---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 18:39:32 +0100
From: Paul Nieuwenhuysen
To: Paul.Nieuwenhuysen@vub.ac.be
Subject: Int. Training Program on INFORMATION; grants available
An International Training Program on "INFORMATION":
STIMULATE
Scientific and Technological Information Management in Universities and
Libraries:
an Active Training Environment
(Edition 5)
Announcement
Information about this training program can be found on the WWW starting
from: http://www.vub.ac.be/BIBLIO/itp/
The program is planned to take place mainly in Brussels, Belgium,
from June to August 31, 2005
The initiative has been approved by the Flemish Interuniversity Council
(VLIR) and is sponsored by the Belgian Government (the directorate named
DGOS since December 2002). This fits in a series of similar international
training activities that have been organized since 1991, named MIST 1, 2,
3, KNOW-HOW, and STIMULATE 1, 2, 3 and 4.
This initiative is aimed primarily at persons with a university degree
(Bachelor or Master), who work in universities, information and
documentation centers, and libraries, including of course university
libraries, and who have a few years of practical experience.
The term Active Training Environment in the title of the training program
reflects our wish to create an environment in which each participant is
stimulated to get involved actively, supported by the lecturers and the
infrastructure provided by the training program. This fits well into the
general, worldwide trend away from "teaching" to "learning management".
Aims:
The main aim of this International Training Program is to offer a
stimulating learning environment to participants, who have a function as
information intermediary in the area of science and technology, so as to
sharpen their skills in collecting, storing, retrieving, presenting and
managing information, which can be of great benefit to the teaching and
research activities going on in their institute and to the further
development of their organisation and region.
More specific objectives are:
-- to provide participants with a clearer view on the importance of
information in general and for their environment in particular,
-- to guide them in retrieving information that is publicly accessible on
an international scale, and
-- to learn them to store, organise, present, manage, publish information
resources at personal, institutional, regional or national level.
After being actively involved in this International Training Program, every
participant will have improved the ability
-- to appreciate and explain the importance of access to information for
their organisation
-- to retrieve information from the Internet
-- to present information to users and potential users, using appropriate
information technology
-- to store information for later retrieval and access by potential users,
using information technology
-- to train interested persons in the use and management of information,
using appropriate presentation techniques
-- to apply quantitative methods in decision making related to information
systems and services
-- to contribute to the planning of the (further) development of an
information service
-- to communicate through the Internet with users of information,
information providers, colleagues,�
Contents:
It is our intention to organise the sessions in such a way that
--the first month = introduction level,
--the second month = intermediate level, and
--the third month = more advanced level.
Thanks to this approach and organisation, it may make sense to participate
exceptionally during only one or two of the three months, depending on
expertise. However, the available scholarships are granted only to persons
who will participate for the full three months.
To start with, the participants are offered an orientation tour of the
University and the Library. Then some of the following subjects are
covered. Of course, due to the limited available time, not all the
mentioned subjects can be discussed in each training program, but a
SELECTION will be made by the organisers, depending on the availability of
suitable expert lecturers.
Information and communication technology for information centers and libraries:
Microcomputer systems: hardware.
Microcomputer operating systems.
Microcomputer systems: applications software.
Text editing; word processing; desktop publishing.
Presentation of data, using a microcomputer.
Creating charts to present information.
Data communication; computer networks.
Internet.
Internet services.
Electronic mail.
World-Wide Web; hypertext and hypermedia.
Disks for computers.
CD-ROM.
CD-ROM in a local area network.
CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW.
Image processing; graphics file formats; photo/image editing.
Multimedia / Hypermedia.
Data-communications networks and librarians.
Selecting and procuring a computer system; writing a proposal for a
computer implementation.
Providing access to information through public Internet workstations.
Client-server systems.
Methods for access to databases through Internet: telnet, http/WWW, Z39.50
and ISO239.50, Open Archives Initiative - Metadata Harvesting Protocol�
Information sources:
Introductory concepts about information.
