Essay Contest to attend Computers in Libraries Conference

The Federated Search Blog is sponsoring a writing contest that asks entrants topredict the future of federated search. As lead author of the blog, my goal for the contest is get our industry creatively and purposefully thinking about our destiny and I would love to hear from fresh voices.

We're asking entrants to submit an original, unpublished essay in English and of no more than 1,500 words. Entrants can comment about such issues as the role of Google, the type of features federated search will include, how the open source movement will impact the industry, whether there will be an entirely new paradigm, or wherever their own predictions take them. Essays will be judged by a panel of noted industry experts including Marshall Breeding, Roy Tennant, Miriam Drake, Carl Grant, Judy Luther, and Peter Noerr. Essays will be evaluated based on writing quality, originality, andvision.

We feel there's a compelling reason to enter: in addition to cash prizes of$500, $250 and $100 to the first, second and third place winners, the first place essay will be published in Computers in Libraries and the author willpresent the scenario at the Computers in Libraries Conference in Spring2009. Travel expenses will be paid by Deep Web Technologies, who is also providing the cash prizes. It's a great way for newcomers to the industry to establish themselves.

Deadline for submissions is October 31st.

For details on the contest visit http://federatedsearchblog.com/category/contest.

Federated Search Blog http://www.federatedsearchblog.com/