• 10 January 2017, 09:59

Theme:

"Knowledge Systems for Sustainable Development Goals"

Access to Information Network-Africa = Reseau d’acces a l’information en Afrique (ATINA/RAIA) invites proposals for papers to be presented at its Open Session at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress/ 83rd IFLA General Conference and Assembly, 19–25 August 2017, Wroclaw, Poland –  Libraries: Solidarity: Society.

ATINA, sponsored by Africa Section, is an IFLA Special Interest Group of global network of development information professionals engaged in the task of broadening of effective access to information and knowledge for development in Africa.

Theme: Knowledge Systems for Sustainable Development Goals

Sub-themes:

1. Defining and elaborating the conceptual, institutional and operational frameworks and building blocks for a knowledge system for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a system of systems, including the sectoral and cross-cutting aspects.
2. Harnessing the emerging trends identified by the current IFLA Trends Report to respond to knowledge, libraries and information services (KLIS) imperatives of SDGs.
3. Beyond data for SDGs – Making a strong case for the deployment of the full spectrum of the Data – Information – Knowledge – Innovation continuum in driving the necessary goal-relevant change initiatives.
4. Localization and grounding of KLIS-related indicators, inputs, interventions and mechanisms across the various horizontal and vertical governance spaces as well as other polycentric development action nodes.
5. Information-knowledge policies, platforms, mechanisms and interfaces for ensuring continuous innovation, robustness, complementarity, salience, credibility and legitimacy of initiatives and programmes.
6. Is information enough? Information and knowledge services as a component as well as a facilitator of access to other components of the enabling environment for SDG implementation, including material and institutional resources.
7. Using information and knowledge resources and services to stimulate action learning for enhanced capacity, capability and empowerment; and to inspire and spur action across SDG dimensions and targets.

Proposal guidelines

Proposals must be original work of author(s), address one or more of the sub-themes, written in English or French, and include:

• Title of proposed paper:
• Name(s) of author(s).
• Professional role (or official title of author(s)).
• Author’s institutional affiliation, if any.
• Author’s e-mail address and telephone number (s).
• Abstract of the proposed paper (about 200 words); and
• Short professional profiles of presenter(s) – about four lines.

Papers and presentations:

The open session will feature several papers of 3000 to 5000 words in length, each to be presented in 10 minutes in about 10 slides.

Important deadlines

10 February 2017	Submission of paper proposal (including 200-word abstract).
15 February 2017	Acknowledgement of receipt, with provisional acceptance of proposal if applicable.
5 March 2017	Submission of a four-page (about 1500 words) extended outline of paper (indicting progress and relevance of content to the session).
15 March 2017	Notification of acceptance or rejection of proposal.
30 April 2017	Submission of completed draft of paper.
15 May 2017	Submission of presentation slides.

Submissions

All proposals must be received by 10 February 2017.

Please email your proposals and completed papers to:

Mr. Abraham Azubuike, Convener, IFLA Access to Information Network-Africa (ATINA)
Email: aazubuike@yahoo.com

Please note

At least one of the paper’s authors must be present to deliver a summary of the paper during the program in Wrocław, Poland. Abstracts should only be submitted with the understanding that the expenses of attending the conference will be the responsibility of the author(s)/presenter(s) of accepted papers.

All papers that are presented at the WLIC 2017 will be made available online via the IFLA Library under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Authors of accepted papers must complete the IFLA Authors’ Permission Form.

All expenses, including registration for the conference, travel, accommodation etc., are the responsibility of the authors/presenters. No financial support can be provided by IFLA, but a special invitation letter can be issued to authors.

Congress Participation Grants

List of opportunities for support is available on our Conference Participation Grants webpage.