MLA 2019 Call for Proposals

MLA 2019 Annual Conference
October 16-18, 2019
Suburban Collection Showplace, Diamond Banquet Center - Novi, Michigan

Submissions welcome through March 31, 2019
This deadline is firm and will not be extended.

The MLA Annual Conference work group seeks a variety of program proposals that will address topics representing the wide-range of professional responsibilities found in libraries and those that will introduce new ideas or solutions to the challenges currently facing Michigan libraries. Library professionals interested in sharing their insights, experiences, and knowledge are invited to submit a proposal for consideration.

Are you working on a new project, but do not have results ready to present a formal program? Are you looking to develop your presentation skills? Consider presenting a poster session, where you can discuss important topics with peers in an informal setting. A good poster session focuses on one main theme, presents useful information, and stimulates discussion.

We encourage participation from librarians, staff, and administrators from all types of libraries.

The submission form can be used for both program and poster proposals. To submit your proposal, please review submission guidelines below and complete the online form:

Call for Proposals - MLA 2019

Program and Poster Submission General Guidelines

You do not need to be an MLA member to submit. Submitter may or may not also be the presenter.
Presenters are not reimbursed or compensated for presentation time, mileage or any other expense related to their participation in the conference.
Presenters, including MLA members, must register and pay for the day(s) they attend Annual Conference if they plan to participate in any conference activities beyond their presentation or poster session reception.
Poster presenters will be required to attend the Your Professional Connection Reception & Poster Session on Thursday, October 17, 2019, from approximately 5:45 – 6:45 p.m.
Programs are 45 to 60 minutes in length.
Programs will be held on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, October 16-18, 2019.
MLA reserves the right to place accepted programs on any date and during any time within the conference.

The following information is required for your submission:

Contact information for all presenters including: name, title, organization, email, phone
Information on prior presenting/speaking experience for each presenter
A brief biography of each presenter for use on the MLA website and/or conference promotional material. (Limited to 500 characters, including white space.)
(Optional) Headshot for each presenter for use on the MLA website and/or conference promotional material.
(Optional) Supplemental material illustrating presenter qualifications
Submission title
Presentation style/format of submission (ex: Case Study, Interactive, Lecture, Panel, etc.)
Submission description
Submission abstract - Used on MLA Website, mobile app and onsite program book (Limited to 700 characters, including white space)
Program goals and audience takeaway statements
Three (3) keywords to describe your submission
Target audience information (Library type, primary occupation area(s), interest area(s))

Selection Criteria

The MLA Annual Conference work group will use the following criteria in assessing the viability of including a poster or program in the schedule. The work group retains the right to reject, modify, or combine proposals.

Purpose	Does the proposal clearly identify a goal and takeaways for the audience?
Audience	Is the target audience clearly identified?
Practicality	Is the topic appropriate for a poster session/conference breakout session in content and target audience?
Engagement	Will the presentation and presenter(s) keep the audience’s focus and attention through clear speech, engaging visuals, useful and relatable content?
Timeliness/ Relevance	Is the topic of current interest, bringing new ideas and a fresh perspective to its intended audience and theme?
Qualifications	Does the speaker(s) have sufficient background experience to present on the proposed topic?

Timeline

March 31, 2019 - Final day to submit proposals. This deadline is firm and will not be extended.
On or before May 31, 2019 - Selection notifications and presenter agreements distributed via email from MLA.
September 30, 2019 - Handouts are due
October 16 - 18, 2019 - MLA 2019 Annual Conference at Suburban Collection Showplace, Novi, MI

Selection Notification and Agreements

MLA will contact each submitter by email with the results of the selection process by Friday, May 31, 2019.
MLA will send all individual presenters a Presenter Agreement indicating the date, time, and details of their presentation. This agreement will be signed by the presenters and returned to MLA.

Handouts

Handouts are required for both posters and programs. Examples of handouts may be, but are not limited to: presenter contact information, a list of additional resources, a copy of presentation slides, a summary of the poster, or related worksheets.
Printed handouts are not distributed onsite by MLA during the conference. Handouts will be posted on MLA’s website and mobile app. Presenters may provide hard copies of handouts at their own cost.
Handouts are due to MLA by Monday, September 30, 2019 and will be posted to MLA’s website before the conference.
Submit handouts by email to [email protected]

Poster Setup & Reception

Poster presenters are required to provide their own poster content.
Upon request, one (1) tri-fold foam presentation board with dimensions of 36’’ height by 48’’ width (24’’ center panel and 12’’ side panels) will be provided to each poster presentation at no cost to the presenter. Presentation boards will be available onsite at the registration desk. The usage of the MLA-provided presentation board is not a requirement; presenters may provide their own board if desired.
Poster presenters are required to provide their own means of adhering content to the poster board via tape, tacks, clips, putty, etc.
One (1) 6-foot table with linen will be provided for each poster presentation to display poster/materials.
Poster setup will be from approximately 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2019. The Your Professional Connection Reception & Poster Session will be held from approximately 5:45 – 6:45 p.m. on Thursday, October 17, 2019. Attendance is required.

Program A/V & Room Setup

All presentation rooms will be supplied with a projector, screen, lectern, and wired microphone at no cost to the presenter. Presenters must provide their own laptops.
All presenters will be responsible for providing their own cables for connection to the projector (HDMI or VGA) and any remote mouse devices/pointers. Presenters must have presentation on their laptop, flash drive, cloud, etc.
Wi-Fi internet will be available in each presentation room; however, MLA cannot guarantee the speed and dependability of the services at any given time.
MLA will make every effort to ensure the rooms are set according to the needs of the presentation (e.g. panel discussion, round tables).

Recording of Programs

Permission to record a single program must be granted by all presenters of that program.
Permission must also be granted by the MLA Program Subcommittee to record any program.