Many challenges are presented to the field of electronic literature at the dawn of this new millennium, ranging from the relative paucity of publishing models for new work to the position of electronic literature in the university, to understanding the new modes of cultural production that enable the work itself. The Symposium is envisioned as both a gathering of people and a method of inquiry - a way of focusing attention on and encouraging collaborative solutions to these challenges.

The three main foci of the Symposium include:

Contour of the Art

• What approaches are writers and authors taking to the creation of electronic literature? What new genres and forms are beginning to evolve?

• Navigating the Borders: Edges and Interfaces

• Technique: Tools for Cross-fertilization and Interactivity

• Writers Looking Ahead

Role of Universities and Colleges

• How is electronic literature shaping up in universities, both as a critical discipline and as a locus of production and distribution? What role should the university play in the future of electronic literature?

• Electronic Literature in the University

• Multimedia Criticism

• Graduate Programs

Publishing Models

• How well do existing publishing models work at connecting readers of electronic literature with innovative work? How can traditional and nontraditional publishing models better expand the readership of electronic Literature?

• Accessibility and Diversity

• Archiving Digital Culture

• Publishing Models for Electronic Literature

In addition to the main program, which will include speakers by invitation only, there will be Poster and Gallery sessions, which will include open submissions.