This post was originally an email sent to the lis-infoliteracy Jiscmail list from the Academic Libraries North 2022 Conference Committee.
The Services & Workflows subtheme welcomes, among others, submissions which acknowledge and recognise achievements and challenges in inclusive approaches to information literacy teaching.
Academic Libraries North Conference 2022: Call for Papers
The time is now: active approaches to inclusivity
#ALN22
We invite you to submit a proposal for the 2022 ALN Conference, to be held online on 6th and 7th July 2022.
Context
As libraries we pride ourselves on the friendly, welcoming and inclusive nature of our services and staff, but increasingly recognise that this may not be the experience for all members of our library and university communities. This conference is an opportunity to highlight the positive actions that are being taken to promote equity and tackle inequities within libraries and adjacent services. But also a chance to look critically at whether our libraries are really inclusive and supportive, considering whether we are avoiding enacting meaningful change to maintain the status quo. How can we be the change that we want to see?
We welcome submissions which acknowledge and recognise achievements and challenges including, but not exclusive to, the following subthemes:
Partnerships & Connections
- Community engagement and widening participation particularly in the context of declining social mobility
- Addressing the student ethnicity awarding and attainment gap
- Working with university and external partners to overcome barriers to student success in HE
- Addressing inequalities amongst students highlighted during the pandemic
People
- Voices from the frontline, experiences of staff working on reception and help desks
- Barriers to professional development & advancement
- The importance of allyship within the profession
- Examples of work that amplify minority and marginalised voices
- Taking an intersectional approach to EDI
Content & Collections
- Decolonising and diversifying our collections, reading lists and curriculums and ensuring the representation of diverse perspectives
- Digital accessibility within collections
- Supporting researchers to make their work more accessible, reusable, diverse and inclusive
Services & Workflows
- Inclusive approaches to information literacy teaching
- Innovations in the development of accessible spaces
- Using UX to inform inclusive strategies
- Bridging the gap between EDI theory and practice in library spaces
Who can submit a proposal?
We welcome papers from all colleagues working within any institutions, whether they are ALN member institutions or not. We particularly encourage submissions from those who are looking to present for the first time.
Submissions are invited from individuals, as well as collaborative contributions from within one institution, across institutions or between an institution and an external partner and are welcome from ALN members and external speakers. Submissions can be focused on, but not limited to, the above topics. We also welcome submissions that may fall outside of these themes but will still be of relevance and interest to our delegates.
To have a truly engaging conference, we believe we need presenters who bring a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. We particularly welcome submissions from people belonging to under-represented and marginalised communities and sectors, including but not limited to: BAME; LGBTQIA+; those with disabilities and those who are neurodivergent.
We offer presenters a discounted rate of £17.50 for ALN members and £26 for non-ALN members. Sponsored places will be made available for up to 10 presenters/delegates at the conference – further information to follow.
What types of paper can be submitted?
Proposals are welcome for either traditional presentations or interactive workshops. The sessions we are hosting online will be a mix of:
- Lightning talks (10 minutes, with time for questions at the end of the session)
- Short papers (25 minutes including questions)
- Workshops (45 minutes including questions)
Other types of proposals including interactive sessions/discussions, can also be proposed using the submission form, and scheduling will be discussed with the planning group. The expectation is for papers and lightning talks to be presented live, but pre-recorded presentations will be considered. Please note that all content will need to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines at the time of the conference. We particularly encourage proposals which include innovative methods of presentation that aim to engage and interact with the audience.
How to submit a proposal
Proposals should be submitted via this form.
Submissions should be received by 18th March 2022. They will be reviewed and selected by a panel comprising planning group members, and outcomes will be notified by the end of April 2022. Please note there is a limit of two presenters per submission.
All proposals will be scored according to the following criteria:
- Relevance of submission
- Does the submission address the themes of the conference?
- Benefits to delegates
- Does the proposal state what attendees will gain from the session and why they should attend? If the proposal is for a workshop, short paper or other interactive session, then does it seek to engage and interact with attendees?
- Clarity of submission
- Is the submission clearly and unambiguously worded? Are the ideas presented complete and appropriate to the method of presentation?
We have organised an online event Top tips for a successful conference contribution on 4th March 2022 (2-4pm) which aims to improve your confidence in contributing to conferences. Staff from across ALN will provide workshops and presentations looking at the full process from writing a winning abstract to presenting in an engaging way. You can book your place here.
We understand submitting a proposal can be a daunting task! If you have any queries or questions about submitting a proposal, please contact alnconferenceteam@gmail.com. The conference planning group is keen to support colleagues with their proposals, so please feel welcome to get in touch for a friendly and supportive chat about your submission.
Academic Libraries North 2022 Conference Committee
https://www.academiclibrariesnorth.ac.uk/academic-libraries-north-2021
Twitter: @AcadLibsNorth
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