The Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the University of Washington Libraries, and the Conference Steering Committee invite paper, poster, and workshop proposals by February 28 for the 2020 Library Assessment Conference: Building Effective, Sustainable, Practical Assessment. This eighth biennial conference will be held October 26–28 in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago O’Hare International Airport).
The conference aims to build and further a vibrant library assessment community by bringing together interested practitioners and researchers who have responsibility or interest in the broad field of library assessment. The event provides a mix of invited speakers and contributed papers, posters, and pre-conference workshops that stimulate discussion and provide workable ideas for effective, sustainable, and practical library assessment.
Proposal Topics
Paper and poster proposals that cover any aspect of library assessment in any type of library are invited, including but not limited to these topics:
- Assessment program establishment/development/sustainment
- Collaborative assessments (including consortial, ARL, ACRL, PLA, Libraries without Borders, etc.)
- Critical and/or theoretical perspectives on assessment
- Data management and visualization
- Digital libraries and repositories
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Measurement and measures/indicators
- Methods and tools
- Organizational and institutional assessments (including accreditation)
- Organizational issues and approaches
- Services, collections (including specialized collections), and programs
- Space and facilities planning and use
- Teaching and learning, learning analytics
- Usability/user experience
- Value and impact
Presentation Formats
Descriptions of the paper, poster, and workshop formats are provided below and full details are on the conference website. Proposals are required to include a title, author names and short biographies, format, and abstract (maximum 750 words) describing the proposal.
Accepted papers will be included in the conference proceedings and are due by November 30, 2020. Accepted posters will be included on the conference website in advance of the conference.
Papers
Papers should present innovative approaches and/or research that is well underway or has been implemented/concluded. Each abstract should include: (1) purpose; (2) design, methodology, or approach; (3) findings; and (4) practical implications or value. The abstract should detail the focus of the paper and the way(s) in which it contributes to the body of knowledge in the field. Presentation time for papers will be a maximum of 20 minutes (15 minutes for the presentation and up to 5 minutes for Q&A). Papers are expected to be 3,000–5,000 words in length for the conference proceedings.
Posters
A poster is a formal graphic presentation of a topic displayed on poster board. This format offers an excellent opportunity for presenting data and visualizations, big ideas, and action. Posters will be exhibited and presented during a reception. Posters should not be used to advertise a product or service. Consult the Poster Guidelines page for more details.
Each poster abstract should include about 750 words describing: (1) purpose; (2) design, methodology, or approach; (3) findings; and (4) practical implications or value. Accepted presenters will be asked to submit a PDF file of their poster to be included on the conference website.
To view outstanding posters selected from the 2018 conference, please visit the Exemplary Posters page. These posters were identified as exemplary by a group of expert peer reviewers in their respective theme.
Workshops
Workshops provide conference attendees an immediate takeaway of practical skills, methods, and tools they can employ at their own libraries. Workshop sessions are interactive and participant numbers are limited to ensure time for hands-on, active learning for participants. Workshops can be half- or full-day and usually take place pre- or post-conference.
Workshop facilitators will receive free conference registration and a modest honorarium. Please limit the number of workshop facilitators to two. If you will need additional facilitators to support the learning activities, please note this in your proposal.
Workshop proposals should include the following elements:
- Title of the workshop
- A 750-word description, including details about how the workshop will actively engage participants in hands-on learning
- 2–3 learning outcomes
- Brief biography (100 words) for each workshop leader, including experience leading workshops
- Audience level of participants (beginner, expert)
- Whether a half-day or full-day workshop is envisioned based on the content, or if flexible to do either
Please note that the final length of the workshop will be determined by the conference steering committee in collaboration with the facilitator(s).
Proposal Submission, Evaluation, Notification, Publication
To submit a proposal, please visit the proposal submission site. The primary author will be required to create a profile. One author should complete the form submission and enter co-author information. Proposal submissions are due by Friday, February 28, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific standard time.
The Library Assessment Conference Steering Committee will evaluate paper and poster proposals based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to effective, sustainable, and practical library assessment
- Significance of contribution to the body of work associated with library assessment
- Clarity of expression
- Status of research (For paper proposals, are the results in hand? When appropriate, please include the timeline for completion of research.)
- Results/findings that can be used to enact change
The committee will evaluate workshop proposals based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to effective, sustainable, and practical library assessment
- Applicability to a variety of libraries (for example, research, community college, etc.)
- Clearly articulated learning outcomes and takeaways
- Clearly articulated plan for how the workshop will engage participants in hands-on activities
- Demonstrated experience in leading workshops or other hands-on instructional activities
Those submitting proposals will be notified of their status in April 2020. Drafts of papers will be due by September 23 and final papers for the proceedings will be due by November 30.
Each accepted presenter will be guaranteed a conference registration place and will be expected to pay the registration fee by August 31. Additional registration information will be available in May.
Papers will be published in the conference proceedings, which will be freely and openly available via the conference website. Poster abstracts and PDF versions of posters will also be available on the conference website. Authors retain the copyright to their original work and are encouraged to publish their work in other established venues and professional journals.
More Information
For additional information, visit the Library Assessment Conference website or email LAConf@arl.org.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of 124 research libraries in Canada and the US whose mission is to advance research, learning, and scholarly communication. The Association fosters the open exchange of ideas and expertise, promotes equity and diversity, and pursues advocacy and public policy efforts that reflect the values of the library, scholarly, and higher education communities. ARL forges partnerships and catalyzes the collective efforts of research libraries to enable knowledge creation and to achieve enduring and barrier-free access to information. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
About the University of Washington Libraries
The University of Washington (UW) Libraries, located in Seattle, is the largest library in the Pacific Northwest. The UW Libraries is well-known for its innovative programs and services in assessment, organizational development, user spaces, and institutional collaboration. Its print and digital collections support world-class research and scholarship in such areas as health sciences, environmental sciences, area and language studies, and the Pacific Northwest. UW Libraries is on the web at www.lib.washington.edu.