Fairleigh Dickinson University libraries and four colleges are sponsoring a discussion series called “Books and Ideas: Facing the Age of Knowledge,” which focuses on the role of universities and academic libraries in the evolving world of information, knowledge, learning and rapid technological change.

Discussions on selected books and issues will be held at both the Metropolitan Campus and the College at Florham. The main ideas in the books as well as academic, practitioner and student perspectives will be presented followed by general questions and discussions. The University’s libraries will provide 20 copies of each of the selected works to the faculty, staff or students who sign up early and pledge to read the book, attend the discussion and participate. To reserve a copy of the book, call Suzanne Bejarano, assistant to the University librarian (Metro), at 201-692-2278.

The opening discussion will be held Thursday, February 20, at 3:30 p.m., in the Auditorium, Weiner Library, Metropolitan Campus. The Social Life of Information, by John Seeley Brown and Paul Duguid (Harvard Business School Press, Boston, Mass., 2002), will be discussed, particularly “How are we to understand the Age of Information, and how will it change our lives?” The panel will include Howard Silver, engineering (Metro); Eamon Doherty, computer science (Metro); Richard Koffler, executive editor, Aldine de Gruyter; Rahul Gada, sophomore, computer science; and James Marcum, University librarian (Metro). The session’s co-sponsors are University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies and its dean, John Snyder.

On Tuesday, March 11, at 3:30 p.m., in the Orangerie, Library, College at Florham, Re-Thinking Science: Knowledge and the Public in an Age of Uncertainty, by Helga Nowotny, Peter Scott and Michael Gibbons (Polity Press, Malden, Mass., 2001), will be discussed. “How has the emerging ‘Mode 2 Research’ affected traditional scientific research and development?” will be considered by a panel that will include Daniel Twomey, management and executive director, Center for Human Resource Management Studies (Flor), and Bob Hoffman, executive director, human resources, U.S. research, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Samuel J. Silberman College of Business Administration and its dean, David Steele, are co-sponsoring this discussion.

The next presentation will be Tuesday, April 15, at 3:30 p.m., in the Auditorium, Weiner Library, Metropolitan Campus. The Future of Ideas: The Fate of the Commons in a Connected World, by Lawrence Lessig (Random House/Vintage, New York, 2002), will be discussed, addressing the question “Will traditional copyright, privacy and the ‘intellectual commons’ survive given the determination of large media corporations to protect their intellectual property?” The co-sponsors are New College of General and Continuing Studies and its dean, Kenneth Vehrkens.

The final session in the series will be on Thursday, May 8, at 3:30 p.m., in the Orangerie, Library, College at Florham, where The Rise of the Creative Class, by Richard Florida (Basic Books, New York, 2002), will be discussed focusing on “What is the ‘creative class’ and are they the new elite for the future?” Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences and its dean, Barbara Salmore, are co-sponsors.

To sign up to participate or for more information, contact James Marcum, University librarian, at marcum@fdu.edu, 201-692-2276 or 973-443-8814.

February 2003

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Flor =
College at Florham, Madison, N.J.

Metro =
Metropolitan Campus, Teaneck, N.J.

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