UNESCO Interactive Workshop on eBooks, Hotel Atria, Bangalore September 16, 2004 (http://www.vidyanidhi.org.in/ebook). ---------- Envisioning the potential of eBooks in promoting and supporting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based- student centred learning, UNESCO is engaged in a project on developing guidelines for eBooks. The mission of this project is to carry out a scoping and exploratory study of the eBooks and develop guidelines for the production, promotion and usage of eBooks. This consultancy project involved three phases- desk top research; questionnaire based user study and an Interactive Workshop The Interactive Workshop on eBooks, was organised on September 16, 2004 and held at Hotel Atria, Bangalore. The Workshop was inaugurated by Dr.S.Ramakrishanan, Executive Director, C-DAC, Pune. Dr. Lucy A Tedd of University of Wales gave the keynote and Dr.Susanne Ornager, Advisor, Communication and Information for Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO, New Delhi chaired the session. The invitation only Workshop was an important milestone in the Project, with more than seventy participants representing the diverse stakeholders’ community. There were forty three information professionals; twenty four end users and technologists; and six from the publishing/aggregator industry in the Workshop, engaged in interacting, deliberating and debating on the gamut of issues- from definitions to design to delivery mechanisms. The format of the Workshop was designed to be interactive with each session having speakers and a moderator to lead the discussions with a set of issues/questions. The inaugural session was followed by three sessions- user and technology perspective; author and publisher perspective; and aggregator and library perspective. Prof. R.Kalyana Krishnan of IIT, Chennai, Prof.G.Misra of Indian Statistical Institute, Mr.Sanjiv Goswami of Springer, N.V.Sathyanarayana of Informatics India, Dr.Primalini Kukanesan of National Library of Malaysia and Dr. Deepali Talagala of Sri Lanka Library Association were the speakers at these sessions. The three sessions were moderated by Mr. Anand T. Byrappa of GE, Prof. I.K.Ravichandra Rao of Indian Statistical Institute and Dr.Venkadesan of Indian Institute of Science respectively. There were product presentations by John Wiley and Springer. The Workshop objective of gaining insights from different perspective was achieved and the interactions helped in drawing meaningful conclusions and providing the necessary inputs for the drafting of framework for the guidelines document. For more detailed report, presentations and details of the Project visit the website – http://www.vidyanidhi.org.in/ebook------------------ Dr. Shalini R. Urs Director Information and Communication Division & Professor and Chairperson Department of Library and Information Science University of Mysore Mysore-570006 India Tele:91-821-2514699 Fax :91-821-2519209