Internet-based information resources: introduction.
Bibliographic databases.
The information industry and the information market.
Online information retrieval and database searching; search tactics and
strategies.
Internet search engines.
Information available free of charge.
Online access databases about journal articles.
Electronic newsletters and journals.
Computer-network based interest groups.
Patent information.
Online systems versus CD-ROM.
Citation searching.
Theoretical and quantitative aspects of information retrieval.
Evaluating the quality of information sources.
Evaluation of information retrieval strategies and systems.
Information storage and retrieval:
Basic, fundamental, theoretical concepts.
Software packages for local storage and retrieval of bibliographic information.
Introduction to the ISIS software package family for information storage
and retrieval.
The application of ISIS: searching, editing data in a database, output of
selected data to file or printer; developing a database structure; indexing
data for fast retrieval; ISIS for Windows; WINISIS; history and future of
ISIS; programming in ISIS.
Formats: MARC; application of MARC in ISIS.
Databases (and ISIS in particular) through the WWW.
Downloading of information and record format conversion: principles.
Downloading of information and record format conversion.
Library automation.
Online Public Access Catalogues (OPACs).
Archives and records management.
Archives in the domain of science and technology.
Geographic Information Systems (GIS): an introduction.
Web technology and applications:
Developing a web site; HTML, CSS, XML, XSL; intranets; developing an intranet.
Information architecture.
Evaluating web sites.
Dynamic web pages.
Developing co-operative community WWW sites; Web contents management systems.
Setting up an electronic newsletter.
Extensions of the classical WWW. (Client-based and server-based).
Document+program hybrid systems.
Management in information centers and libraries:
Statistics for information science and for library management.
Business plans for libraries and information centers.
Using spreadsheets in the management of libraries and information centers.
Collection development.
Consortia of libraries for the acquisition of electronic journals and
databases.
Scientific writing methods.
ISBD = International Standard Bibliographic Description.
Formats for computer-based cataloguing; MARC formats.
National libraries and national bibliographies.
Knowledge organisation: subject classification schemes; thesaurus systems,
ontologies.
Citation analysis.
Assessing the influence of scientific journals; citations and impact factors.
The bibliometric laws.
Scientometrics.
Management of a library and information service.
Architecture of libraries.
Orientation of information users; relations with information users.
Interlibrary lending and co-operation; document delivery: an introduction.
Development of a national or regional information network.
The information society.
Cultural aspects of the information society and information technology
transfer.
Copyright; information security; trans-border data flow.
Writing a project proposal (for instance related to the establishment of an
information network).
Conservation/preservation of printed documents.
Conservation/preservation of digital documents.
Informetric aspects of the Internet.
Artificial intelligence and knowledge representation in information science.
Electronic journals: implementation in a library.
Integration of e-learning environments and library services.
Libraries involvement in scientific publishing.
International co-operation projects.
About half of the time, the participants are guided by experts who are
invited to the university. They use the other half time to solve problems,
to make exercises, to use microcomputers and the Internet, to prepare
discussions, for self study...
Besides the formal, guided course activities, the participants have access
like any regular student at our university
--to several rooms equipped with microcomputers connected to the Internet,
--to the university library which offers printed material, CD-ROMs and PCs
with Internet access,
--to the university restaurant and to sport facilities at low student prices.
In addition to the courses taking place at the university campus, study
visits are organised. Possible visits:
--to the Royal (National) Library, in Brussels, Belgium
--to the European Patent Office in Brussels, Belgium
--to the Information Service of the Geology Department of the Royal Museum
on Africa, in Tervuren near Brussels, Belgium
--to the inter-university postgraduate school on information and library
science at the University of Antwerp, Belgium
--to the library of the University of Antwerp in Wilrijk, Belgium
--to the human sciences library of the University of Antwerp in old Antwerp
city, Belgium
--to the old central library and to the modern science and technology
library of the KUL (university) in Leuven, Belgium
--to the VLIZ marine science information and documentation center near the
sea coast in Oostende / Ostend, Belgium
--to the library of the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerpen
/ Antwerp, Belgium
--to the library of the University of Gent / Ghent, Belgium
--to the Documentation Department of the KIT (the Royal Tropical
Institute), and to the high school on libraries, documentation and
information, both in Amsterdam, Nederland / The Netherlands
--to IFLA headquarters and the National, Royal Library in Den Haag / The
Hague, in Nederland / The Netherlands
More culturally oriented guided visits are also organised; these may
include trips to the old cities of Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, Amsterdam,
and to the North Sea coast.
