Call for Proposals
Annual Calls for Proposals are issued for our Spring Institute for Youth Services Conference and our Annual Conference. Calls for Proposals for webinars, workshops, and additional resources are issued as needed. Review details of open and upcoming calls for proposals below.
Spring Institute for Youth Services 2022
MLA is now accepting proposals for educational sessions and poster presentations for the 2022 Spring Institute for Youth Services scheduled for March 10-11, 2022, in Mt. Pleasant.
EXTENDED Session Proposals are welcome through November 12, 2021.
Library Science Fair Proposals are welcome through December 2021.
At MLA's first in-person conference since 2019, we invite attendees to LEVEL UP. Whether that means growing professionally within your current role, wanting to communicate your vision better to your team, or aspirations for moving up in the profession, we invite you to share your ideas and energy for leveling up and making change within your organization and the library profession. Come get inspired and empowered at Spring Institute 2022!
Education Session Proposals
MLA SI22 Session Proposal Requirements.pdf Check out this example of an excellent education session program proposal: Spring Institute Sample Proposal.pdf
Session Proposals are welcome through November 12, 2021.
Agreements and Selection Notification
- MLA will contact each program’s submitter regarding final decisions in late November or early December 2021.
- MLA will send all presenters a Presenter Agreement indicating date, time, and details of their presentation. This must be confirmed by the presenter and returned to MLA.
General Guidelines
- Program submitter does not need to be the presenter.
- Contact information is required for each presenter.
- Presenters are not reimbursed or compensated for session time, mileage, or any other expenses.
- Handouts will be posted to the MLA website before the conference. Handouts will not be printed.
- Presenters must register for the day(s) they attend Spring Institute if they intend to stay beyond their allotted presentation time.
AV & Room Setup
- Presentation rooms will be supplied with a WiFi access, projector, screen, HDMI cord, and microphone
- Presenters will provide their own laptops and have presentations on laptops, flash drives, cloud, etc. Remote mouse devices/pointers are the responsibility of the presenter. Apple users will be responsible for also providing their own adaptor for connection to the projector.
Selection Criteria
The Spring Institute work group will use the following criteria in assessing the viability of including a program on the schedule. The work group retains the right to reject, modify, or combine proposals.
Purpose: Does the proposal clearly identify outcome(s), and are those in line with goals and outcomes of the conference as a whole?
Audience: Is the target audience clearly identified?
Clarity: Is the proposal easy to understand with technological or industry jargon explained, if necessary, correct grammar and professionalism? Does the proposal clearly state concrete & specific topics/themes that you’ll be highlighting?
Practicality: Is the topic appropriate for a conference breakout session in content, time, audience?
Timeliness/Relevance: Is the topic of current interest, bringing new ideas and a fresh perspective to its intended audience and conference theme?
Qualifications: Does the speaker(s) have sufficient background experience to present on said topic?
Session Information
Live educational sessions are 60 minutes in length and will be held on Thursday and Friday, March 10-11, 2022. MLA reserves the right to place accepted programs on any date and during any time within the conference schedule.
Expect to spend approximately 45 minutes of the 60-minute session on your presentation, leaving at least 15 minutes for audience Q&A. Depending on the format of your presentation, you may decide to include more time for audience interaction or Q&A.
MLA's Spring Institute is committed to focusing on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Submissions that highlight these important goals are encouraged, but a wide variety of sessions will be considered for final schedule selection, including leading by example, leadership skills, technology, programming, collection development, avoiding burnout, and more.
Proposal Requirements
Speaker Information
Information is required for all session speakers or moderators.
- Name
- Organization
- Job Title
- Phone
- Email
- Mailing Address
- Past presentation or qualifications on chose topic
- Short biography, written in 3rd person
- Attached headshot
Session Title
In 10 words or fewer please provide a title for your proposed session.
The best titles are clear, succinct, and describe exactly what will be covered in the session.
Session Description
In 750 characters or fewer, please provide a concise description of your proposed session.
If accepted this will appear in the final program listing and on the conference website so please write it in 3rd person, and make it lively, informative, and interesting. It may be edited for publication. Speakers will be listed separately; they should not be listed in the session description.
Social Media Session Description
In 140 characters or fewer please provide a short description that may be used for social media and related marketing purposes.
Describe how this session speaks to the conference theme LEVEL UP.
We want to offer a variety of sessions that inspire those working in youth services to grow, enact change, and dream big in the library profession regardless of job title.
Does this session contribute to wider representation of diverse groups and points of view?
Session Format:
Please identify the session format.
- Discussion or Townhall – An issue or topic driven moderated discussion in which one or two individuals facilitates the asking of questions from the audience to another individual.
- Panel Conversation with Moderator – A session that features multiple speakers offering their perspectives on a shared topic. The conversation is led by one primary moderator.
- Interactive Workshop or Hands-on Activity – A session in which participants will learn a specific skill and how it can be applied to improve results, workflow, and/or efficiency.
- Case Study or Lecture Presentation – A session focusing on the results of a specific study, program, or service.
- Other – If your session does not fit any of the above formats, please explain
Primary Focus:
Please identify the primary focus on your session
- General
- Library Leadership
- Early Literacy
- School Age
- Tween/Teen
- Family
- Technology
- Other
Learning Outcomes
Please identify two to three learning outcomes for your session.
Learning outcomes should use active verbs, be measurable, and state what the participants should know or be able to do after attending your session. Learning outcomes should not simply repeat topics that will be addressed or activities that will take place during the session. Your proposal will be evaluated on the clarity and specificity of its learning outcomes.
