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Christel Mahnke mahnke@tokyo.goethe.org

Interview with new KM Section Chair Xuemao Wang

Curriculum Vitae Xuemao Wang
Born in Chongquing, China
After graduation in LIS at Wuhan University, worked as academic librarian in China
Moved to U.S. in 1991, completed two more LIS master‘ degrees
Worked for Queens Borough Public Library (NY) and Metropolitan NY Library Council, completed MBA.
After tenure at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland) appointed Associate Vice Provost at Emory Libraries (Emory University, Atlanta) in February 2009

How did you get involved in IFLA?
I came to know IFLA when I became an academic librarian in China in the early 80's, but the actual involvement with IFLA started at 67 th WLIC 2001 in Boston where I gave a poster presentation for Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO). In 2004, I joined Johns Hopkins University. With support and encouragement from Dean Winston Tabb, a long-time IFLA leader, I started to look for opportunities to participate in IFLA with service to a working committee.
Why did you join the KM section?
Before I went to IFLA WLIC Seoul, I looked for opportunities to serve on IFLA working committees. I had just completed years of ALA committee work, including chair of Asia and Pacific subcommittee. My experience with ALA taught me that the deep involve-ment with a professional association involves serving on a working com-mittee. Over the Seoul conference, I chose to sit in on a couple of IFLA sections' standing committee meetings. The KM section's discussion typically caught my interest as I realized that this is an emerging area, and it is also an area that libraries are challenged to find their niche. Libraries have been in the business of managing knowledge since their birth. However, when KM as a popular concept and a buzzword came out, not many people seemed to agree that the library is one of the key players.
It seems to be a long way from Chongquing, China to Emory, Atlanta. Can you tell us something about it?
My journey to America started with my desire to seek advanced graduate study in library and information science after I worked 10 years as an academic librarian in China. My brother came to the US before me to obtain his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. With his encouragement and support, I came to the US in 1991.  
During my pursuit of education, I completed two master's degrees in library and information science with Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and University of South Carolina. After then, I have worked for four library organizations: Queens Borough Public Library, New York; Metropolitan New York Library Council; Johns Hopkins University and now Emory University. working at METRO, I also completed an M.B.A. education with Hofstra University, New York. Over my studies and work with those diverse organizations, I have gained and came to greatly appreciate different perspectives from public, consortium, and academic/research libraries, and have developed my passion to work for educational and cultural institutions.
You set up the first multilingual library web portal  for public librarians in the US. How important is cultural diversity in your library work?


Libraries have a social responsibility to steward, disseminate, and preserve human knowledge and cultural heritage. The concept of diversity applies to many of fundamental duties of libraries, including collection of all-points-of-view, promotion of multilingual collections and services, and development of a diverse workforce that reflects the community that the library serves. The WorldLinQ project of Queens Borough Public Library of New York is one of the early success in the mid '90s by using emerging Internet technology to fulfill the library's social res-ponsibility. I am proud that I had the opportunity to lead a team to create such a wonderful project that continues to have a great impact on the local community.
How do you encourage Knowledge Sharing in your working environment?


Knowledge Sharing actually remains a big challenge for all types of organizations, and the Emory University Libraries are no exception.
To "encourage" and "formalize" knowledge sharing, you will need to establish some frameworks to ensure that it happens, and you will also need find a way to measure the success. A library is in the business of collecting, sharing and preserving knowledge. However, unlike other industries, the framework of process management and performance /success measurement have not been rigorously established.
In Emory's near future, we hope to achieve the following KM aspects of our Library Business Process Management initiatives:
1. identify, capture, and define key processes: not only those with "traditional" library existing workflows, but with those "emerging" area workflows, such as digitization, data curation, and knowledge management etc.

2. establish a performance measurement system includes key measurement indicators and metrics

3. establish a formal procedure or knowledge management system to capture and share knowledge

4. train/educate a learning-driven knowledge-based workforce

Notice: the interview will be published in the Newsletter No 9 of IFLA KM section. If you have any questions, please write to KM Newsletter editor Christel Mahnke mahnke@tokyo.goethe.org .

Call for Papers - deadline Feb 15

IFLA Knowledge Management (KM) Section provides an international platform for professional communication and understanding of the significance of KM for libraries. It gives a voice to KM on a global scale and follows the developments in KM, promoting its practical implementation within the global library community.

