Dr. Mitra Samiei, Faculty Member of Allameh Tabatabai University, Board member of LIS Department, and Scientific Secretary of the 6th Annual Congress of Information Science Experts |
The Annual Congress of Iranian Information Science Experts is held in November by the Iranian Library and Information Science Association in order to establish scientific and professional ties between information science researchers and librarians. This year, due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic outbreak, the Sixth Congress of Information Science Experts will be held as a semi-presence (semi-virtual) meeting in May 2021.
The Congress of Information Science Experts is held in order to 1) reflect the scientific progress in our field and discuss and exchange views on its status, 2) discuss and exchange views on the problems community of librarians, students and graduates face with, 3) reflect the librarians’ practical achievements in libraries and information centers, 4) get acquainted with the general issues of libraries and information services of the country, 5) hold a consultation between researchers, teachers, students, librarians and administrators. Scice 2015 to 2019, five congresses have been held to discuss and exchange views on librarians’ and information activists’ experience, whose main slogan and dates are as follows:
-The First Congress of Information Science Experts with the main slogan of “Information and Society: Library Services, Archives and Museums for National Development” on October 29-30, 2015.
– The Second Congress of Information Science Experts with the main slogan of “the Right to open Access to Information in Citizenship rights” on November 6-7, 2016.
– The third congress of information science Experts with the main slogan “Preservation and Dissemination of Written Heritage, Digital Heritage” on November 5-6, 2017.
– The 4th Congress of Information Science Experts with the main slogan of “Academic Education, Human Resource Empowerment, Professional Dynamics” on November 17-18, 2018.
-The 5th Congress of Information Science Experts with the main slogan of “We and the Future: Emerging Developments in Information Sciences, Libraries and Archives” on November 20-21, 2019
Fortunately, the Congress of Information Science Experts, like the IFLA Congress, has become part of our professional identity nationally and a platform for all members of the professional community across the country. In the Sixth Congress, it is intended to address the issue of “digital transformation”, so our main slogan in the Sixth Congress is “We and the Digital Transformation”. Digital transformation means recreating an entity to succeed in the digital age, or in other words, building an entity at the level of the digital age. This entity can be a country, a community, a government, an economy, an industry, an organization, a library, an archive, a museum, or even an individual.
Digital transformation in libraries, archives and museums means preparing them for success in the digital age. Digital transformation requires everyone to work together to build a new and better version of library, archive and museum, so that they understand the logic of this age and can survive and then grow. Although this is a fundamental change centered on digital technologies, digital transformation is more a social, human, and cultural issue than a technological one. Digital transformation has such a broader and more comprehensive look at information technology that it affects the entire organization and its functions. Information technology is part of the digital transformation umbrella that causes changes in the strategies and functions of libraries, archives and museums with the development of information technology in libraries, archives and museums. In this congress, we intend to examine the extent to which libraries, archives, and museums have been on the path to digital transformation, and what changes they have incorporated in their strategies.
ILISA was established in 1961. In, 1965 a group of Iranian librarians restructured ILISA with the cooperation of two American librarians who were teaching at Tehran University. The association activities lasted until the revolution and during this period was a successful forum and meeting place for librarians and a place for the education for librarianship in Iran, through holding courses and preparing educational materials. By the revolution of 1978, ILISA was closed some years. In 1979, a new constitution was prepared by the association. This period lasted for two years, and in 1979, ILISA was dissolved along with all other institutions. In 1998, a group of librarians came together to re-form the association, and after working for two years, the association was certified by the Ministry of Science. The first meeting was held in 2000. Along with the main branch in Tehran, other branches began to form in provinces. The association has conducted workshops and annual and monthly seminars in its new period of activities after the revolution.
ILISA is one of the most active scientific association in Iran and during the recent seven years has ranked as the top associations by Iran ministry of science.
