First Workshop on the Creation, Dissemination, and Evaluation of Scientific Knowledge

["Jim Law" <jamesblaw@gmail.com>]

We would like to invite you to participate in the First Workshop 
on the Creation, Dissemination, and Evaluation of Scientific 
Knowledge 
<http://project.liquidpub.org/events/liquidpub-workshop>. The 
confluence of information and licensing problems faced by 
libraries and the perspective of librarians is particularly 
valuable in all efforts to organize scientific knowledge, build 
new business models, and improve the evaluation.

The goal of the workshop is to gather top scientists, graduate 
students, publishers, economists, librarians, social network 
researchers, philosophers, and evaluation and funding agencies to 
create a community working on innovative publication and 
dissemination models and new modes of communicating and 
collaborating in research.  There is a tremendous desire and 
opportunity for "change" in the way this is done today, but no 
clear idea on what this change should look like. This workshop is 
an opportunity for us to brainstorm and lay down foundational 
ideas for this change.

More than a series of presentations, this workshop is meant for 
thematic panels and brainstorming discussions that will 
consolidate as the workshop progresses.  Therefore, sessions will 
be informal and typically in relaxed settings such as during 
dinner discussions or in front of a fireplace with a glass of 
wine.  The point is to encourage ideas that are perhaps crazy or 
impossible to realize in the short term.

At the end we expect this workshop to produce a manifesto of 
problems, opportunities, probable and possible solutions, and a 
plan for keeping, evolving, and broadening a community of change. 
We want to improve scientific dissemination, reuse, and 
collaboration.  Even minor improvements in these areas could 
improve science.  Since top scientific communities and 
conferences in ICT are involved as advisers in the effort, 
workshop ideas can be tested in practice and made real. 
Librarians interested in collaboration and actively leading 
change in the community are particularly welcome.

Workshop registration is free.  Please send us a half-page 
position statement on why they are interested and what 
perspective you can contribute to the Workshop. Send your 
statement to Jim Law <jamesblaw@gmail.com> by 12 December 2008.

The workshop will take place on the snow, in the Italian 
Dolomites, at the Sporthotel Alpenrose 
(http://www.sporthotelalpenrose.com/) resort and spa in Carezza, 
Italy, on 28-31 January 2009.  Attendance is limited and there 
are only a handful of open places.  The venue in a nutshell:

- The hotel is in the heart of the Dolomites with exceptional
   views over the Rosengarten and Latemar group, in the middle of
   the Carezza Ski resort.

- Thursday and Friday mornings will be free for skiing or the
   Hotel spa. Please see the Workshop schedule at the link below.

- We will have a meeting room available for the whole duration of
   the workshop, and the use of smaller rooms ("stube", in German)
   for more informal discussions.

- WI-FI Internet access is available at no additional charge.

- The SPA-wellness center of the Hotel is available at no
   additional charge.

- Accommodation includes breakfast, afternoon snacks, and dinner
   that the Hotel has advertised as spectacular.

Please contact the Sporthotel Alpenrose as soon as possible to 
arrange accommodations.

We will have time during the day for skiing or other activities, 
and sessions in late afternoon and evening for the discussions. 
We are organizing several thought-provoking and lively panels. 
We have posted the panel topics and schedule on the Workshop web 
page at http://project.liquidpub.org/events/liquidpub-workshop. 
We are also are planning for enjoyable and unforgettable social 
events.  We already have a stellar list of participants. We hope 
you can join as well.

We look forward to meeting you in Carezza, enjoying winter in the 
Italian Dolomites, and sharing in your ideas!

Workshop web page: 
http://project.liquidpub.org/events/liquidpub-workshop

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Ciao,
Jim Law