[Asis-l] CALL FOR PAPERS on APPRAISAL IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

[Joy Davidson]

*Apologies for Cross Posting*

*Appraisal in the Digital World*
CALL FOR PAPERS, PANELS AND POSTERS

Accademia Nazionale Dei Lincei and DELOS NoE Conference

*Appraisal in the Digital World *
Accademia Nazionale Dei Lincei (Rome, Italy)
15-16 November 2007
http://www.dpc.delos.info/rethinking_appraisal

The Accademia Nazionale Dei Lincei and Digital Preservation Cluster of the
DELOS Network of Excellence in association with DigitalPreservationEurope
(DPE) and InterPARES announce a call for paper proposals for a Conference on
Appraisal in the Digital World.

Appraisal was born as an archival function in the mid-1940s out of
necessity. The overwhelming amount of records produced during the II World
War required drastic decisions on what to keep for permanent preservation
and what to destroy and archival writers even redefined the concept of
archives on the basis of appraisal. In the beginning, traditional archival
schools resisted the notion of archival appraisal as one undermining the
impartiality of archives, justifying such an endeavour only when carried out
by the records creator for its purposes. 

Over the following decades, however, appreciation of the benefits of planned
selection and disposition of records carried out throughout their life-cycle
became increasingly common.

In the last two decades of the 20th century, the discussion on appraisal
occupied the largest space in archival literature, overshadowing traditional
core topics of archival science, such as description. 
Appraisal was defined as "the fine art of destruction," the art of shaping
the cultural heritage of the future, documentation strategy, and even a
scientific endeavour. In fact, by the end of the century, it was regarded
not only as what defines an archives, but what defines the archival
profession and even, paradoxically, what will allow the archives of the
future to exist at all.

The latter development was determined by the increasing use of digital
technology to create records. Although the original motivation for
conducting appraisal at all-the lack of space and resources for keeping
everything-appeared to be no longer relevant in the digital world (at least
as it regards storage costs), most commentators now agree that if the
records to be kept permanently were not identified at the moment of
creation, technological fragility and obsolescence would make all records
inaccessible and, with them, the archives of the future.

Thus, towards the end of the first decade of the 21st century, appraisal is
alive and well, not just as an archival function, but as a function vital to
the existence of records, regardless of when, where, and by whom it is
carried out. Has this new motivation for appraisal changed its nature? Has
it enhanced its influence on societal memory and affairs? Has it affected
its methodology? Or has it just impacted its locus and time, and the
responsibilities for it?

This conference provides an opportunity for information professionals,
archivists, records managers, record creators, managers, students, and
researchers from the sciences, the arts, government and business to rethink
appraisal in the context of the changes brought about by digital technology
and the globalization of our society, to network with colleagues, learn
about current developments and research, discuss their own experiences, and
identify risks and challenges that are likely to emerge from each possible
choice. Presentations, panel discussions, and poster sessions will offer
participants cross-disciplinary and international perspectives on appraisal.

This conference will be held at the Accademia Nazionale Dei Lincei in Rome,
Italy on 15-16 November 2007. The event is co-sponsored by the Accademia
Nazionale Dei Lincei, DELOS Digital Preservation Cluster,
DigitalPreservationEurope (DPE), and InterPARES.


TOPICS
Suggested topics include, but need not be limited to:

Theory of appraisal
History of Appraisal
Methods of appraisal
Integrated appraisal of paper and digital material Timing of appraisal
Ethics and Appraisal Appraisal and accountability Appraisal and social
understanding Appraisal as a political instrument National or institutional
appraisal practices Research on appraisal Appraisal as a management tool
Appraisal and the record life-cycle Appraisal in the record continuum
Appraisal as a documentation strategy Appraisal of scientific records
Appraisal of the records of artistic activities Appraisal and e-government
Appraisal and business Risk-benefits of appraisal Assessing appraisal The
damages created by appraisals The advantages of appraisals Re-appraisal or
phased appraisal?
The user's view of appraisal
Why appraisal?
When should appraisal happen?
When should re-appraisal happen?
Appraisal where?
Appraisal by whom?
How do users view appraisal?

CALL FOR PAPERS, POSTERS, and PANELS
In addition to the keynote address, proposals are being solicited for
individual presentations, complete panels, and posters. We encourage
submissions from professionals, academics, graduate students, and business
analysts and managers.

