WELCOME! LIDA 2001 LIBRARIES IN THE DIGITAL AGE Dubrovnik, Croatia 23 - 26 May 2001

LIDA courses & conferences Annual programs held in BEAUTIFUL Dubrovnik International forum for exchange & learning Changing themes annually But steady purposes & objectives Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University LIDA purpose to address the changing and challenging environment for libraries and information systems and services in the digital age with an emphasis on examining contemporary problems, advances and solutions Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Rationale. Questions. Why? because of constant changes in the digital world all of us need a constant update of professional knowledge & competencies Examine, explore, learn together: Promises? Realities? Problems? Opportunities? Challenges? Pitfalls? Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Our LIDA 2001 themes: The Internet: ethics and legal issues & Information services - practice and research

Reminder: LIDA 2000 themes: Libraries on the Internet & Internet in Libraries

Future: LIDA 2002 themes: Integrating information seeking & information retrieval & Information services in digital environments- practice and research

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Issues What do libraries actually do in a digital environment? Internet? How do they do it? What could libraries do? What does the digital world actually do to libraries? to library USERS? How to change for the better? Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Digital age Environment exemplified by use of all kinds of records & processes in digital forms transformation to digital forms digital networks for communication INTERNET Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Going from Internet basics A network of networks, bound by common technical standards nobody owns it nobody manages it - but many try Provides for communication, file transfers, cooperation Provides for World Wide Web, but it is more than the Web Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

A major contemporary force Affecting and transforming societies on a global scale business, economy, commerce institutions, organizations, LIBRARIES how people work, communicate, cooperate; how science works librarians, information professionals you, me, all of us Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University But ... Internet is NOT a source of all information Many others are there & are valuable Internet is not a savior for all information needs and requests Internet has many limitations technical, economic, social Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Major changes in libraries Affected through evolution of DIGITAL LIBRARIES Changes in nature of : COLLECTION what is now a ‘collection’? ACCESS distributive, “libraries without walls” Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University changes ... SERVICES many new models to various user groups COOPERATION new modes of sharing, consortia MANAGEMENT new management approaches, structures economics challenging, unsettling Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Needed: new knowledge a new set of competencies firmly build upon old ones constant upgrade of knowledge & skills constant improvement But provides new rewards & opportunities reaching out to users more than ever Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Tradition Internet & digital age do NOT mean abandoning library tradition & values It means application of true & tried principles & values to new situations AND developing new ones Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Opportunities Basic ethical principles remain but now an opportunity to be extended to new modes of access In libraries: new modes always meant new opportunities adjust, use, expand, innovate At the same time critically examine everything Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University

Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University Enjoy the conference Enjoy Dubrovnik! Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University