[EDUC] New international school for librarianship and information management

[Terry Kuny]

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Announcing

             Professional Development Courses for Librarians
                 and Practicing Information Specialists
                      in Central and Eastern Europe

           The International Centre for Information Management,
                      Systems and Services (ICIMSS)
                              Torun, Poland.

     Announcement

A new international school for librarianship and information management has
been formed in association with Nicholas Copernicus University in Torun,
Poland.  An International board of highly visible and recognized experts
from the region, the United Kingdom and the United States have assembled an
internationally renowned faculty and written a curriculum specifically aimed
at conditions in Central and Eastern Europe.

ICIMSS announces that it will offer post-diploma Professional Development
courses in Information Science beginning October 1997.  It will offer a
course of studies leading to an MLS (Masters in Library Science) degree
beginning in the following semesters.

     An Invitation

ICIMSS invites practising librarians, information specialists and library
school teachers (especially from Eastern and Central European countries) to
apply for enrollment. The Professional Development program will be delivered
through a combination of residential and distance learning (across the
Internet) methods.  The MLS degree coursework will be residential.

Any practicing librarian, information specialist, or potential student is
also cordially invited to join in celebrating

           The International Centre for Information Management,
                      Systems and Services (ICIMSS)
                              Grand Opening
                             19 October 1997
                              Torun, Poland

This occasion will provide an excellent possibility for information workers
and professionals to meet with one another, attend world-class lectures in
the field, and exchange views with prestigious and well-known politicians,
economists, librarians, and information science professors about trends in
librarianship, digital information distribution, and the implications of
Internet connectivity for libraries, businesses, governments, education and
society.

     Background

Information science is one of the richest and most important research and
practice areas in today's environment. Social evolution and technological
progress continually raise new questions and challenges for librarians,
whether they work in public, academic, or specialized research libraries. To
help librarians gain the skills with which to solve these fundamental
challenges and to facilitate improved efficiency in library work, the
professional development courses will include sessions on the following
topics:

   * Information Technology, and its application
   * Managing the process of change
   * Digital libraries: a comparative study
   * Institutional policies
   * Financial management
   * Electronic publishing

Courses leading to an MLS degree will treat many of these same topics in
greater depth, allowing students to explore the areas in detail, and to
consider a variety of implications of modern digital networks on collections
development, library automation, patron services, and library management.

     Professional Development - Methodology

Students enrolled in Professional Development courses will be required to
attend a two-week residency in Torun, (October 19-28, 1997) during which
they will participate in a series of lectures and workshops. Following this,
students will return to their home institutions from which--for another
twelve weeks--they will conduct online exercises (using e-mail, www, and
Internet technology), interacting with their fellow students and teachers
using distance education facilities. A final one week residency in Torun
will take place at the end of the semester for final integration of
concepts, evaluation and examination.


     Eligibility

To be eligible for the professional development program, candidates must
have a master's degree or the equivalent. Candidates will be selected on the
basis of the following criteria and requirements

   * appropriate computer skills,
   * knowledge of English,
   * letters of reference (from their own institutions),
   * demonstrated aptitude for study.

All applications will be review by the Centre's Recruitment Committee.
Since the Centre is international in scope the official language of
instruction will be English.

The deadline for applications for the Fall 1997 semester is July, 30, 1997.


     Further Information

For additional information and an application package, please contact:
   * icimss at bu.uni.torun.pl

or visit our Web site, at

   * http://www.poniecki.org/ICIMSS/


     Conclusion

If you wish to...

   * learn more about the latest changes in the information
     environment,
   * update your expertise as a librarian or information
     specialist,
   * learn how is information created, recorded, and organised
     for fast and easy retrieval,
   * how prepare a www home page for your institution,
   * how conduct an effective online search

                 ...join us!


Don't forget to take part in this really exciting project, by attending the
gala opening of the Centre on 19 October, in Torun, Poland.


Yours truly,



Maria Sliwinska
Executive Director, ICIMSS

Biblioteka Uniwersytecka
Uniwersytet  Mikolaja Kopernika
ul. J. Gagarina 13
87-100 Torun, Poland