CARL 2018: The Academic Library in Times of Change

April 13-15, 2018

Pullman San Francisco Bay Hotel, Redwood City, California

California Academic & Research Libraries

Submission Form now Open!

Change is an inevitable and can be a welcome part of our jobs. In this ever-changing landscape, libraries are feeling pressure to provide solutions to many and various challenges: shifts in access to our resources, “evolving” ideas of credibility and authority, increasing threats to our patrons’ civil liberties, a movement to “all-things-digital”, staff/library reorganization, and more. How can libraries rise to the challenges of engaging our students and colleagues, advocating for our communities, and protecting our democracy? The CARL 2018 Conference builds upon the CARL 2016 Conference, “What we talk about when we talk about value…” by asking: How will we, as libraries, navigate change, reassert and use our core values to ground our everyday work, strengthen our advocacy, and buoy our hopes in times of uncertainty?

From a March 2017 article in American Libraries, trends to watch include: entrepreneurship, civic engagement and innovation, school libraries as global educators, sustainability, virtual reality, welcoming communities, accessibility, academic tech focus, and 21st century ethics. What do these trends look like on a more local level, and how can we translate them into the work we do on a day-to-day basis?

Sessions will include, but are not limited to, the following areas:

The Library Bill of Rights and the core values of librarianship; issues of equal access, diversity, and inclusion; concerns with intellectual freedom, privacy, and censorship

  • Misinformation, disinformation, and educating users
  • New ways of understanding the user experience to shape library services and programs
  • Open access, OER, scholarly communication, and copyright challenges
  • Resource sharing, consortial practices, shared collections, and discovery systems
  • Changing roles of librarians, and the larger changes in the profession
  • Innovations in acquisitions and technical services: Cataloging, RDA implementation, electronics rights management, demand-driven acquisition, eBooks, and big data/library metrics
  • Collaborative partnerships on- and off-campus

Successful proposals should demonstrate fearless risk-taking, quirky approaches to the same old problems, and down-right insanity when it comes to embracing change.

We will accept proposals on your research or practice related to the conference theme for the following session types:

  • Preconference Sessions: These 4-hour workshop sessions will provide a research framework for practical activities that engage participants around a topic. The due date for these proposals will be October 1, 2017.
  • Research into Practice Sessions: These sessions will present original research around the conference theme in a 60-minute session. The due date for these proposals will be October 1, 2017.
  • Engaging in Practice Sessions: This presentation is a 60-minute session that is structured to include audience participation in the form of engaging discussion questions or activities, and have a practical take-away for the attendees. The due date for these proposals will be October 1, 2017.
  • Panel Presentations: These sessions bring together 2-5 presenters into a cohesive conversation intended to engage audience members in a 60-minute session. The due date for these proposals will be October 1, 2017.
  • Poster Sessions: This sessions will be posters on a topic related to the conference theme. The due date for these proposals will be January 15, 2018.
  • Round Table Discussions: These sessions will offer conversation on a current topic in libraries, in a casual, round table setting. The due date for these proposals will be January 15, 2018.

Fine Print

All presenters must register and pay for the conference.  All presenters, regardless of session type, will be asked to submit a paper and/or summary of their session to the proceedings.

Important Dates

 July 19, 2017 – Submission Form Open

Sept. 1, 2017 – Registration Opens

Oct. 1, 2017 – Proposals Due for Pre-Conference, Research into Practice, Engaging in Practice and Panels

Nov. 1, 2017 – Selections Announced

Jan. 15, 2018 – Proposals Due for Posters and Round Table Discussions

Feb. 1, 2018 – Final Program Announced

March 2, 2018 – Early Bird Registration Ends

If you have any questions about the conference, please contact the conference planning team.

Conference Planning Team

Allison Carr, Chair, Conference Planning Team
Lee Adams, Conference Planning Team
Joseph Aubele, Conference Planning Team
Talitha Matlin, Conference Planning Team

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