WESS Scandinavian Discussion Group

Meeting, 2006 ALA Midwinter Conference

San Antonio, Texas

Sunday, January 21, 2006

8 am - 10 am, meeting room TBA

Draft Agenda:

I. Opening, Introductions, News from Institutions

Despite the early hour, we do have a two-hour block of time, enough for substantial discourse. The room will be equipped with a laptop, projector, and screen, but not an internet connection. Thus, if you would like to make a presentation, you will need to bring along electronic files for all visual materials.

II. Discussion topics. In addition to these three suggested topics please submit your ideas and suggestions to me as soon as possible.

A. Göteborg Book Fair (Bok- och Biblioteksmässan - see www.bok-bibliotek.se), 21-24 September 2006

The 2006 Fair's official focal theme is Freedom of Expression (Yttrandefrihet). The Fair also will emphasize cultural diversity. On the English version of the main page is a link to the announcement for the 2006 theme. Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen are each about a three-hour trip from Gothenburg. Might we want to organize a trip to the Fair and the national libraries of Sweden, Norway, and Denmark?

B. SASS 2006.

The annual conference of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies (www.byu.edu/sasslink) will be held in Oxford, Mississippi, 4-6 May 2006. This year we librarians need to make our presence better known. Let us discuss ideas and proposals that we can take to SASS, as bold as daring to host a panel on Scandinavian Studies and the research library, and possibly other events.

C. Other topics

e.g., Planning for 2007 WESS Scandinavian DG meetings.

III. Presentations:

A. Genealogical resources.

Gordon will demonstrate some new Swedish genealogical databases, showing results from his September 2005 trip to southern Sweden in (successful) search of ancestors' homesteads.

B. Other topics