Abstract The Polar Libraries Colloquy (Colloquy) was founded in 1971 to provide an international forum for librarians and others involved in the collection, preservation, and dissemination of polar information. Colloquy participants represent the institutions generating and housing most of the unpublished and published information about the Arctic and Antarctic. Colloquy's purpose is to bring these specialists together to discuss issues of mutual interest and to promote improved and expanded collections, coordinated information systems, improved delivery of information and materials, and other services. NSF funding supports production of the 1996 Colloquy proceedings which will include the text of presented papers, poster sessions, a summary of the business meeting, and a list of participants. The published proceedings provide an invaluable and unique reference and reach a broader audience than does Colloquy itself. They foster collaborative projects, report on the status of polar information preservation and dissemination, and aid in identifying information gaps. The proceedings are important as the most comprehensive record available concerning polar information management.
