Call for papers--Islamic Manuscript Conference

"Access and Rights"
The Fifth Islamic Manuscript Conference
Cambridge
24-26 July 2009

The Islamic Manuscript Association
<URL:http://www.islamicmanuscript.org> is pleased to announce that
the Fifth Islamic Manuscript Conference will be held at Christ's
College, University of Cambridge, UK from 24-26 July 2009. It will
be hosted by the Thesaurus Islamicus Foundation and the Centre of
Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, University of Cambridge.

The Association invites submissions of papers for its annual
conference on topics related to the care, management, and study of
Islamic manuscripts. In 2009, the Conference will specifically
address the issue of access to manuscripts. Improving access to
manuscripts through digitisation and electronic ordering and
delivery systems whilst ensuring their proper long-term preservation
is fundamental to the successful future study of the Islamic
heritage. Presently, technologies are available that have the
potential to transform the way manuscripts are studied; however, the
access these technologies can allow is counterbalanced by collection
holders' concerns regarding their legal rights and the financial
sustainability of their organisations. During the Fifth Islamic
Manuscript Conference these vital issues will be discussed by our
invited speakers and selected paper presenters.

As in previous years, the Conference will be organised around the
Association's four main interest groups: cataloguing, conservation,
digitisation, and publishing and research. Papers on access
naturally falling into these broad categories will be included in
the relevant panels, so please make clear to which interest group
your submission relates. We will also accept submissions related to
topics that do not fall directly under the purviews of the interest
groups. These may be papers about specific manuscript projects,
library collections, research on a particular manuscript, etc.
Please note that the total number of papers accepted will not exceed
25 and preference will be given to speakers who have not presented
papers at the Association's previous conferences.

This invitation is open to members and non-members of the
Association. The Conference will be bilingual in Arabic and English
and submissions will be accepted in both languages. The title of
your paper must be included in your submission. The deadline for
submissions is 13 February 2009. Late proposals will not be
considered. The duration of each conference paper is 30 minutes
inclusive of ten minutes of questions and answers.

Please send your abstract (maximum 500 words) along with a brief CV
mentioning at least one relevant publication and a cover sheet to
the Executive Committee by email <tima<-at->islamicmanuscript<.>org>, by
fax to +44 1223 302218 or by post to the address below:

    The Islamic Manuscript Association
    33 Trumpington Street
    Cambridge CB2 1QY, United Kingdom

We look forward to welcoming you to Cambridge this coming summer.

Davidson MacLaren
Executive Director

Miss Jenny Wright
Office Administrator
The Islamic Manuscript Association
c/o 33 Trumpington Street
Cambridge CB2 1QY
United Kingdom
+44 1223 303177
Mobile: +44 7826 355828
Fax: +44 1223 302218


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:41
                Distributed: Wednesday, January 21, 2009
                       Message Id: cdl-22-41-006
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