22nd Annual Conference and Meeting of the Association of Parliamentary Libraries in Eastern and Southern Africa (APLESA) Organized by National Assembly of Namibia 15th -21st June 2025
We are inviting abstracts of poster and paper presentations aligned to the main theme and sub-themes of this conference as enlisted.
Main Conference Theme
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Parliamentary Libraries and Democracy in the Digital Age
Sub-themes:
- The Role of Parliamentary Libraries in Strengthening Democracy
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Information Access and Open Parliaments
- Enhancing public access to parliamentary information to foster transparency and accountability.
- The role of parliamentary libraries in promoting open government and citizen engagement.
Bridging the Information Gap for Lawmakers
- Supporting evidence-based decision-making through timely and credible information.
- Customised research & digital tools for MPs.
Parliamentary Libraries as Custodians of Legislative Memory
- Preserving parliamentary history and records for future generations in a digital world.
- Digital archiving strategies for legislative libraries.
2. Digital Transformation of Parliamentary Libraries
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Embracing Emerging Technologies in Parliamentary Libraries
- Leveraging Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and machine learning for library services.
- Implementing digital platforms for knowledge management and dissemination.
E-Resources and the Digital Divide
- Balancing digital access and equitable information delivery to diverse stakeholders.
- Addressing ICT infrastructure and skills Gaps in parliamentary libraries.
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy in Parliamentary Libraries
- Safeguarding sensitive parliamentary data in the digital age.
- Best practices for information security and managing digital risks.
3. Collaboration, Capacity Building, and the Future of Parliamentary Libraries
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Regional and International Collaboration for Knowledge Sharing
- Strengthening parliamentary library services through APLESA and global partnerships.
- Lessons from cross-border cooperation in digital platforms and e-governance.
Building Digital Skills for Library Professionals
- Upskilling library staff for evolving roles in a technology-driven parliamentary environment.
The Future of Parliamentary Libraries: Trends and Innovations
- Parliamentary libraries in the next decade: emerging trends, digital literacy, and innovation.
- Sustaining democracy in the digital age: a vision for parliamentary libraries.
Submission Guidelines:
- Abstracts (with a maximum of 250 words) on the main and sub-themes must be formatted to font size 12 in Times New Roman and MS Word.
- The submission should indicate the following: Title of the Paper, Name of the Author(s), Institution/Affiliation, Email, Abstract, Keywords.
- Number of pages for the main paper: Between 8 – 10 pages.
- Number of PowerPoint Slides: preferably 10 slides
- Total time allocated for presentation of slides and Discussion: 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare a mini biography/profile about yourself focusing on the ensuing features;
(i) First name(s) and Last name
(ii) State your current position and area of specialization
(iii) Include at least one professional accomplishment, if any
(iv) Briefly describe your values and career aspirations
(v) Summatively inform the readers on your social affiliation
Extended Deadline for Submission:
Abstracts: 31 March 2025 Full papers/Posters: 30 April 2025
Abstracts, posters and full papers must be submitted electronically to Mr. Fabian Kapepiso: f.kapepiso@parliament.na and Ms. Belinda Karuaera: b.karuaera@parliament.na