The 2010 WLIC Conference:

The annual IFLA World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) provides an opportunity to present innovative models, case studies and research about Knowledge Management.

Delegates and speakers from all parts of the world come together to discuss new developments and successful practice. The conference motto for the 2010 Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden is Open access to knowledge - promoting sustainable progress. This theme highlights two core functions of KM: Providing access to knowledge for all stakeholders of an organization or company, as well as preserving knowledge to guarantee sustainability.

IFLA Knowledge Management Section invites librarians and knowledge managers to submit proposals for papers in a 2-hour session at WLIC Gothenburg, 10-15 Aug 2010.

The KM Conference Programme

The Voice of Global KM is the section’s theme for 2010. For our 2010 programmes in Gothenburg we are looking for speakers who can highlight, from a global perspective, how access to knowledge is being enhanced. The process of creating, sharing and applying operational knowledge is crucial for any organization or company. If the organization or company is active on a global scale, barriers of language, culture, technology and geographical distance provide additional challenges.

We invite presentations that showcase:

- Knowledge creation and knowledge sharing across boundaries of language, culture and technology

- Innovative use of technology to support knowledge sharing, joint research and learning (workplace learning, E-learning)

- Case studies in application of Knowledge Management tools which support the success of the organization or company

- We especially invite globally active NGO’s, intergovernmental organizations like European Union, as well as global companies.

Important Dates and Timelines

Submission:

Please send an abstract of approximately 500 words, in English, no later than February 15, 2010 to: Agnes Hajdu Barat, Programme Chair (hajdu@jgypk.u-szeged.hu). Both abstracts and full papers should be submitted as a MS Word file by e-mail. The abstracts will be reviewed by Programme Committee members of the Knowledge Management Section.

Please attach a summary of the proposed paper, curriculum vitae of the author(s), contact details, professional affiliation(s), and a brief statement on their career(s). Also, a digital photograph(s) would be useful.

Proposed papers must be original and not have been published elsewhere. Please attach a declaration about originality of the proposed paper and verify that it has not been published anywhere.

Selection:

Successful applicants will be notified in early March, 2010.


The selected presenters for the program at the Gothenburg conference will be asked to submit a formal paper (for inclusion on the IFLA conference website) no later than May 1, 2010. Papers can be submitted in one of the official IFLA working languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Russian, Spanish. Papers should be submitted with a one-page abstract in English. Papers should not be longer than 20 pages. Papers must be original and not have been published elsewhere. Selected papers may be nominated by the Section for inclusion in an IFLA publication.

Presentation at the Conference:

A maximum of 20 minutes will be allowed for the presentation of each paper during the Section's session in Gothenburg. Please note, although every effort will be made to provide simultaneous interpretation into other IFLA languages, its availability may not be possible. Therefore presenters are encouraged to use a PowerPoint in English to facilitate understanding of the ideas presented. The PowerPoint for the presentation should be submitted to the Program Chair by 1 July, 2010.

At least one of the authors of the paper must present the paper. Please send a promissory note with your signature verifying intent to attend the IFLA Conference in Gothenburg to the Program Chair.

Unfortunately, the Programme Committee has no funds to assist prospective authors: abstracts should only be submitted on the understanding that the expenses of attending the IFLA conference (including travel, expenses and conference fee) will be the responsibility of the author(s)/presenter(s) of accepted papers. Some national professional associations may be able to help fund certain expenses, and a small number of grants for conference.


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Prof.dr.Ágnes Hajdu Barát

Chair of KM Program Committee in Gothenburg

Past-Secretary of IFLA KM Section



Institute of Adult Education

University of Szeged Gyula Juhász Faculty of Education

(SZTE JGYPK)

Address: Szeged, Szilléri sgt. 12. 6723 HUNGARY

Telephone/fax: ++36 62 474 255

E-mail: hajdu@jgypk.u-szeged.hu

http://www.jgypk.u-szeged.hu/tanszek/konyvtud.htm

A2K Book - Call for chapters

A Call for chapters has gone out for the book: Access to Knowledge (A2K), a volume of case studies and academic papers to be published by K.G. Saur / IFLA. The main focus of the book is the Ellen Tise Presidential theme "Libraries driving access to knowledge", to provide insights into current and prospective access to knowledge being deployed in libraries services or researched on - technology, processes and compliance with users needs.
Read more about it on IFLA Website http://www.ifla.org/en/president/a2k-book/call-for-chapters