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International Conference on the Book

Book Conference 2010

Background | Supporters

Welcome to the website of the Eighth International Conference on the Book. In 2010, the Conference is to be held at the University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland from 6-8 November 2010. Plenary speakers will include some of the world’s leading thinkers and innovators in the areas of publishing, editing, librarianship, printing, authoring and information technologies, as well as numerous paper, colloquium and workshop presentations by researchers and practitioners. The 2010 Book Conference will also feature a Special Publishing Panel entitled, The Digital Sphere: Opportunity for Growth or Existential Threat?.

St. Gallen is home to the renowned Abbey of St. Gall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its library houses the oldest collection of books and manuscripts in Switzerland, with pieces dating back to the 8th century. All library books are available for public use, and most recently, a virtual library was created to provide access to the medieval codices of the Abbey Library of St. Gallen. The hall itself, designed in classic Rococo style, is considered to be one of the most beautiful, non-sacred, examples of this style in Switzerland and abroad. Conference participants will have the opportunity to tour the library.

This is a conference for any participant in the world of books – authors, publishers, printers, librarians, IT specialists, book retailers, editors, literacy educators and academic researchers. All are encouraged to register and attend this significant and timely conference. Accommodation options are also available.

Participants are also welcome to submit a presentation proposal either for a 30-minute paper, 60-minute workshop, or a jointly presented 90-minute colloquium session.

Parallel sessions are loosely grouped into streams reflecting different perspectives or disciplines. Each stream also has its own talking circle, a forum for focused discussion of issues. For those unable to attend the Conference in person, virtual participation is also available.

We encourage all presenters to submit written papers to The International Journal of the Book, a fully refereed academic journal. Virtual participants may also submit papers for consideration by the Journal. All Conference participants who have finalised their registration will receive a complimentary online subscription to the Journal. This subscription is valid until one year after the Conference end date.

If you would like to know more about this Conference, bookmark the Book Conference site and return for further information – the site is regularly updated. You might also wish to subscribe to the Conference and Journal Newsletter.

For all inquiries, please contact the Conference secretariat.

Background

International Conference on the Book

The Book Conference is held annually in different locations around the world. The Conference was held in Cairns, Australia in 2003; Beijing, China in 2004; Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK in 2005; Emerson College, Boston, Massachusetts, USA in 2006; Spanish National Research Council, Madrid, Spain in 2007; The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA in 2008; and The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland in 2009. The 2010 and 2011 Book Conference will provide a forum for participants in the book publishing industry, librarians, researchers and teachers from around the world to discuss the past, present and future of the book, and with it, other key aspects of the information society, including publishing, libraries, information systems, literacy and education.

The International Journal of the Book

Conference participants can submit papers to The International Journal of the Book, before the Conference and up until one month after the Conference. Papers submitted for publication will be fully refereed. The publication decision is based on the referees’ reports.

For those unable to attend the Conference in person, a virtual registration will provide participants access to the electronic version of the Journal, as well as the option to submit papers to the Book Journal.

For more information about the Journal please visit the Publish Your Paper page.

Supporters