PAPER PROPOSALS
Paper proposals in .pdf, .doc, or .odt may be uploaded at
http://www.dpc.delos.info/rethinking_appraisal/submissions. Submissions must
be made no later than 15 August 2007 and should include the following
information.

* On Page One Only:
** PAPER
** Title of paper
** Author name(s)
** Organizational affiliation for each author
** Email address of each author
** Address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of Primary
Contact
** Short biographical sketch of each author
* On Page Two and subsequent pages
** 400 to 1000 word abstract of the proposed paper [no personal details
should appear on these pages].

Authors will receive notification as to whether their proposal has been
accepted on 1 September 2007. Submissions will be reviewed on the basis of
relevance, originality, significance, soundness, and clarity.

The complete papers will be reviewed for publication in the Conference
proceedings, which will be printed after the Conference. Guidelines for the
format of the submission of the full papers can be found on the Conference
website.

PANEL PROPOSALS
We intend to have two Panel sessions and welcome proposals for these. 
Panel proposals should address controversial issues and be debate-oriented
rather than a series of short presentations. The proposal should include:
* the topic title,
* a statement about the importance and relevance of the panel (500 words
maximum),
* a description of the potential issues of controversy,
* a tentative list of questions that will be posed to the panelists, and
* a list of confirmed participants along with their affiliation and a short
biographical sketch.

Panel proposals should be submitted in .pdf, .doc, or .odt using the online
form at: www.dpc.delos.info/rethinking_appraisal/submissions

POSTERS
The Conference will also offer the opportunity to researchers and
practitioners to present posters outlining late-breaking results,
significant work in progress, or research that is best communicated in an
interactive or graphical format. Posters provide researchers with an
opportunity to obtain direct feedback about their work from a wide range of
conference participants. Posters should focus on problems, research
questions and methodology, and findings and outcomes, if any. Extended
abstracts describing the research will be reviewed for publication in the
conference proceedings. Please note that posters describing research that
has yet to begin will not be accepted.

Submissions of extended abstracts for posters (500 to a 1000 words) must be
in English and follow the same format described above.

The closing date for poster proposals submissions is 15 September 2007, and
proposers will be notified of acceptance by 1 October 2007. Posters
proposals should be submitted in .pdf, .doc, or .odt format using the online
form at: www.dpc.delos.info/rethinking_appraisal/submissions

[Details of the size and shape of the posters for display at the Conference
will be available on the www.dpc.delos.info website, in early September.]

IMPORTANT DATES
Paper/Panel Abstract Submission Deadline: 21 August 2007 Notification of
Paper/Panel Acceptance: 10 September 2007 Poster Abstract Submission
Deadline 15 September 2007 Notification of Poster Acceptance 1 October 2007
Presentation slides: 12 November 2007 Complete papers for the proceedings 15
December 2007


REGISTRATION
Conference registration will open on 1 August 2007 at
www.dpc.delos.info/rethinking_appraisal/registration

QUERIES
Questions should be sent by email to: 
appraisal.conference at hatii.arts.gla.ac.uk

ORGANISING COMMITTEE

Prof Luciana Duranti, University of British Columbia & InterPARES Prof Tito
Orlandi, University of Rome (La Sapienza) Prof Maria Guercio, University of
Urbino & DELOS NoE Prof Seamus Ross, University of Glasgow & DELOS NoE

PROGRAMME COMMITTEE
* Prof Richard J. Cox, University of Pittsburgh
* John Faundeen, Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science, U.S.
Geological Survey
* Elaine Goh, National Archives of Singapore
* Ross Harvey, Charles Sturt University & Research Fellow Digital Curation
Centre (UK)
* Hans Hofman, National Archives of the Netherlands
* Shadrack Katuu, Project Officer Nelson Mandela Foundation
* Rosely Rondinelli, Archivist of the Casa de Rui Barbosa Foundation -
Brasil



Joy Davidson
DCC Training Coordinator and ERPANET British Editor
Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute (HATII)
George Service House, 11 University Gardens,
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QJ
Scotland
Tel: +44(0)141 330 8592
Fax: +44(0)141 330 3788
http://www.dcc.ac.uk
http://www.digitalpreservationeurope.eu
british.editor at erpanet.org