MIAMI BEACH, FL (December 15, 2008)―The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and The Wolfsonian–Florida International University (The Wolfsonian–FIU) announce open registration for the 2009 WebWise Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World. The free conference takes place February 26-27, 2009, at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., with a pre-conference workshop on February 25. For information on the conference and related events, please go to: http://webwise2009.fcla.edu.

The 2009 WebWise Conference theme is "Digital Debates," through which participants will explore the ethical, strategic, and programming challenges posed by emerging technologies. Designed as “debates” between expert panelists from the museum, library, academic, and technology fields, each session of the WebWise Conference will address some of the “big issues” that digital technologies pose for cultural institutions. Questions under debate include:

• What happens to an institution’s control when audiences become collaborators?

• What are the rights and responsibilities of cultural institutions when it comes to digital technologies and an online presence?

• How can cultural institutions collaborate with users, peer institutions, and/or corporate entities without compromising their own identity/integrity?

• When should museums and libraries invest in technologies, and when are such investments extraneous to an institution’s core mission?

The 2009 WebWise Conference features keynote addresses by Michael R. Nelson, professor at Georgetown University and former director of Internet Technology and Strategy at IBM, and Jonathan Palfrey, professor and vice-dean at Harvard University’s Law School and Faculty co-director of the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet & Society.

On the evening of February 25, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is supporting the WebWise welcome reception. The reception will feature innovative digital media and learning projects supported by MacArthur.

About The Institute of Museum and Library Services
 he Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. Information on past WebWise conferences can be found at: http://www.imls.gov/webwise.To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University
The Wolfsonian–FIU is a museum and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, political, and technological changes that have transformed the world. The approximately 120,000 artifacts that comprise The Wolfsonian collection range from fine art, graphic design, and political propaganda to furniture, rare books, and ephemeral materials such as postcards and travel brochures. Since opening to the public just ten years ago, The Wolfsonian has developed and disseminated critically acclaimed exhibitions, publications, and educational programs that highlight the impact of design in shaping the modern world. Its vast patrimony of primary source materials provides unparalleled opportunities for scholarship and appreciation, making it a unique resource for local, national, and international audiences.

The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, Fla. Admission is $7 adults; $5 seniors, students, and children six-12; free for Wolfsonian members, State University System of Florida staff and students with ID, children under six, and Miami Beach residents with ID. The museum is open Monday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday from noon-6pm; Thursday and Friday from noon-9pm; and is closed on Wednesday. Contact us at 305.531.1001 or visit us online at www.wolfsonian.org.

The Wolfsonian receives ongoing support from the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts; Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners; City of Miami Beach, Cultural Affairs Program, Cultural Arts Council; Crispin Porter + Bogusky; Continental Airlines, the Official Airline of The Wolfsonian; the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation; and Pistils & Petals.

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