[update: ALIA has just set up a wiki to explore possible alternatives for 2010]
[update: official word (Prez) from ALIA, and from the Vice Prez]
Interesting news to hand in recent hours. Alas IFLA has decided to cancel the Brisbane Conference in 2010. They cite a bunch of reasons, primarily centred around the “Global Financial Crisis” which has everyone concerned at the moment. As most IFLA delegates are likely to be Northern Hemisphere based, they’ve decided to host the 2010 IFLA conference in Sweden instead. They see this as best suiting their anticipated audience.
There’s been a bit of discussion in the Oz library scene this evening, across twitter and facebook at least, about the idea of hosting an alternate conference. Many of the conferences that were due to be held in Australia in 2010 have been delayed to 2011/2012 to make way for IFLA. This strikes me as being the perfect opportunity to try something different, in fact we’re already hearing unofficially that ALIA has something innovative in the works. My own idea is to have some sort of grab bag of the best of the various Oz conferences and then some: a bit of ALIA, a bit of NLS, a bit of LibTech, VALA, a bit of unconference, a bit of mashup, a bit of tech, and so forth. This seems to be the moment for dreaming, for imagining…what can we do that would be so cool, so interesting, so happening, that folk overseas will look at us and go “wow! – why can’t we do that?”
Ideas welcome…please comment and contribute. Let’s have a discussion about the sort of conference we want in 2010.
Feed
July 9, 2009 at 05:23
While this news is extremely disappointing and I can’t imagine how those who have worked so hard towards 2010 are feeling, I really think this provides an amazing opportunity to do something as noted above. It is in times like this that ideas flourish and anything is possible.
I am excited at the prospect of some the ideas that may get thrown around in this forum.
July 9, 2009 at 07:09
Hi
I’m not a Librarian, although I couldn’t live without these wonderful creatures in my ecosystem. However I just wanted to drop a line and say that in all the years I’ve been attending and presenting at conferences, the most exciting one was last week when I presented on stage at a conference in the UK when I was actually sitting at my computer here in Australia. It was through the ease of the Skype video technology. My carbon footprint was much lighter, the conference folk didn’t have the financial burden of a plane ticket, and I did it all from the comfort of my own home – I even wore my lucky Ugg boots, and no-one knew. I took and responded to questions, and never once did the experience feel anything other than exciting. During my presentation, the conference delegates were tweeting to one another using a special hashtag and so the wisdom of the hive mind was available afterwards as well as enabling conversation during the event. I got all of this commentary and feedback afterwards.
Why don’t you think about video conferencing and using social networking software like Twitter as part of your ideas generation. Comes highly recommended.
Best of luck!
July 9, 2009 at 08:19
Thanks for posting this, snail. It’s very disappointing, I was hoping that I would get to learn more about IFLA and meetlots of folks from all over the world in Brisbane, but I guess that’s not to be. I don’t imagine I will get to Sweden, unless I start saving now, maybe…
Kate your idea about video conferencing and Twitter is a great one. I was thinking along similar lines, and extrapolating from the whole GFC thing, if finances are a factor for everyone (and I don’t doubt it) I think having local (ie state-based) events for people would be great, then supplement these and allow people to “meet” virtually on a set date. Like, have events set for a week in October/September (when had IFLA been planned for?), with a national virtual meeting mid-week – to allow for people to discuss what was talked about virtually…
It’d be great if ALIA is really going to do something in place of IFLA and a biennial but wouldn’t it be nice if the organising was more transparent and inclusive? John Chisolm makes a lot of good points – and says a lot of stuff I have been thinking about “official” conferences: see John’s post. I was on the programme committee for ALIA 2006 and found the process opaque, slow, and sometimes incomprehensible – I keep thinking now about unconference-style organising and how much quicker (“agile” to use a faddish term) it is, and potentially more inclusive. I remember at the end of ALIA 2006 school librarians complaining that the conference didn’t offer anything relevant to them, and I found that intensely frustrating, as very little contribution was received from folks in schools. But then, I think the “official” processes are moribund and don’t encourage participation.
July 9, 2009 at 08:30
This is certainly disappointing. The contingent of potential Australasian and Asian delegates for IFLA 2010 has just dropped from (I’m guessing) the hundreds to the tens.
Disappointing for those who thought this might be the only IFLA they’d get a chance to attend, and disappointing for IFLA no doubt in not being able to get a broader perspective in the southern hemisphere.
My first thoughts were about a virtual IFLA session in Brisbane at the same time as the Sweden event. Surely this is a possibility with the technology at our disposal.
July 9, 2009 at 09:19
CW is right,
the current model used by ALIA needs to become more agile. In fact, how about we use that as a name for whatever innovative / un-conference is organised to fill this gap?
Agile 2010
I would hope for something central, rather than the idea of smaller regional symposiums but the idea of having a central conference connected electronically to smaller regional gathering is appealing.
It would showcase the technology, prove that librarians are the masters of the new and allow a low cost option which would help increase actual numbers.
I believe we do have time to put together something large and central and I believe that an awful lot of the time I spent on the committee for the last biennial was hurrying up in order to wait.
Plus a lot of time spent in teleconferences to discuss ideas for things which needed no discussion, often because someone had already made a decision but wanted to make things seem collaborative.
Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to it (and I’m putting my hand up to be part of the process)
July 9, 2009 at 14:32
Hmmm … quite disappointed to find that the IFLA conference has been moved to Sweden. Was looking forward to attending it. Definitely not able to now.
I quite like the idea that CW has suggested. I think the idea might just work. Maybe an unconference that is done via teleconferencing. Then we might not even have to travel.
July 9, 2009 at 15:53
This comment posted on behalf of Sue Hutley..
————————
From ALIA
Thanks to everyone for all your innovative ideas for an Australian event in 2010 – they are sounding positive and great. ALIA will definitely be organising a National event (whatever it will be called will be developed over the coming weeks) with all sectors and the region in mind -that could include all of these creative suggestions. Yes, ALIA wants you to be involved, so those who have commented will be asked to contribute. It will be a great opportunity to do things a little differently and try new things.
Keep the ideas flowing. And you can also contact us with any questions or to discuss [email protected] or 02 62158222. Please be aware that we are working hard behind the scenes and that it takes awhile to get new things in place. Keep a watch on the ALIA Board Blog and on the website.
And as always, if you have any questions, concerns and comments you can give us a call on 1800 020071 to discuss it with us at ALIA National Office.
Sue Hutley, ALIA Executive Director
July 10, 2009 at 14:55
I love the idea of AGILE 2010, and a link up to Sweden. I hope all of these ideas and energy will be channeled into great new conferences next year. It’s so sad to have IFLA leave our shores, but exciting to see all the enthusiasm for a new model!