Programs and Events 2009
Dr. Ann Carlson Weeks Discusses with Finnish Library Professionals
Professor of the Practice, Dr. Ann Carlson Weeks from the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland visited Finland September 22-24. Dr. Carlson met numerous library professionals representing the whole library network - national, academic, public, special, and school libraries. Dr. Weeks gave presentations at the National Library, at the Department of Information Studies and Interactive Media at Tampere University, and at the City Libraries of Tampere and Helsinki. She also visited the Finnish Institute for Children’s Literature, the Library 10 in Helsinki, and the Ymmersta School in Espoo.
Her presentations and discussions with Finnish library professionals showed that there are many similarities between the two countries' library systems. The librarians both in the United States and in Finland are facing similar challenges with the whole field going through transformations, as indicated by a title of one of her presentations, "Demand Up – Budgets Down – Opportunities and Challenges Facing Public Libraries in the United States."
Dr. Weeks is a Principal Investigator and the Director of Collection Development for the International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL) – the ICDL website demonstrations being one of the topics that raised a lot of interest and enthusiasm among the various audiences during Dr. Weeks’s visit. She has also been on the staff of the American Library Association, and since 2000 she has been serving as a Council member.
Dr. Weeks comments her visit on a video posted on YouTube
Newsletter about Dr. Weeks' visit to Finland and American libraries compiled by the American Resource Center (PDF format, 1.66 MB)