European Association of Middle East Librarians
MELCom International tries to achieve its aims in an atmosphere that is both professional and informal. The main focus of activities is the annual conference, which serves as a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Founding of MELCom International
In its earliest form Melcom was founded in the UK, well before 1979. Founding president is Derek Hopwood, who kept the presidency till 1990, when he was succeeded by Jan Just Witkam, who held the presidency till 1998. International contacts had led to a joint conference with French colleagues in Aix-en-Provence, France, in 1979, the first of many. The following year the venue was in Oxford. In 1981 the conference was held in West Berlin, hosted by the Staatsbibliothek, in its new building. After that third conference it was clear that organizing a yearly conference was useful and feasible. The advantages were evident: MELCom provided an international exchange of ideas on librarianship and book research in a friendly and professional environment, combined with informal activities and scholarly tourism.Read More...