No Subject

[esmyth@xxxxxxx]

The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) seeks proposals for short
papers to be delivered at its 2000 preconference, "Beyond Words: Visual
Information in Special Collections."  The preconference will be held in
Chicago, Illinois, July 5 through 7, 2000.

During the latter half of the 20th century, film, television and videotape
technologies accelerated a change in the way information is communicated
and recorded, accelerating a transformation that photography set in motion
during the 19th century.  The Web has in some ways compounded the growth
and added to its transformative power.  While theorists interpret the
present and prognosticate the future of the post-literate world, historians
mine the artifactual evidence of the past for visual information


?the
bindings of 19th-century books offer clues to the intellectual reception
accorded their texts; sheet music covers yield evidence of racial bias;
pulp fiction cover art from the 1960s points up gender stereotyping.

The 2000 RBMS Preconference Program Committee solicits proposals for short
papers that will focus attention on the challenges of collecting,
preserving, and providing adequate intellectual access to visual
information.   Scholarly use of visual information, discussions of
collection development (particularly with reference to the Web),
development of  tools to provide intellectual access, preservation issues,
and copyright and other legal issues are of particular interest.
Presentations will be twenty minutes long followed by ten minutes of
audience response and discussion.  Presentations may include research
reports (including research in progress), surveys, studied opinion pieces,
case studies.

Proposals should not exceed 250 words.  Please include on a separate page
the title of the proposal and your name, institutional affiliation, mailing
and email addresses, and telephone and fax numbers. Also indicate whether
you are a current member of RBMS, and whether the proposal has been
accepted for publication or presentation elsewhere.

Submissions are encouraged from all interested individuals. Proposals from
graduate students, particularly those in the fields of library science,
archival management, information science, and other disciplines relevant to
the preconference theme, are especially welcomed.

The deadline for submission of proposals has been extended to October 30.
Please submit proposals to Elaine B. Smyth, Chair, RBMS Preconference
Program Committee, 9065 Redbud, Baton Rouge, LA 70815-4044 (225-388-6547;
fax 225-334-1695; email ESMYTH@xxxxxxx).  Final papers should not exceed
3,000 words in length or ten double-spaced pages.  Papers will be ranked
based on relevance to the preconference theme, quality of research and
writing, and potential interest to RBMS members. Speakers will be notified
by 1 December 1999 regarding the status of their proposals.