17th Distance Library Services Conference: Call for Proposals

Proposals for the Distance Library Services Conference must be submitted using the online form. Proposals cannot be saved and submitted at a later date, so you are advised to have as much information as possible about the proposal before beginning the process.

Please acquaint yourself with these proposal elements before beginning the submission process.

LEAD PRESENTER

The individual submitting the proposal will be designated as the Lead Presenter. The Lead Presenter will receive notification of the proposal’s acceptance or rejection, and if accepted, will serve as the main point of contact. The Lead Presenter will be expected to respond to requests for information from the Conference Coordinator and to adhere to deadlines. The conference planners reserve the right to make changes to the proposal as necessary to ensure that it is appropriate for the conference, and the Lead Presenter will be involved in all such changes.

CO-PRESENTERS

The Lead Presenter is responsible for providing the required contact information for co-presenters, if any, as indicated on the proposal form.

FORMAT

The conference offers three presentation formats: Contributed Paper, Poster Session or Workshop. Please read the format descriptions and requirements and choose the format that best fits your proposal. 

TRACKS AND TAGS

Each proposal will be required to select one primary track and one or more of the following tags:

PROPOSAL TITLE

The title of the proposal should appropriately reflect the main theme, issue, or information to be discussed. An ideal title is creative and piques interest in the topic.

SHORT DESCRIPTION

The short description is what will appear in the conference program if the proposal is accepted. It is intended to attract attendees to your session, so you should consider using creative and active language in the description. For example:

• “Shed the librarian stereotype of copyright whistleblower! Turn fearful faculty members into empowered copyright role models…”
• “Have you heard about ‘embedded librarians’ and would like to know more? Have you considered embedding in online classes, but aren’t sure what’s involved? Join us as we explore…”
• “Join a lively discussion on the role of distance librarians in a brave new world where students are no longer neatly defined as ‘on-campus’ or ‘distance.’ We will explore…”

Do not include identifying information, such as presenters, libraries or institutions. Descriptions containing identifying information will be considered ineligible. If the proposal is accepted, the short description may be edited for style and clarity.

ABSTRACT

The abstract is the most important part of your proposal. The proposal abstract should outline your research/topic/session’s major points, its relevance to distance librarianship, and how it might be unique and different from other sessions addressing the same topic. It should be well-thought out, clearly worded, and proofread. Do not include identifying information, such as presenters, libraries or institutions, in your abstract; instead, use descriptors such as “large public university” or "academic library." Proposal abstracts containing identifying information will be considered ineligible.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

All proposals must include two (2) learning objectives. The following is adapted from ACRL's Program Proposal Instructions:

INTENDED AUDIENCE

All proposals must indicate an intended audience. This serves to direct conference attendees to sessions that best suit their experience level.

EVALUATION

Proposals are evaluated by the Conference Advisory Board using a blind review process and will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Timeliness and appropriateness to distance librarianship
• Originality and specificity of proposal content and description
• Quality of learning objectives
• Potential interest to conference attendees

Program balance and room space may also be a factor in proposal selection.

The Contributed Papers format consists of a paper and presentation. It is an opportunity to report the results of completed research, describe research in progress, or present a position on a compelling problem or issue related to one of the primary conference tracks. Papers are expected to be scholarly, well-organized, clearly written, and must be composed according to the organization and style presented in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.; 2009). Presentations should highlight the issue(s), results, and conclusions of your research while only briefly touching on the research methods. Presenters are encouraged to supply handouts and/or PowerPoint slides for posting on the conference website prior to or after the conference. Session evaluation forms may be provided at the discretion and expense of the presenter.

Contributed Papers are published in the official conference proceedings and in special issues of the Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning. Authors will retain copyright and agree to grant use exceptions to Central Michigan University in the following instances:

• Central Michigan University reserves the right to publish the paper in the official conference proceedings of the Distance Library Services Conference.
• Central Michigan University reserves the right to sign a contract with Taylor and Francis Group, LLC that allows Taylor and Francis to print, publish, reproduce, and distribute the aforementioned paper in (but not limited to) the Journal of Library & Information Services in Distance Learning and to distribute it through third-party database aggregators.
• Central Michigan University reserves the right to provide public access to the paper content, after a two-year embargo, through the Distance Library Services Conference website.

Requirements: Written paper no less than five pages in length (excluding appendices) and a conference presentation lasting no more than 55 minutes. Please see Contributed Papers & Presentations for specific paper and presentation requirements. Completed paper is due by Nov. 8, 2015.

Poster sessions provide an informal forum to report on innovative projects, introduce new services and resources, or test research ideas of interest to distance librarianship. Posters should be a creative visual representation of a topic, including graphs, tables, charts, and images.

A poster session contest will be held to encourage creativity in poster design and content. Attendees will vote on their favorite posters and the winning poster will be awarded a $50 Amazon gift certificate. 

Requirements: Physical poster not to exceed 4' x 6' and participation in poster contest. Electronic formats (laptops, iPads, etc.) can be used to supplement the poster, but they cannot be used in place of a print poster. Presenters are required to set-up and host their display for 60 minutes. Please see Poster Sessions for specific guidelines and best practices.

Workshops are two (2) hour sessions that provide active learning opportunities for attendees. Participants will engage an issue, learn a new skill, or develop an action plan or other activity where hands-on learning is integral. Workshops should allow participants to be involved in and contribute to the learning process and the learning experience should excite and encourage the participants to be fully engaged. Participants should leave the workshop with ideas, information, techniques, or skills to share with their colleagues.

Workshops will be held on the first day of the conference. Participant computers are not provided as part of the standard equipment. Sessions will be limited to 40 participants in order to provide a meaningful environment for active learning.

Session Length: Two hours. Please see Workshops for best practices.