91´«Ã½

Ching-chih Chen

Professor
Graduate School of Library and Information Science
Simmons College

IRRT member since: I joined 91´«Ã½ in the 1960s and joined IRRT at about the same time

Most enjoyable international library project/projects: Global community building and collaboration have been important parts of my professional activities through extensive speaking and consulting in over 25 countries. During 1984-2001, my global connection was greatly expanded through a series of 12 International Conferences on New Information Technology (NIT) organized by me in different parts of the world, which attracted participation of library and information professionals from over 40 countries. Cutting-edge technologies have been wonderful tools for my major and exciting international projects, ranging from the award-wining interactive videodisc and multimedia project on the First Emperor of China in mid 1980s, supported by the US National Endowment for the Humanities, to the current Global Memory Net (GMNet) – -- supported by the US National Science Foundation. GMNet is both a world image digital library and gateway which enable all kinds of world citizens to enjoy and learn global culture, history and heritage, and thus to promote better understanding among people. (see http://www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2006/april2006/2006KilgourAward.htm).

Three words to new IRRT members: Commitment, collaboration, community- building