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Purpose 
                         
                        The general aim of the annual conference
                        and course Libraries in the Digital Age (LIDA),
                        started in 2000, is to address the
                        changing and challenging environment for
                        libraries and information systems and
                        services in the digital world, with an
                        emphasis on examining contemporary
                        problems, advances and solutions. Each
                        year a different and hot theme is
                        addressed, divided in two parts; the
                        first part covers research and
                        development and the second part addresses
                        advances in applications and practice.
                        LIDA seeks to bring together researchers,
                        practitioners, and developers in a forum
                        for personal exchanges, discussions, and
                        learning, made easier by being held in
                        memorable locations. 
                         
                         
                        Rationale 
                         
                        Libraries and information systems
                        everywhere are increasingly and greatly
                        affected in all of their functions by the
                        rapid evolution of the digital age. While
                        the growing World Wide Web, and the
                        Internet in general, greatly enhances
                        access to a variety of information
                        resources, it also provides for many new
                        and complex challenges and problems for
                        libraries and information systems, as
                        well as for their creators and users. The
                        critical, main issue is ensuring an
                        effective and efficient flow of
                        information from the generators to users
                        of information in the digital
                        environment, and by using electronic
                        resources, services, and networks. This
                        is a complex communication chain with
                        libraries and information systems playing
                        an important, even critical role. This
                        role brings also a number of new
                        requirements. Due to the complexity of
                        these requirements it is no longer
                        possible for librarians and information
                        specialists to act without being
                        continuously abreast of new methods and
                        techniques and without being informed
                        regularly about new trends and approaches.
                        In other words, for librarians and
                        information professionals the digital age
                        also brings a need for a constant update
                        of their professional knowledge and
                        competencies. 
                         
                         
                        Orientation 
                         
                         
                        The course is oriented toward
                        professionals and researchers in
                        librarianship, information science, and
                        informatics, as well as from other
                        disciplines interested in this topic. In
                        particular, the course will be useful for
                        practicing librarians and information
                        scientists, for students of library and
                        information science, and for system
                        administrators, system operators, web
                        page managers, and related personnel in
                        library and information systems. 
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