EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE BOOK
6-8 November 2010
University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
The Book Conference serves as an inclusive forum for examining the past, current and future role of the book. It proceeds from recognition that although the book is an old medium of expression, it embodies thousands of years' experience of recording knowledge. The pervasive influence of this experience continues to shape newer forms of information technology, while at the same time providing a reference point for innovation.
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. On Friday, 5 November 2010, conference participants may register for a guided tour of the Abbey Library of St. Gallen. For more information, or to book a spot on the tour, please see: http://booksandpublishing.com/conference-2010/activities-and-extras/ . Conference participants may also reserve their place on the Chocolateire Shop, Abbey District and Old Town Walking Tour, Saturday, 6 November 2010. Again, further information may be found at http://booksandpublishing.com/conference-2010/activities-and-extras/ .
This year's conference includes the following plenary speakers:
* Rafael Ball, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
* Jens Bammel, International Publishers Association, Geneva, Switzerland
* Herbert Burkert, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
* Stephanie Jacobs, German Book Museum, Leipzig, Germany
* Vincent Kaufmann, Media and Communication Management Institute, University of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
* Wulf D. von Lucius, Lucius & Lucius Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany
* Andy Renggil, Media Control AG, Zurich, Switzerland
* Ernst Tremp, Abbey Library of St. Gallen/University of Freiburg, St. Gallen, Switzerland
For further information on the Book Conference plenary speakers, please see: http://booksandpublishing.com/conference-2010/plenary-speakers/ .
The conference will also feature a special publishing panel on November 8 entitled 'The Digital Sphere: Opportunity for Growth or Existential Threat?'. The panel serves as a forum for the examination of the publishing industry's key challenges and opportunities provided by the digital sphere. Panel participants include:
* Jochen Gutbrod, Holtzbrinck Group, Stuttgart, Germany
* Tom Hall, Lonely Planet, London, UK
* Lucy Kung, University of Jokoping, Jonkoping, Sweden
* Eric Merkel-Sobotta, Springer Science+Business Media, Berlin, Germany
For more information on the panel and its members, see: http://booksandpublishing.com/conference-2010/program/
As well as an impressive line-up of plenary speakers, the conference will also include numerous paper, workshop and colloquium presentations by practitioners, teachers and researchers. We would particularly like to invite you to respond to the conference Call-for-Papers. Presenters may choose to submit written papers for publication in The International Journal of the Book. If you are unable to attend the conference in person, virtual registrations are also available which allow you to submit a paper for refereeing and possible publication.
Whether you are a virtual or in-person presenter at the conference, we also encourage you to present on the conference YouTube Channel. Please select the Online Sessions link on the conference website for further details.
The deadline for the final round in the call for papers (a title and short abstract) is 5 October 2010. Proposals are reviewed within two weeks of submission. Full details of the conference, including an online proposal submission form, are to be found at the conference website - http://www.Book-Conference.com/ .
We also invite you to subscribe to our free, monthly email newsletter, and to our Facebook, RSS or Twitter feeds at http://booksandpublishing.com/ .
We look forward to receiving your proposal and hope that you will be able to join us in St. Gallen this November.