Library Science Fair Poster Proposals
MLA SI22 Library Science Fair Poster Proposal Requirements.pdf
Do you remember the feeling of accomplishment and the nervous anticipation as you awaited the results from your childhood science fair? All the time you spent designing the perfect experiment culminated in a beautifully decorated, and hopefully glittery, tri-fold poster board with your carefully drawn bubble letters and illustrations. As you looked out across the cafeteria you were sure your potato-fueled lightbulb burned the brightest. We think adults deserve that feeling too. Welcome to the MLA “Library Science” Fair. Just like fifth grade but with a little less science and a little more library. Just ask yourself…
- Do you have a great project you’ve implemented at your library, but don’t think the information would fill a whole breakout session time slot?
- Would you like to share your unique programming ideas with your peers?
- Have you or your library done something so great, you must share it with the world?
- Does your library do something no one else does?
If you said yes (or maybe) to any of these, then submit a proposal for the Library Science Fair. This quick and engaging presentation session will give you an opportunity to showcase your brilliance in a fun and comfortable reception format. Think of it like a strolling reception or an avenue of ideas with catchy displays and a spirit of sharing. Topic examples might be unique collections, outreach programs, engaging services or distinctive displays.
Submissions do not need to test a hypothesis or be strictly scientific in nature —they just need to mean something to you!
Reception attendees will vote for presentations they like the best and top entries will be celebrated.
Proposal Submission Information
Agreements and Selection Notification
- MLA will contact each program’s submitter regarding final decisions in January 2022.
- MLA will send all presenters a Presenter Agreement. This must be confirmed by the presenter and returned to MLA.
General Guidelines
- Contact information is required for each presenter.
- Presenters are not reimbursed or compensated for session time, mileage, or any other expenses.
- Presenters must register for the day(s) they attend Spring Institute if they intend to stay beyond the reception.
- Entries cannot be a sales pitch.
Library Science Fair Setup
- Each entry will be given a 6-ft table with linens and skirting to display poster and any additional materials.
- Entries should be constructed on (1) tri-fold foam presentation board with dimensions of 36" high by 48" wide (24" center panel and 12" side panels). You may purchase this board on your own or MLA will provide one for you complimentary at the conference check-in desk. You must bring all items to adhere your presentation to the board.
- Board should stand on their own or have supports. They cannot be affixed to walls.
- It is recommended that you also bring business cards or handouts as takeaways for attendees.
Selection Criteria
Reception space is limited so the Spring Institute work group will use the following criteria in assessing the viability of including a proposal. The work group retains the right to reject, modify, or combine proposals.
Clarity: Is the proposal easy to understand with technological or industry jargon explained, if necessary, correct grammar and professionalism? Does the proposal clearly state concrete & specific topics/themes that you’ll be highlighting?
Practicality: Is the topic appropriate for the conference in content and audience?
Timeliness/Relevance: Is the topic of current interest, bringing new ideas or a fresh perspective?
Library Science Fair Proposal Requirements
The proposal form will require the following information:
Presenter Information
- Name
- Organization
- Job Title
- Phone
- Email
- Mailing Address
- Past presentation or qualifications on chose topic
- Short biography, written in 3rd person
- Attached headshot
Proposal Title
In 10 words or fewer please provide a title for your proposed session.
The best titles are clear, succinct, and describe exactly what will be covered in the session.
Proposal Description:
In 750 characters or fewer, please provide a concise description of your proposed session.
If accepted this will appear in the final program listing and on the conference website so please write it in 3rd person, and make it lively, informative, and interesting. It may be edited for publication. Speakers will be listed separately; they should not be listed in the session description.
Social Media Description:
In 140 characters or fewer please provide a short description that may be used for social media and related marketing purposes.
Policies and Disclaimers
If your proposal is accepted, you agree to the following policies:
Consent
Registration and attendance at, or participation in, MLA meetings or other activities constitutes an agreement by the registration to the use and distribution of the registrants or attendees' image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions of such events and activities by MLA. Please contact MLA at [email protected] if you'd like to be removed from any list.
Code of Conduct
MLA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all participants and MLA staff. Each participant, including attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, staff, service providers, is expected to understand and follow MLA policies and report any violations. These expectations apply to all MLA activities including those held in conjunction with MLA conferences, events and meetings, as well as online venues and social media.
Speakers are asked to frame discussions as openly and inclusively as possible and to be aware of how language or images may be perceived by others. Exhibitors in the exhibit hall, sponsor or vendor booths, or at accompanying activities are also subject to the policy.
Full Code of Conduct can be reviewed here: MLA Code of Conduct
COVID-19 Policy
Based on the recommendations from the CDC regarding small and large gatherings, and with our guests' safety in mind, we strongly recommend that you be fully vaccinated to attend MLA events. At this time, we also recommend that masks be worn in all indoor spaces for the safety of all attendees. These recommendations are subject to change based on recommendations in place at the time of the event. MLA will alert you of any changes to this policy.
If any government orders restrict us from gathering, we will reassess the event dates at that time. If you have a positive COVID-19 test or exposure within 14 days of the event you are expected to alert MLA staff.
We ask you to be courteous and conscientious of others while meeting in-person at the event, especially when it comes to health and safety.
Conference Presenter Policies
You will be responsible for registering and paying for the conference if you wish to attend other sessions or events beyond the reception.
Attendance at the event is NOT a requirement to present.
You will not be reimbursed or compensated for presentation time, mileage, or any other expense related to my participation in the conference.
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