[Asis-l] ASIST SIG III International Paper Contest Fundraising Update

[Yin Zhang]

Elsevier, SIGs, Chapters, LIS Schools, and Individuals have contributed over
$7,000 to the ASIST SIG III International Paper Contest

SIG III would like to thank the generous donors for their support for the
International Paper Contest who have helped to raise over $7,000 since mid
March. The SIG III fundraising campaign is still ongoing. We will post an
update in the near future. Here is list of donors that have contributed as
of May 17, 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
ASIST Los Angels Chapter             $375
ASIST Chicago Chapter                 $300
ASIST Florida Chapter                   $300
ASIST Potomac Valley Chapter     $250
ASIST Central Ohio Chapter         $100
Basch Subscriptions                       $100
Information Informational Association $50

Individual donors: $1,150
Linda Smith, Marianne Afifi,
Joseph Busch, Anthony Debons,
Thomas Fowler, Thomas Froehlich,
Nancy Blasé, Charles Goldstein,
Jean Piety, Yukiko Sakai, Yin Zhang,
Bahaa El-Hadidy, Sue O. Johnson,
Ben-Ami Lipetz, Julia Blixrud,
Lawrence Buckland, Natsuo Onodera,
Noriko Kando, Anonymity

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 Chair
Associate Professor
School of Library and Information Science
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242 USA
email: yinzhang at slis.kent.edu