Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2011, 6.4 28 Evidence Based Library and Information Practice News/Announcements An International Association of EBLIP, Redux Virginia Wilson Liaison Librarian, Murray Library University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada Email: virginia.wilson@usask.ca Received: 27 Oct. 2011 Accepted: 27 Oct. 2011 2011 Wilson. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons‐Attribution‐Noncommercial‐Share Alike License 2.5 Canada (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by‐nc‐sa/2.5/ca/ ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly attributed, not used for commercial purposes, and, if transformed, the resulting work is redistributed under the same or similar license to this one. At the 6th International Evidence Based Library and Information Practice conference (EBLIP6) in Manchester, UK in June 2011, a meeting to facilitate further discussion about the formation of an international EBLIP association was held. A similar meeting was also held in Stockholm at EBLIP5 in 2009, at which time the discussion centered on the potential vulnerability of the EBLIP conference series. Propelled by enthusiastic organizers from several countries on an ad hoc basis, and avid conference participants from even more countries, the biennial conference has essentially driven itself. But, as Andrew Booth (2009) described in his commentary, “Is now the time for an international association of EBLIP?”: . . . the vulnerability of this model can be simply illustrated in a brief sequence of “What if’s”: What if a future Local Organising Committee decides unilaterally to cancel a Conference? What if there is a difference in opinion on the Conference ‘vision’ between future Local Organising and International Programme Committees? What if a future Local Organising Committee decides to double the Conference Registration fees? (p. 68‐69) What emerged from the EBLIP5 meeting in Stockholm was a new way to determine who would organize the subsequent conference. This model was implemented for EBLIP6: applications were accepted from locations, and a committee made up of international EBLIP figures and representatives from prior conferences decided on where the next conference would be held. This model is in place again for EBLIP7, and the conference destination will be announced in the New Year. There is agreement that an international organization is needed. The EBLIP movement has matured to a point where a more structured type of organization would be welcome in order to see that the conference is mailto:virginia.wilson@usask.ca� Evidence Based Library and Information Practice 2011, 6.4 29 reliably supported; that some support be given to the international open access journal, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice; and that future programs and initiatives can be explored to help support those interested in EBLIP. However, while this desire seems to have been the case for the past few years, no forward movement has happened thus far to create an international association. It makes sense, really. Who will do it? Which country will the association be incorporated in? Who will decide on what should be done? At the meeting in Manchester (EBLIP6), which included participants from Canada, Sweden, England, Wales, Australia, and India, different models of organization were discussed. After a general discussion about the various types of organizations out there and the ways in which they operate, the group decided that volunteers from Canada, the UK, and Australia would investigate what would be needed to establish a non‐profit status in those countries and how costly it would be to incorporate as an association. The target to reach a decision regarding where to register/incorporate a new association is set for the end of 2011. At this point, the decision to move forward with an international association for EBLIP has been made. The international association will consist of some kind of governance structure, incorporation in a particular country, an arrangement that sees a portion of the international EBLIP conference registration go towards the association (rather than annual membership fees), and responsibility for the high level organization of the international EBLIP conference (choosing the venue from among applicants, serving as a home for the International Programme Committee, etc.). Now it is time to work out the logistics. Comments, questions, concerns, and conversations are encouraged and welcomed. Register with this journal (Evidence Based Library and Information Practice) as a reader and attach comments to this document. References Booth, A. (2009). Is now the time for an international association of EBLIP? Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 4(3), 68‐71. 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