NFAIS Announces 2007 Annual Conference Theme As
Creating Change: Opportunities for Growth in the Wake of Disruption
 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW!

Philadelphia, PA, August 3, 2006 – NFAIS (www.nfais.org), the premier membership association for organizations that create, organize and facilitate access to information, announced today the theme and location for its 2007 Annual Conference, Creating Change: Opportunities for Growth in the Wake of Disruption. The conference, scheduled for February 25-27, 2007 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, PA, will take a look at the disruptive forces released within the information community by the fusion of sophisticated technology and the born-digital generation, and will focus on the opportunities for change and growth that are now available to information providers and libraries as a result of that disruption.

“The millennials are one with technology,” said NFAIS President, Linda Beebe, “and their union is a disruptive force that is transforming traditional communication and information-seeking behaviors. Its impact can be seen in the rapid growth of social software and user-generated content; in the perpetual beta releases of innovative products and services; and in the ever-increasing demand for business models that will meet today’s information needs. For most of us, this environment of rapid change is unsettling. But I believe that disruption can be a force for good. It challenges all information providers - publishers and librarians alike - to take risks, to move forward and to grow by leveraging the new opportunities that have been created.”

Beebe noted that creating change can be a daunting task and that many struggle with its implementation. She admitted that there is a strong temptation to copy successful organizations such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo!, but expressed concern that too much focus on their activities can distract from the initiatives that may be better aligned with an organization’s mission and markets.

“There are organizations, large and small,” she said, “that have embraced change and successfully begun their own unique transformation. They have evaluated their mission, strengths and weaknesses against the growth possibilities offered by the current information environment. And most importantly, they are willing to take risks to pursue the opportunities that they believe will offer them success. The conference program will include case studies by organizations that have already begun the process of change - through product extension to adjacent markets, through new business models and distribution channels, by repackaging their content or adopting new technologies, by entering into collaborative ventures, etc. Professionals who attend will be able to incorporate some of these ideas into their own organization’s plans for creating change.”

Beebe noted that the conference will also focus on technology due to its integral role in today’s society. There will be an overview of current technology - social software, wikis, podcasts, blogs, folksonomies - along with examples of how information providers are using these technologies to build value around their content and ensure that their products and services are in sync with today’s information seeking, and sharing, behavior. The next generation of computer tools, such as the web-enabled desktop, will be discussed, as well as future technologies that are oriented towards the evolving communication behavior of the end user: mobile computing, smart objects, wearable computers, etc. These technologies will soon be a part of every day life. Information providers and librarians must be aware of them, understand their implications for information access and retrieval, and incorporate them into their plans for change - and growth.

For more information, bookmark this page, or to be added to the mailing list for updates on the 2007 NFAIS Annual conference, contact Jill O’Neill, Director of Communications and Planning (jilloneill@nfais.org or (215)-893-1561) or visit the NFAIS web site (http://www.nfais.org).

This program is being developed by the 2007 NFAIS Annual Conference Planning Committee.

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