Welcome

Information is a key concept of the 21st century. Information helps people to understand the world. From information rises knowledge, from knowledge rises education, from education rises culture. Yet information is also merchandise - it is being produced, designed, sold with profit. Not everybody can afford it.
With information, deftly chosen, slightly altered, adulterated, repressed, structures of power are being built and maintained. Information can be misused as a means of oppression.

Libraries hold masses of information, which are categorized and made accessible as knowledge. Libraries regard it as their primary objective to supply information and to impart it as neutral and genuine as possible to anyone requesting it.
There is no library on earth manipulating information or constraining access to information, if it has not in itself been degraded into an instrument of political power.
Libraries are committed to their ethical mission to supply free access to information. They ratified this in international declarations.

Different ethical aspects of the multi-faceted phenomenon information are in focus at the 3rd Leipzig Conference for Library and Information in March 2007. The rich programme addresses all kinds of library and information professionals with presentations and discussions on a broad range of current and innovative topics from our professional community, for continuing education is an essential basis of professionalism and quality.

As part of the new concept of inviting one country as "Guest of honor", Denmark - as one of the European "Best Practice Countries" - will be presenting itself and its libraries. Not only in the strategic paper "Library 2007" the Danish library sector has been regarded as exemplary, especially regarding national strategies and promotional concepts for innovation. Danish colleagues will be present, giving lectures, participating at panel discussions and presenting an exhibition. "Hjertelig velkommen!"

We are pleased that it was possible once again, to enrich the conference with an comprehensive and interesting professional exhibition - a warm welcome to all exhibitors! By organizing the sessions around an extended lunch break we hope to provide the conference participants with even better opportunities to visit the exhibition.

A big "thank you" goes to the Programme Committee and especially the Local Committee in Leipzig, lead by Birgit Schneider (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek), for the considerable preparation work and the excellent organisation of the conference. We are also obliged to Steffen Dittrich (DGI), who managed especially the economic aspects and the coordination of the Leipzig Conference excellently. And, as always, BID very much appreciates the close and sympathetic cooperation with its hostess, Leipzig Trade Fair. Last, but not least, I would like to thank all active participants, on whose contributions this conference is build upon.

To you all a warm welcome at Leipzig for Library Conference 2007

Barbara Lison
Speaker of BID - Bibliothek Information Deutschland