China-US Conference wrap-up

[Posted for Betsy McKenzie by Jim Milles.]

Last night, the first China-US Conference on Legal Information and Law Libraries came to a close. An agreement was signed to continue holding these conferences every two years, alternately in China and the United States. There was a final plenary session titled “Lessons Learned and Future Directions: A General Discussion of What has Been Learned Throughout the Conference and What Are the Next Steps in Collaboration Between Chinese and American Law Librarians.” Dr. Jiang Bo, Secretary General of the China Education Association for International Exchange, and Prof. Janis Johnston of University of Illinois summed up. There was a Conference Statement of Principles, which included establishing a standing body, the China-U.S. Institute on Legal Information and Law Libraries.

There is every intention that this conference be a first step in an ongoing process that will continue to bear fruit.