HomeLibrarians tackle higher education issues at national conferenc

Contacts:
Margot Sutton Conahan
ACRL
312-280-2522
msutton@ala.org

Macey Morales
ALA Media Relations
312-280-4393
mmorales@ala.org

For Immediate Release
January 26,2007

Librarians tackle higher education issues at national conference in
Baltimore March 29-April 1

Keynote speakers include Nina Totenberg, John Waters, Michael Eric Dyson

CHICAGO – More than 3,000 librarians and staff, leaders in higher education and guests will discuss the top trends and issues facing students, faculty and campus libraries nationwide at the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) biennial national conference at the Baltimore Convention Center, March 29-April 1, 2007.

The ACRL 13th National Conference, "Sailing into the Future – Charting our Destiny," will explore the changing nature and roles of academic and research librarianship.  National leaders will discuss issues such as interactive gaming and social networking technology in libraries; the future of reference and online searching; open access to research; distance learning; 'Amazoogle' and its effect on librarianship; and recruitment to the profession.

Keynote presenters include educator Michael Eric Dyson discussing the impact generational disputes and differences have on higher education; filmmaker John Waters discussing influences on his creative work; and NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg examining connections between higher education and current issues and events in national public policy.  More than 185 exhibitors will feature state-of-the-art products and services for academic and research libraries.

ACRL also will offer a virtual component to its National Conference. The online conference community will include live, interactive Web casts,
discussion boards, blogs, chat rooms and more.

ACRL, a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is comprised of 13,000 members from a wide range of academic institutions, publishers and vendors who sell in the academic marketplace. Complete details about the conference are online at www.acrl.org/baltimore.