In the framework of Constantine the Capital of Arab Culture 2015, Constantine University 2 Abdelhamid Mehri will host the “First National Forum: Libraries and information institutions and their role in establishing the knowledge cities”. The Forum is organized by the “Institute of Library Science and Documentation”, in collaboration with the laboratory of research and studies on the scientific and technological documentation “LERIST”, during the 23rd and 24th of September, 2015, at its headquarters. Despite that literature and applied studies are able to disprove the hypothesis of considering the transition to a knowledge economy or development based on knowledge an option that can be given up, or an intellectual luxury where progress can be made without it, we cannot consider the knowledge shift or creation of a knowledge city an easy and fast matter, as it requires a political and societal will, strategic vision, financial support, agencies of knowledge support, and a network of various kinds of libraries and institutions of information. The libraries and institutions of information are of the most important institutions that strive to establish this modern urban style, through the employment of information technology and communications in their various activities to raise the level of performance and provide services by the best means, so that they can achieve speed, accuracy, and inclusiveness required, in order to connect the intake of knowledge beyond the border. The Forum deals with several axes; the first axis includes the problematic knowledge cities concept and term, terms related to the (electronic cities, technology cities, cities of science, smart cities ...), the foundations of knowledge cities including information technology networks, the culture of knowledge sharing, the city's infrastructure, designs, development based on knowledge, financial support, planning ... .etc., and the benefits of knowledge cities in the overall national development. The second axis is concerned with the status of libraries and information institutions in light of the emergence of knowledge cities, the challenges they face, rehabilitation of human resources and academic preparation of information specialists to contribute to the establishment of knowledge cities, the infrastructure necessary for the establishment of knowledge cities and the reality of continuing education programs, the training of beneficiaries, and their suitability for the environment of electronic cities and knowledge economy. It also includes a presentation of the potential of libraries and Algerian information centers with regard to the establishment of knowledge cities such as documentaries and knowledge, cooperative ventures, a presentation on the experiences and leading projects in this area, and the problems of integration in the knowledge cities and its impact on the various functions of the institutions of information and libraries, which hinder the establishment of knowledge cities and mechanisms to solve them. The third axis tackles leading models and experiences of knowledge from Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and some Arab States. As for the fourth and final axis, it is devoted to Constantine as a young knowledge city model, as it addresses the libraries and institutions of information in it, its knowledge components, technological and information infrastructure, and the reality of information literacy in the society of Constantine. The deadline for receipt of abstracts is August 10th, 2015, and the accepted ones will be announced on August 20th. The ready papers should be submitted on September 15th, 2015, and their acceptance will be announced on September 18th.
12/07/2015