At the end of the course, each participant completes a presentation
supported by slides managed on computer, with constructive comments on the
training program experienced and with concrete recommendations to the
director of their own organisation.
Social activities planned:
-- Welcome reception with drinks and appetizers.
-- Evening with tasting of some of the world famous Belgian beers and some
Belgian food.
-- Farewell gathering with drinks and appetizers.
Participation and registration; tuition fee and costs:
Grants:
Participation is free of charge (!) for 14 participants from developing
countries, who are selected by the organisers, VL.I.R. (the Flemish
Inter-university Council) and DGOS. They also receive a grant to cover the
costs of accommodation and an airplane return ticket. The detailed grant
application form is available as a PDF file through the Internet from
http://www.vlir.be/ There you can also find an explanation of the
procedures to apply for the grant. That PDF file can be printed with the
suitable program provided free of charge by Adobe through the WWW:
http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html
Grant applications must be received by VLIR before the end of February! (Do
NOT send requests for a grant or any other correspondence about the grants
to the organisers, but only to VLIR: scholarships@vlir.be)
If this procedure is not suitable for you,
you can ask your local Belgian embassy for a printed version of the
application form for the grant, or
you can ask more information through email: scholarships@vlir.be
(or Maarten.Timmermans@vlir.be).
The ideal participant applying for a grant is younger than 40 years, and
will be able to apply what has been learned directly in a professional
scientific or technical environment afterwards.
Normal registration:
Besides the persons who receive a grant from the Belgian Government through
VLIR, 6 persons can participate after paying a tuition fee that is small in
comparison with similar programs.
The costs mentioned do NOT include air travel, meals and accommodation, but
do include transport from the airport upon arrival, course materials, study
visits and social activities. The cost of living in Belgium is not exceptional.
-To participate during the full period: 2400 Euros
-Exceptionally, persons who cannot participate for the whole period can
nevertheless participate during 2 months only (1800 Euros) or during 1
month only (1000 Euros). It makes a lot of sense to attend for instance the
first month or the first two months only. It makes less sense to
participate only during the second or the third month, as introductions to
some activities or topics may be missed.
-To participate to particular items selected from the program: 30 Euros per
half day.
To register and pay the tuition fee, send the form (see below) by classical
mail together with an international bank transfer / bank cheque / bank
draft, payable to
University Library V.U.B., Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 BRUSSEL, Belgium,
with no need for any bank account numbers.
If however this simple procedure is NOT suitable for you, then you can
transfer the required sum of money to the following bank account of the V.U.B.:
Fortis Bank located at Warandeberg 3 in B-1000 Brussel, Belgium,
account number 001-0686459-66 or IBAN = BE07 0010 6864 5966
and do not forget (!) to mention as a remark: for WD006240 BIBL WER3
The money received by the VUB must be transferred internally to this
account of the University Library. (Without this remark, the money may be
not retraceable.)
We recommend you to register as early as possible: �first come, first
served�: the arrival of your participation fee determines who can participate.
Accommodation:
The organisers of the Program normally book a single, cheap, basic room in
advance as accommodation for each participant, unless a participant writes
us that he/she wants to take care of accommodation personally, for instance
by staying with a friend or by renting a room that offers more luxury.
Participants pay for their own accommodation. If we can book many weeks in
advance, then we can normally find basic accommodation for about 300 euro
per month; however, a late receipt of the tuition fee forces us to book a
more expensive room.
