Barbara I. Dewey, dean of University Libraries and Scholarly Communication at Penn State, is among 20 library directors from 13 different countries, selected to attend LIBER Journées Programme, a meeting in Paris, France, this May, to discuss to strategic change as libraries and institutions redefine themselves in an ever-changing information and social environment. LIBER, Europe’s largest network of research libraries, with more than 400 member institutions, is re-inventing the library of the future.

Dewey notes, “I am honored to be included in this group of leaders, who aim to articulate the mission and goals of the library in the digital future and visions for research, teaching and learning. Our discussions will involve the use of information in future society and its relationship to media, knowledge organization, educators, universities, libraries and more.”

“I plan to share some of Penn State’s cutting-edge initiatives, including our Knowledge Commons for undergraduates; our Research Hub for the upper-level researcher; ScholarSphere, a sophisticated repository; among a host of other projects. I hope to come away with ideas for new and shared services to chart the future for Penn State Libraries’ global initiatives.”

The meeting will be held at the Institut d’études politiques de Paris, more simply referred to as Sciences Po, a public research and higher education institution in Paris. It will be led and moderated by programme chair, Professor Norbert Lossau, former director of Göttingen State and University Library, and current vice-president of the University of Göttingen, Germany. Key speakers will include: Judy Stokker, deputy vice-chancellor at Queensland University of Technology; Bruno Latour, professor at Sciences Po; Bruno Patino, dean of the School of Journalism, Sciences Po, and digital services director at France Télévision; and Wolfram Horstman, library directory, Georg-Ausgust-University, Göttingen.