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Purpose: Small and specialist inter-disciplinary conferences, particularly those relating to technology enhanced learning such as International Conference on Information and Communications Technology in Education, provide valuable opportunities for academics and academic-related/professional staff to report upon their research and development activities, including their insights into teaching practice. However, the existence of such conferences is now under threat due to a global shift towards quantitative research assessment exercises, which favour bibliometrics, such as citation counts and impact factors, over peer review. The purpose of this paper is to contextualise the discussion by describing the nascent qualitative research assessment in Australia and its implications for small conferences. It also aims to present heuristic strategies to ensure that publications are recognised by quantitative research assessment exercises. Design/methodology/approach: The authors draw on a wide literature base as well as their experience as academics, conference organizers, professional developers, and researchers to describe the changes to the culture of research assessment and research management and their observed implications for small and specialist inter-disciplinary conferences. Findings: Conference organizers and scientific committees should consider several strategies to maximise bibliometric impact of conference papers. These strategies include: transparency in reviewing processes; building alliances with peer-reviewed journals; considering boutique "by invitation" conference formats; and publishing papers which are indexed and standards based. The authors also point out that small and specialist conferences should leverage their communities of practice to facilitate publication and research opportunities and thereby increase the tangible benefits of participation. Originality/value: This paper is valuable to conference organizers and participants who are adjusting to a culture of bibliometrics. This paper highlights key issues as well as suggests strategies to improve impact values. (Contains 1 table and 2 notes.)

Library history has constituted a significant portion of the research articles published in the "Australian Library Journal" and in "Australian Academic & Research Libraries". By contrast, archives history has attracted much less interest from researchers publishing in "Archives and Manuscripts". The author uses these articles together with papers delivered at the seven Australian Library History Forums convened between 1984 and 1996 to provide snapshots of library and archives history producers and production in an attempt to explain this disparity. He demonstrates that research higher degrees have strongly driven the production of library (and, to a lesser extent, archives) history but suggests that archives and records professionals have been more ambivalent towards history and historical studies than their library counterparts. The roots of this ambivalence may lie in debates over library control of archives and the professional identity of archivists in the 1950s and 1960s. (Contains 47 endnotes.)

The article presents a study which explored bibliometric research quality assessment exercises' impact on academic development during specialist inter-disciplinary and small conferences in Australia. The study described the experiences of conference organizers, academics, and researchers. Results suggest the need for the scientific committees and conference organizers to consider various strategies for maximising conference papers' bibliometric impact like the development of alliances between peer-reviewed journals. Meanwhile, it mentions the importance of the study to the conference participants and organizers who are adapting the bibliometrics culture.