Conference papers

Preface

Anita Crotty
Programme convenor
University of Canberra Library (formerly of UWS Nepean Library)

This volume contains the majority of papers presented at Information Online 2001, Digital Dancing: New Partners, New Steps, held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre from 16-18 January, 2001. This is the Tenth Australasian Conference and Exhibition and the first to be hosted by ALIA's new Information Specialists Division, a merger of the national Information Science Section and the NSW Special Libraries Section. To reflect changes in information delivery mechanisms, we have also omitted 'on disc' from the conference name. Papers are arranged by session streams. Those not received at the time of going to press will be subsequently published on the conference website

And what, you may ask, has dancing to do with information online? The theme of the conference reflects a trend since Online 99. Stakeholders in the online information industry - creators, providers, users - are blurring traditional models of interaction, service delivery and business activity. The Programme Committee aimed to reflect this trend by encouraging papers that explored new territory and paradigms for productive relationships in the context of online information - at the individual, corporate and global level.

The conference programme was the result of the collaborative efforts of the members of the programme committee:

• Kate Curr, NSW Parliamentary Library
• Ian Duncan, Macquarie University Library
• Paul Evans, University of Western Sydney Nepean Library
• Meredith Martinelli, Macquarie University Library,
• Pat Matthews, Frank Lowy Library, Australian Graduate School of Management,
• Tony Barry, Ningaui Pty Ltd.

The presentation of the programme and associated events was made possible by the sustained efforts of the conference executive committee:

• Mary Anne Kennan, Frank Lowy Library, Australian Graduate School of Management (conference convenor),
• Enid Roberts, treasurer
• Linda Rouse, Social Change Online ( internet lounge convenor),
• Paul Evans (following initial work by Marilyn Wagstaff), (exhibition convenor),
• Paul Bentley, The Wolanski Foundation (secretary and publications convenor)

Acknowledgement is also due to Karine Edwards, Craig Hoskinson and Sara Foda, conference organisers of Tour Hosts, for their diligence and expertise. The conference also would not continue to be so successful without the support of sponsors and exhibitors. Finally thanks go to Michele Zappavigna for administrative support to the Programme Committee, and to Alan Walker for his now-traditional high standard of indexing of the proceedings.