[Sigiii-l] Updates - SIG III International Paper Contest Fundraising Campaign

[Nadia Caidi]

*Elsevier, Eugene Garfield Foundation, SIGs, Chapters, LIS Schools, and 
Individuals have contributed $7,220 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 raise $7,220 since 
mid-March 2006. The SIG III fundraising campaign is ongoing and we 
welcome contributions to keep the program going.

Here is the list of donors that have received as of August 10, 2006:

-Institutional Donors
Eugene Garfield Foundation: $2,150
Elsevier: $2,000
Kent State University SLIS: $500
Drexel University College of IST: $500
ASIST Chicago Chapter: $500
ASIST Los Angeles Chapter (LACASIS): $300
University of Western Ontario: $250
University of South Carolina: $200
Information International Association: $100
University of Toronto: $100
ASIST European Chapter: $100
ASIST Central Ohio Chapter: $100

-Individual donors: $375
Bonnie Carroll, Lucy Te-Chu Lee, D. Rajabooshanam, Julian Warner

-In-Kind Donations	
Two copies of the “Berkshire Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction” 
by Berkshire Publishing Group. (awarded to the second authors of the 
top-ranked 2nd and 3rd Paper Contest winners).	

This year marks the seventh anniversary of 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 run 
by SIG III each year. The papers submitted represent important 
developments in information science, and they serve to advance the 
information profession worldwide.

To date, 323 authors of 270 papers from 51 countries/areas have 
participated in the SIG III International Paper Contest. Many of the 
papers have been published in library and information literature, 
including the 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/SIGIII/. 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 over forty two-year ASIST memberships to contest 
winners from 15 different countries, and has supported 16 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. As in the past years, SIG III was privileged enough to 
receive donations from various ASIST Chapters (including the newly 
formed European Chapter), many of which donate on a regular basis, and 
others that have contributed greatly to our fundraising effort 
throughout the past several years. Elsevier has also been a constant 
help, donating $3000 this year ($2000 for the International Paper 
Contest alone, and another $1000 for the International Reception). The 
Eugene Garfield Foundation has also generously provided us with $2150. 
We are also thankful to the LIS schools throughout North America that 
have contributed generously to this campaign. Finally, thanks to 
individual donors and to Berkshire Publishing, which has graciously 
offered two copies of their Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction.
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 ASIST 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 International Paper Contest section of the SIG III website 
(http://www.asis.org/SIG/SIGIII/).

Nadia Caidi, SIG III Chair, 2005-2006.
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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,"
attn: 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.