Call for Proposals: BC Library Conference 2017

October 27, 2016

Ignite your passion for new ideas.

April 19 to 21, Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront, 1133 West Hastings St, Vancouver, BC

Proposal submission deadline: December 6, 2016, 11:59 pm

Seek. Spark. Ignite.

What gets you fired up? How do you know what to change, what to create, and what to let go? Creative tension can lead to breakthrough ideas in the library sector. Together, we can spark new solutions to the challenges we face, and light the path to future discoveries.

The conference theme is a timely call to action: be curious, take risks and explore the unknown.

If you want to engage with people who ignite innovative change, join us at the 2017 BC Library Conference.

We encourage conference session proposals that are provocative and bold. The transformation of the way we live, work and learn creates a constant state of ‘beta,’ and we welcome sessions that describe ideas or models in a state of evolution. We have much to learn from each other, and from allied professionals and organizations. We hope you will share your best learning experiences, ambitions and aspirations with the library community.

The program streams access, evidence, activism, place, community, and work are vital areas of dialogue to ignite conversation. They are designed to transcend boundaries that can keep library sectors in silos. For more details about the program streams:

Access Commodification of information, copyright, licensing vs ownership, digitization and preservation, metadata schemas and standards, open access, closed stacks, and institutional repositories – ensuring information remains accessible for everyone is not easy or guaranteed. Are our current tools of access and description adequate? What are we doing to advocate for free access and is it enough? What are the threats to access in both the physical and digital worlds?

Activism We are not neutral. We are information activists, creators of information policy, advocates for intellectual freedom and protection of privacy. We challenge exclusion and digital divides and support social justice and diversity. How are we upholding the values and missions that protect and support our communities? What are we doing both internally and externally to ensure the library remains an open and inclusive space? What issues should we identify, address, or rally around to continue this important aspect of our profession?

Community If what we do in libraries isn’t about our communities, then is it about anything at all? Libraries – public, academic, school or special – belong to a multitude of communities and are building relationships in those communities in different ways. What are the communities we belong to how are we engaging with them in meaningful ways? In these times of outreach, partnerships, community-based services, and community-led libraries, let’s set aside some time for deliberate, meaningful reflection.

Evidence Evidence based library practice anyone? With this stream, we hope to make space for librarians and other information professionals to talk about research and how their findings can contribute to decision making in our professional practice. Let’s look beyond reference and circulation stats and ask how are we really doing?

Place Learning space, maker/hackerspace, community space, physical and online space– the library as place of cultural and intellectual meaning is in a period of renewal. We are reconfiguring our spaces to be flexible and in many ways undefined. What are we learning about public space, user needs, and libraries as places?

Work From collective bargaining and workers’ rights to professional development and identity, to the nuanced politics of communal fridges, we all share experiences and have valuable insight to contribute as workers. In this stream, we propose an exploration of that role within our various contexts. Let’s talk theory, practice, and everything in between.

We are continuing with the same proposal submission process as last year and are using ProposalSpace submit and collect proposals. Before going directly to the proposal submission space we urge you to read the FAQ that will explain the submission process.

Submission process and FAQ:  https://bclaconnect.ca/2017-conference/proposal-submission-faq/

Once you have read about the submission process and the FAQ, please go to ProposalSpace to submit your proposal. As in previous years there are several fields that need to be completed. Unlike previous years you are able to complete the proposal template in stages if you need to collect additional information and revisit your proposal as often as you need to up until you hit the “submit” button.

You will also notice that once you are on ProposalSpace you will be asked to create an account. This is simple, just follow the instructions. Once an account is created you are able to access your proposal as often as you need to until you submit it!

Proposal Space: https://proposalspace.com/calls/d/685

If you have any questions about using ProposalSpace please contact the BC Library Conference Coordinator, Shannon Stumph at: shannon@dfcevents.ca