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“Library 2.011” will be entirely online, multilingual and multi-time zone.

By Amanda Holst, Public Affairs Assistant

The San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) will hold the first-ever global virtual library conference November 2-3.

“Library 2.011” will be entirely online, multilingual and multi-time zone, around the clock for two days, according to conference co-chair and SLIS Director Sandra Hirsh.

“The goal is to facilitate and create an environment where we can have a global conversation around key issues, and do it in a way that is aimed at the inclusiveness of the participants,” Hirsh said.

The global conference is a first for the library profession. As of November 1, more than 5,000 people from 150 countries were registered for the event.

Free to participants, the conference will be set up on a Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing platform. This will allow the global community to engage in conversations before and during the conference.

Conference co-chair Steve Hargadon, a social learning consultant for Elluminate/Blackboard Collaborate and the founder of the Web 2.0 Labs, is assisting with the technical arrangements.

“Although it’s not the same as a face-to-face conference, it’s a unique opportunity to chat and connect with other people in the session,” he said.

Starting this month, participants will have the opportunity to schedule their one-hour presentation time slots in any language.

Current talk proposals range from the use of 2.0 emerging technology to the effectiveness of e-picture books for children.

“I’m hoping that this will be the start of an ongoing conversation that can help us to bring and utilize new kinds of technology from each other in this type of environment,” Hirsh said.

The SJSU School of Library and Information Science is the largest accredited library and information science program in the world. By means of its online program, SLIS serves students throughout the United States and in 17 countries.