**apologies for cross posting*
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     Forthcoming Conference
     ______________________________________________________________________
     
     Keystone for the Information Age
     The LIC is to collaborate with the British Council and the Library 
     Association on a major international conference, to be held at the 
     British Library on 16/17 March 2000, to raise awareness of how a 
     coherent National Information Policy framework can help the 
     development of the UK as an information society and knowledge economy. 
     
     More details at:
     
     http://www.lic.gov.uk/news/991102.html 
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     New Response
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     LIC responds to New Opportunities Fund consultation document on 
     Community Access to Lifelong Learning
     
     The LIC response to the NOF consultation document on the CALL 
     initiative welcomes the inclusion of the People's Network as one of 
     its three priorities, points out that there is overlap between the 
     three funding streams that CALL will cover, suggests that an 
     integrated approach will be needed, and explains that public libraries 
     are well placed to provide services relating to all three streams.
     
     Full text at:
     
     http://www.lic.gov.uk/publications/responses/callresp.html 
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     Four New Grants Awarded
     ______________________________________________________________________
     
     A system for music information retrieval of encoded music (MuTaTeD 2) 
     Details at
     http://www.lic.gov.uk/awards/ir-curpj.html
     
     Evaluation of content-based image retrieval in an operational setting 
     Details at
     http://www.lic.gov.uk/awards/ir-curpj.html
     
     Best Practice Manual
     LIC project in partnership with Share the Vision (STV) 
     Details at
     http://www.lic.gov.uk/awards/visualaccess.html
     
     Valuing our recorded heritage
     Details at
     http://www.lic.gov.uk/awards/presproj.html 
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     Two New Publications
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     LISU Annual Library Statistics
     by Claire Creaser and Alison Murphy
     LIC research report 21
     
     This annual volume summarises trends in provision and performance of 
     libraries throughout the UK. It draws together data of interest to 
     librarians and library managers from a wide range of sources. The 
     1999 edition features trend analyses of public and academic 
     libraries from 1988 to 1998, and includes summaries of the most 
     recently available statistics on further education libraries, school 
     libraries, the national libraries, and libraries in the workplace. 
     This report presents the most comprehensive set of data available 
     covering all library sectors in the UK. It is an invaluable resource 
     for those involved with libraries at all levels - from practitioners
     concerned with the day to day operations of their libraries and information 
     centres to policy makers charged with strategic planning for the future. 
     PRICE £32-00
     
     AVAILABLE FROM: Publications Section,LISU,Loughborough University 
     Loughborough LE11 3TU 
     Tel: 01509 223071, Fax: 01509 223072,Email: [log in to unmask] 
     
     
     READINESS: Research and development in networking subject services By EARL: 
     the consortium for public library networking
     LIC research report 3
     
     This two year project investigated the needs and procedures for the 
     development of networked subject based services by UK public 
     libraries. The objectives of the project were to research the content 
     requirements and the technical delivery options, the management 
     structures for collaborative development, issues of implementation, 
     and the potential for future funding, of electronic services delivered 
     from public libraries on a national scale. READINESS provides an 
     essential and timely understanding of ways in which this pattern of 
     work on a national scale can be effective to develop future 
     professional services. The commitment by public libraries to this mode 
     of working is essential, if the public library network is to be 
     delivered effectively. PRICE £12-00
     
     AVAILABLE FROM: British Thesis Service, The British Library Document 
     Supply Centre, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7BQ 
     tel: +44 (0) 1937 546229, fax: +44 (0)1937 546286 
     email: [log in to unmask] 
     
     _________________________________________________________________
     
     Henry Girling
     Assistant Information Officer
     Library and Information Commission
     19-29 Woburn Place
     London
     WC1H 0LU
     
     Tel:   0171 273 8746
     Fax:   0171 273 8701
     Email  [log in to unmask]
     



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