[Asis-l] Over $8, 000 contributed to the ASIST SIG III International Paper Contest

[Yin Zhang]

                Apologies for cross-posting

Elsevier, SIGs, Chapters, LIS Schools, and Individuals have contributed over 
$8,000 to the ASIST SIG III International Paper Contest

The Special Interest Group on International Information Issues (SIG III) of 
the ASIST would like to thank the generous donors for their support for the 
International Paper Contest, who have helped to raise over $8,000 since 
mid-March. The SIG III fundraising campaign is ongoing and we welcome 
contributions to keep the program going. Here is a list of donors who have 
contributed as of July 8, 2005:

Donors                                 Amount
-------------------------------------------------
Elsevier                                         $2,000
ASIST SIG IFP                            $500
University of North Texas SLIS     $500
Kent State University SLIS            $500
University of Pittsburgh SIS           $500
University of Tennessee SIS          $500
Drexel University College of IST   $500
ASIST Los Angeles Chapter         $375
ASIST Chicago Chapter               $300
ASIST Florida Chapter                 $300
ASIST Potomac Valley Chapter    $250
Simmons College SLIS                 $200
ASIST Central Ohio Chapter        $100
Basch Subscriptions                      $100
University of Texas SI                   $100
Information International Association $50

Individual donors: $1,275
Linda Smith, Marianne Afifi,
Joseph Busch, Anthony Debons,
Thomas Fowler, Thomas Froehlich,
Nancy Blasé, Charles Goldstein,
Jean Piety, Yukiko Sakai,
Diane Hopkins, Javed Mostafa,
Yin Zhang, Bahaa El-Hadidy,
Sue O. Johnson, Ben-Ami Lipetz,
Julia Blixrud, Lawrence Buckland,
Natsuo Onodera,Noriko Kando,
Roberta Horowitz, anonymous


This year marks the sixth anniversary for the ASIST SIG III International 
Paper Contest on International Digital Libraries and Information Science & 
Technology Advances in Developing Countries. The International Paper Contest 
is one of the most successful programs SIG III runs each year.  The papers 
submitted represent important developments in information science, and they 
serve to advance the information profession worldwide.  In the past three 
years (2002-2004), we have attracted over 150 information professionals from 
35 developing countries to participate in the International Paper Contest. 
Many of the papers have been published in library and information 
literature, including the journal International Information and Library 
Review and the Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and 
Technology.  In addition, contest winners often see advances in their 
professional careers.  Their stories are posted on the ASIST SIG III website 
at http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIG III/.  This valuable opportunity would not be 
available without the financial support provided by all of our generous 
donors.

The raised funds will support two-year ASIST memberships for six to eight of 
the paper contest winners each year and cover expenses of the top winner(s) 
to travel from his or her home country to the ASIST Annual Meeting.  Since 
the first paper contest in 2000, through this program, SIG III has sponsored 
32 two-year ASIST memberships to contest winners from 15 different 
countries, and has supported 15 winners to attend the ASIST Annual Meeting.

SIG III is currently reaping the benefits of our International Paper Contest 
fundraising campaign, which is bringing in donations from all over the 
world.  Just last year, SIG III was privileged enough to receive donations 
from the Los Angeles Chapter and the Potomac Valley Chapter of ASIST.  Both 
of these chapters have contributed greatly to our fundraising effort 
throughout the past several years; the LA Chapter donates on a regular 
basis, and the Potomac Valley Chapter has held several sales and fundraisers 
to raise money for the contest.  Elsevier has also been a constant help, 
donating $3000 last year and $2000 this year for the International Paper 
Contest alone, as well as contributing money to the International Reception.

We would like to thank all of these donors for their ongoing support, as it 
means a great deal to us. We are also extremely grateful for the help of 
these donors. Without their contributions, we would not be able to run the 
International Paper Contest, which benefits so many scholars and information 
professionals around the world.  Additionally, we would like to thank all 
the individual donors who have contributed in the past and will contribute 
again in the future.

Finally, we would like to thank the Executive Director Richard Hill and 
Director of Finance Janice Hatzakos at ASIS&T headquarters for their help in 
processing the donations and making them available for our digital scholar 
funds.

The officers and members of SIG III are always working diligently to make 
this SIG the best it can be.  Between this effort and all the support 
received this year, it is certain that this year's International Paper 
Contest will be just as successful as it has been in the past years.  Again, 
thanks for the continued support.

For more information about the International Paper Contest, please visit the 
SIG III website at:
http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/

----------

We would greatly appreciate more donations to keep this paper competition 
running. If this is possible, please send a check, made payable to ASIST for 
the "Digital Scholars Fund," to Richard Hill, Executive Director, ASIST, 
1320 Fenwick Lane, Suite 510, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.  We thank you 
for your generosity in contributing to this International Paper Contest that 
has benefited so many people.

Thank you for your support!

Yin Zhang, Ph.D.
SIG III 2004-2005 Chair
Associate Professor
School of Library and Information Science
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242 USA
email: yinzhang at slis.kent.edu