O Conference Web Site, where art thou?

A survey of retrieving information of library conference web sites

Abstract

Academic conferences are key arenas for sharing developments in library- and information science. As academic library staff, we promote open, transparent, and accessible research – but how well is our own professional output from conferences documented and retrievable? This study examines the availability of materials – such as presentations, posters, and programs – from Norwegian library and information science conferences. We used a three-step approach: targeted web searches for websites, outreach to conference owners asking for guidelines on archiving material, and analysis of entries in the Norwegian research database Cristin/ NVA. Our findings reveal a low level of retrievability. Many conference websites and materials are no longer accessible, and few organizations have clear guidelines for archiving or sharing content. We also suspect there appears to be limited culture or practice around registering conference contributions in Cristin/NVA. In our article, we also present recommendations for preserving and making conference materials accessible, and invite a broader discussion on how we, as a profession, can ensure that library science knowledge shared at conferences is not lost but remains part of the scholarly record.