The conference chairs wish to welcome you to the Questioning Authority Conference which is currently underway at the University of Michigan. Please check back on the conference blog as it will be updated Daily and we would love to have participants comment. A few things for conference attendees to note:
1. The Bentley Historical Library Tour has been cancelled due to low registration for this particular tour.
2. The Ford Library Tour is full.
3. The Clossing Dinner will be held in the Rackham Assembly Hall, instead of the Michigan Union Anderson Rooms.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at (505) 385-7104 (Friday Only) or (734) 647-4937 (Saturday and Sunday).
Sincerely,
The Questioning Authority Conference Chairs
The Questioning Authority Conference will provide an opportunity for scholars and professionals from a variety of fields to generate a rich dialogue and intellectual arena on the topic of authority of digital resources. The combination of a keynote speaker, professional panels, student paper panels, student poster sessions, workshops, and library tours will provide an opportunity for graduate students across the country to consider the issues raised by digital information.
The Manuscripts Department of the University of North Carolina Library defines authority of information as “a basis for validity and trustworthiness.” By examining control, integrity, and authenticity (three of the six attributes of information defined by Donn B. Parker), professionals are better able to determine if information is authoritative. The question of the authority of a digital resource has always been a central issue in the field of information. Recently, the Internet, Web 2.0 technologies, and the push to digitize information have led to further concerns of authority. This conference seeks to address the growing concerns associated with authority, ranging from the validity of user created information systems found in social networking applications, such as Wikipedia, to the importance of fostering a respect and understanding of authoritative information in the future generations of information users.
Through examining the four themes of “Students and Authority,” “Digital Born Information and Professionals,” “Information Professionals and Authority,” and “The Future of Authority” this conference will approach this key issue from a multi-disciplinary prospective. The “Students and Authority” sub-theme encompasses issues related to how students are taught to research and determine authoritative resources (especially electronic resources). The “Digital Born Information and Professionals” sub-theme addresses issues such as reliability of digital resources (ex. Wikipedia) and how information professionals can organize digitally born information for patron use. The “Information Professionals and Authority” sub-theme focuses on how future professionals can address issues of authority in creating their own resources or collaborative efforts. “The Future of Authority” sub-theme will feature research on how authority can be addressed in the ever growing infosphere.
The Questioning Authority Conference will be held March 28-30, 2008 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. Preliminary dates/times of events are included in the program schedule
The conference is being coordinated by the Special Libraries Association student chapter (website) at the University of Michigan. See Contact Information for more details.
The Friday afternoon events will be held on North Campus. The Saturday and Sunday Events will take place mostly in the Rackham Building (4th floor)on Central Campus.