• Instruction for Authors, deadline: January 22, 2004

The Digital Library is broadly recognized as a key component in the networked information environment - a means of sharing information and knowledge in our society not only today but in the future. Since the mid 1990s there have been substantial efforts to develop practical technologies for digital library services. Starting in the scholarly and professional communities, the development of networked information has already brought significant changes in publishing and in information-seeking behavior - not just of scientists and professionals but of general public as well, including children. The Internet has been adopted as a major part of corporate and government information infrastructures and is already an integral part of our information lifelines.

These changes have brought significant changes not only to individuals but also to our communities. While the Internet serves as part of the information infrastructure for traditional communities rooted in geographical location, it is also enabling the formation of knowledge-centric communities based on intellectual interest.

This symposium will discuss the current status and future prospects of digital libraries and knowledge communities in our networked information society. This symposium will provide an international forum for papers and discussions by researchers, developers and practitioners in and for Digital Libraries and Knowledge Communities. The symposium welcome participants from broad range of communities, from computer and communication technologies to social sciences and to the humanities. The symposium topics are not limited, and may include

• Information technologies for digital libraries and knowledge communities
• Development and use of digital libraries
• Information and knowledge sharing and access in networked information environment
• Community development and activities in the networked information environment
• Collection of information and knowledge for networked information society
• Archive and preservation of information and knowledge

Invited Speakers:

• Daniel E. Atkins (University of Michigan, USA)
• Thomas Baker (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Germany)
• Christine Borgman (UCLA, USA)
• Yi-Tzuu Chien (WTEC, USA)
• Jieh Hsiang (National Taiwan University, Taiwan)
• Takeo Kanade (Carnegie Mellon University, USA)
• Noriko Kando (National Institute of Informatics, Japan)
• Carl Lagoze (Cornell University, USA)
• Toyoaki Nishida (University of Tokyo, Japan)
• Liu Wei (Shanghai Library, China)
• Peter Willett (University of Sheffield, UK)
• Ian Witten (University of Waikato, New Zealand)

Important Dates:

• Acceptance notification: December 12, 2003
• Camera ready copy due: January 22, 2004

Symposium Chairs:

• Organizing Committee Chair: Koichi Tabata (University of Tsukuba)
• Executive Committee Chair: Hirotoyo Ishii (University of Tsukuba)
• Program Committee Chair: Shigeo Sugimoto (University of Tsukuba)