Medical insurance:
It is recommended that participants are covered during their stay by a full
medical insurance.
In Belgium, this costs about 40 euro per month.
Contact:
E-mail (Internet): stimulate at vub.ac.be or Paul.Nieuwenhuysen at
vub.ac.be (or Patrick.Vanouplines at vub.ac.be )
(change at in @ when you want to use one of these addresses.)
Fax 32 2 629 2693 (or 2282) Tel. 32 2629 2429 (or 2609) Telex
61051 vubco-b
Classical mail: Paul NIEUWENHUYSEN (or Patrick VANOUPLINES)
STIMULATE-ITP, University Library, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, BELGIUM
Location:
The training is mainly organized at the University Library of the Vrije
Universiteit Brussel (V.U.B). The campus is located south of the older
centre of the city of Brussels, and can easily be reached by Metro
(subway), tram and bus.
Information about Brussels (and Belgium) can be found through the WWW; see
for instance:
http://www.agenda.be/
http://www.ilotsacre.be/site/en/default_en.htm
http://www.interknowledge.com/belgium/
http://www.jack-travel.com/
http://www.timeout.com/brussels/
http://www.trabel.com/brussel/brussels-touristattractions.htm
http://www.virtourist.com/europe/brussels/index.html
http://www.visitbelgium.com/
Trips are perhaps organised to places in neighbouring countries like The
Netherlands and France. Therefore, participants should try to obtain also a
visa for those countries (a so called Schengen-visa).
Other information:
Language used is English.
The course director is Dr. Paul Nieuwenhuysen, professor at the Vrije
Universiteit Brussel and guest professor at Universiteit Antwerpen, Science
and technology librarian, and Head of the information and documentation
department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Other official supervisors and co-promoters of this program are
--Prof. Dr. Ludo Simons, University of Antwerp, who has been the president
of the Steering Committee of the inter-university postgraduate study
program on Information and Library Science until October 2004..
--Prof. Dr. Raf Dekeyser, K.U.L., Leuven, a physics professor who has been
head of the K.U.L. university library, one of the largest libraries of
Belgium, until October 2004.
An official, formal Steering Committee is composed of members from the
co-operating universities in Flanders, to plan the organisation, the
program and the budget; this committee reports to VLIR.
Participants obtain a certificate when they have participated actively and
successfully.
Participants should of course bring a notebook or laptop computer, if they
have one available.
Ideally they should buy or rent a personal notebook computer as soon as
they arrive.
Feel free to distribute this document; this version is dated 12 December 2004.
REGISTRATION FORM
to STIMULATE, University Library, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (V.U.B.),
Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 BRUSSEL, Belgium
I want to participate. Therefore I send this as a letter and pay the
registration fee as described in the announcement of the International
Training Program.
(So the following is NOT the form to apply for a grant.
Do not send this unless you pay the registration fee.)
a. Family name (surname): ...............................
(married female participants please fill in maiden-name as well as name of
husband)
b. First or given names (according to your official passport): ..............
Personal address: ...................................
.....................................................
Country:.............................................
Electronic mail address
Telephone, fax, telex:
Date of birth: Place of birth:
Nationality: Sex: male / female
Present employment:
a. Name and address of employer: .................
...............................................
...............................................
b. Since: ../../..
c. Position � function - specialization
d. Telephone, fax, telex and/or e-mail of the employer:
Education - studies:
Name of institute Degree Date
Knowledge of English: writing: ........ speaking: ........ reading: .......
Have you been abroad earlier? Please specify:
Duties that you will carry out after returning to your country:
.................................................................
.................................................................
Please book a room for me OR
Do NOT book a room for me; I will take care myself of accommodation
I take care of a medical insurance myself OR
Please see that I am covered by a medical insurance for my stay in Belgium
which will cost about 40 euro/month.
Date and signature:
Please include a recent photograph, as this will simplify identifying you
upon arrival.
