IMLS AND THE WOLFSONIAN-FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCE REGISTRATION FOR 2008 WEBWISE CONFERENCE
To Be Held March 5-7, 2008

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The Wolfsonian-FIU Contact:
Susanna Temkin, 305.535.2632 or susanna@thewolf.fiu.edu

IMLS Contact:
Jeannine Mjoseth, 202.653.4632 or jmjoseth@imls.gov

MIAMI BEACH, FL (DECEMBER 17, 2007)—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and The Wolfsonian–Florida International University (The Wolfsonian-FIU) announce open registration for the 2008 WebWise Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World. The main conference takes place March 6-7 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, FL, with a day of pre-conference workshops on March 5. The WebWise Conference is a premier forum for nationally-recognized experts to address the emerging issues and implications of digital technologies for libraries, museums, and other institutions.

The theme for WebWise 2008 is "WebWise 2.0: The Power of Community." The conference will explore the concept of Web 2.0 as it relates to the development of technological and digital resources in and among libraries, museums, archives, and related organizations. While museums and libraries have long been considered centers of community engagement, the new Web 2.0 architecture of participation offers expanded opportunities for organizations to engage audiences and provide access to their collections. The 2008 WebWise Conference will feature keynote addresses by Jonathan Fanton, president of the MacArthur Foundation, and Jeffrey Schnapp, founder-director of the Stanford Humanities Lab, on March 6 and 7 respectively. Current research on online users as well as innovative digital tools and programs to enhance library and museum services will be featured in presentations and demonstrations. Two half-day pre-conference workshops, requiring separate registration, will be offered March 5, including 1) an Introduction to Web 2.0 for Libraries and Museums and 2) Digital Applications for the Humanities, organized by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

There are no registration fees for the WebWise Conference, but early registration is recommended as space is limited. For more information about this year’s conference, including the agenda, online registration, and information about travel and lodging, visit http://webwise2008.fcla.edu. Visit www.imls.gov/webwise for information on past WebWise conferences.

The annual WebWise Conference is sponsored by IMLS and this year will be co-hosted by The Wolfsonian–FIU, with support from the Florida Center for Library Automation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority.

The WebWise welcome reception is sponsored by The Steven and Dorothea Green Library , Florida International University; The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University; Miami Art Museum; The Otto G. Richter Library, University of Miami; Vizcaya Museum & Gardens; The Wolfsonian-Florida International University.

About The Institute of Museum and Library Services
The 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. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University
The Wolfsonian is a museum, library, and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design. The collections comprise approximately 120,000 pieces from the period 1885 to 1945 — the height of the Industrial Revolution until the end of the Second World War — in a variety of media, including: furniture; industrial-design objects; works in glass; ceramics; metal; rare books; periodicals; ephemera; works on paper; paintings; textiles; and medals. The curatorial goal is to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, historical, and technological changes that have transformed our world.

The Wolfsonian is located at 1001 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, Fl. 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, and the Florida Arts Council; 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; the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation; the William J. and Tina Rosenberg Foundation; Continental Airlines, the preferred airline of The Wolfsonian; Crispin Porter + Bogusky; The Miami Herald; Bacardi USA, Inc.; and Karla Conceptual Event Experiences.