20^th Annual LIASA Conference, 2019

Call for Papers

Date:           30 September – 04 October 2019

Venue:        Durban International Convention Centre, KwaZulu-Natal

Theme:        LIASA: the butterfly effect

Contact:      conference@liasa.org.za

Webpage:   https://www.liasa.org.za/page/2019conf

The butterfly is an enigma and an exception in biology.  The same DNA is found in all the stages of its lifecycle, from the egg to the larva to the cocoon and then to the beautiful insect that inspires the arts. Furthermore, the Butterfly Effect proposes that a small change or seemingly inconsequential actions can have a large impact or cause bigger things to happen.

Each stage of a butterfly’s lifecycle has its own purpose and goal.  The butterfly endures struggles throughout the process of metamorphosis, to emerge as a better, beautiful creature while retaining the same DNA, and thereby, the core distinctive qualities that make it unique. In the past 22 years the Association has transformed from its beginnings to arguably a cocoon – a place of safety and protection from danger while it changes into purportedly a beautiful butterfly.

LIASA Conference 2019 examines LIASA and the LIS profession through this lens of the butterfly: lifecycles, value, impact and the effect of its actions. LIASA started off as an amalgamation of various bodies that shared a common DNA, including an abiding commitment to Library and Information Services (LIS), to inclusivity, to equity and equality, and to transformation.

The role of LIS is continuously evolving and consequently, through the expansion of services to align with users’ needs, has shifted from a custodial and gatekeeping role and a passive supplier of books and information, to a key partner in community and social development, and drivers of the global and national development agendas. Components of this theme have been explored at previous conferences but now come to fruition as a whole, much like the transition of the butterfly from egg to winged beauty. LIASA and the LIS sector have been flapping their wings causing great changes which need to be celebrated.

This conference examines LIASA and the Library and Information Services sector and its stages of transformation. Just like the butterfly, the LIS sector and LIASA need to evolve into the next stage of their lifecycles without losing their inherent core purpose, values and goals.  However, change requires these to be adapted to the current times and circumstances.  What worked before and was required for the sector many years ago, might not be applicable to today’s circumstances, requirements and environment. 

In popular culture around the world, butterflies symbolise different things to different people.  Often butterflies represent change, endurance, hope and life, and celebration. The LIS sector needs to embrace change for the better, endure and overcome the challenges and ultimately bring hope and celebration to the citizens of this country. 

The theme, LIASA: the butterfly effect, paves the way for us to reflect on the current state of libraries and librarianship, and the envisioned future for the sector, while setting down steps of how this evolution should happen.  Such a reflective process should provide an honest look at what is and what can be; it requires visionary leadership and strategic thinking, and most importantly a willingness to change. 

LIASA Conference 2019 gives you the opportunity to share your experiences, best practices, challenges and innovative solutions towards a LIS sector and LIASA that can demonstrate the impact it can and continues to make. 

Sub-Themes:

1.     Innovation, reinvention and renovation

Libraries have been forced to evaluate their roles in the communities that they serve, be it an academic community, the community served by the school library or that of the public library. This evaluation has necessitated the need to innovate and reinvent the library to fit the 21^st Century idea of what a library is. At times, this has also required the renovation of library spaces to accommodate these new roles. This theme continues the examination started in previous conferences around aspects of:

-        New services

-        Innovative services and spaces

-        Repackaging traditional services

-        Reskilling the LIS professional

-        Reinventing the LIS curriculum

-        Libraries’ role in the 4^th Industrial Revolution

2.     Librarians and the LIS profession

Along with the introspection LIS has to do in relation to its role in society, so too do we have to grapple with the uncomfortable idea of our roles as librarians and the impact that this has on our profession. Never more than now do we have to answer the old-age question of why we are needed in a world where Google is king. This theme explores the idea of:

-        What does it mean to be called a librarian today?

-        Is our profession equipping us with the skills to be a librarian in this 21^st Century?

-        What does the future hold for the profession within this changing environment in which we have to operate?

-        With whom do we collaborate and partner?

-        What ‘non-librarian’ services and functions operate successfully within libraries?

-        What role will Professional Body status play in strengthening the LIS profession in South Africa?

3.     Impact and influence

There is no doubt that society needs libraries and librarians, especially in the age of fake news and the rapid proliferation of information. Yet despite this assertion, we are still grappling with basic misconceptions of libraries and librarians/information workers. This theme explores the idea of:

-        What impact are we really having on the society and communities we serve?

-        What stories are we telling to change the misconceptions of libraries and librarians?

-        What are the success stories that we have managed to tell?

-        How are we contributing to global conversations, e.g. SDGs at a local level?

4.     Transformation and Renewal

Amidst all the challenges that the LIS profession has to grapple with as noted in the previous themes, these challenges also present an opportunity for the profession to transform and in so doing, create a sense of renewal in moving forward. The awarding of professional body status provides LIASA with an opportunity to transform and renew the landscape of the LIS profession, and seek to implement the aims and goals of the Transformation Charter. This theme explores these ideas and how we have implemented these in our various sectors, libraries and profession.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS

1. This call for papers is for parallel sessions of the Conference.  Posters will be presented during lunch time sessions.
2.  Authors are encouraged to submit abstracts for short papers or posters based on practical experience, case studies and best practice or research based papers.
3.  Abstracts for research based papers should include an introduction, statement of the research problem, methodology, findings (could be preliminary), and implications of the study.  Reviewers are looking for studies that relate to the theme, that are original, and well written.
4.  Priority will be given to papers and posters on the main themes, although papers and posters on related topics might also be considered.
5.  Papers and posters must be presented in English.
6.  Presentations will be limited to a total of 20 minutes per presentation including time for questions and answers and interaction with the audience.
7.  Abstracts must not exceed 500 words.
8.  The abstracts of the accepted papers and posters, as well as the speaker bios will be published on the conference app and on the LIASA website.  Speaker bios will be obtained from authors of accepted papers.
9.  No correspondence will be entered into about acceptance or non-acceptance of papers.
10.  The final version of the presentation (PowerPoint) must be submitted in electronic format on or before a date that will be communicated to authors of accepted papers.  The presentations will be uploaded to the LIASA website after the presentations were made at conference.
11.  By submitting your abstract you agree to it being published on the LIASA website.
12.  Please note that all presenters must be registered for the Conference by 30 August 2019 and they are responsible for their own expenses to attend the Conference.

Timeline