surely will want to learn about the latest developments and plans for the Google Books Library Project and Google Book Search.

Fees and Registration:

$110 - Members of the American Library Association, LACUNY, METRO, and subscribers to the U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D^TM Librarian

$135 – Unaffiliated with any of the above

[ Register Now HERE ]