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Call for Presentations

We’re thrilled to invite you to be part of what makes the ACL Annual Conference so impactful – the presentations shared by librarians! The 2025 Call for Presentation Proposals is now open, and this year’s theme, Libraries: Gems of the Community, highlight how libraries serve as essential centers for learning and connections.

Presentations from library colleagues are a cornerstone of the ACL Annual Conference, enriching our collective learning experience. We are seeking well-researched, engaging presentations that balance theory and practice. Topic ideas along with presentation formats, selection criteria and timeline are on the Conference Presentations Webpage. In addition, approved presenters are eligible to receive a registration discount for Conference.

Are you wondering what makes a solid presentation proposal? Do you want feedback on your idea or the chance to collaborate with others? Perhaps you need a little direction to get started? If any of these resonate with you, join us for the ACL Conference Presentation Proposal Lab on either:

We will guide you through the proposal process, help refine your ideas, and provide encouragement.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to present at the 2025 ACL Annual Conference. Please submit your presentation proposal by December 5th, 2024.*

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Kind Regards,

Miriam Liethen
ACL Presentation Coordinator
conferenceprezo@acl.org

* By submitting a proposal, you indicate your intention to register for Conference during the Early Bird Registration, and commit to attending at least one day of Conference in Idaho.

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Continuing Education Coordinator – NEFLIN (Northeast Florida Library Information Network) – Orange Park, FL

Job Summary

Join our team at NEFLIN, a non-profit library cooperative, dedicated to excellence in library services across Florida. We pride ourselves on fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We are seeking a talented Training Coordinator to support our training and development initiatives. As our Training Coordinator, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of our training programs. You will collaborate with various stakeholders to assess training needs, coordinate logistics, and facilitate training sessions. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and passionate about empowering library professionals to deliver exceptional services. Working Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm at our office in Orange Park. Salary Range: $48,000 – $53,000/Year. Start Date: January 6, 2025.

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Idaho Awaits: Your Roadmap to Affordable Participation in the 2025 ACL Annual Conference

2025 ACL Annual Conference – In-Person Only

For the past several years, ACL has included an online component in our annual conference. However, due to declining virtual participation and rising technical costs, there will be no virtual component for the 2025 ACL Annual Conference. Instead, ACL will be offering other virtual professional development opportunities throughout the year. This shift allows us to fully dedicate our resources to making the in-person gathering a truly enriching experience with embodied engagement and learning alongside Christian librarians in similar roles.

Making Conference Participation Affordable

We encourage you to start mapping your attendance strategy for the 2025 ACL Annual Conference, held June 2-4 in Nampa, Idaho, at Northwest Nazarene University. We understand that financial limitations are often roadblocks to attending the conference, and ACL remains committed to creating pathways to make participation as affordable as possible despite rising costs. We’re pleased to announce that our hosting library at Northwest Nazarene University has secured a grant to help reduce expenses for attendees in 2025.

Here are additional ways to make conference participation more budget-friendly:

  • Christian Periodical Indexers: If you index for the Christian Periodical Index, you can double your indexing token compensation to be used as credit towards your conference registration. Some indexers have paid very little out of pocket by using this benefit!
  • Presenters Discount: Selected presenters receive up to $50 off their registration, so consider submitting a proposal and sharing your expertise.
  • Institutional Support: Many university administrators view conference participation as vital for faculty to stay current in their field, share research, and network with peers, all while enhancing their institution’s visibility. Presenting a workshop or poster at conference may increase your institution’s willingness to cover your expenses, so start brainstorming presentation ideas early!
  • Non-Traditional Funding Avenues: Explore alternative routes through grants or special institutional funding.
  • Conference Scholarships: Multiple pathways to funding are available through ACL, including the new Jeanette Parker Memorial Conference Scholarship for ACL members pursuing an MLIS or MLS degree.
  • Be an Early Bird: Get on the fast track to savings by signing up during the Early Bird period and receive an automatic $15 discount on your registration.
  • Travel Economically: Chart a cost-effective journey by sharing rides or coordinating travel plans with colleagues to reduce transportation costs.

Stay tuned as we continue to map out more updates and announcements in the coming months, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need directions along the way.

We hope to see you in Idaho!

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Assistant Librarian for Research & Instruction – Biola University – La Miarada, CA

Job Summary

Biola University is seeking an individual with strong aptitudes for collaboration, connecting well with faculty and students, thriving in a classroom setting, and proactively serving a thriving learning community. A candidate may be as much as two years away from the completion of an MLIS program. Everything else can be learned on the job as a member of the Biola library team. This fall, Biola is enjoying its third consecutive year of enrollment increases as students are drawn to Biola’s unique learning community where all faculty, staff, and students are professing Christians focused on truth (patterns of thought), transformation (patterns of heart) and testimony (patterns of action). This position will actively advance Biola’s mission of “biblically centered education, scholarship and service — equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.” In more formal language, the Assistant Librarian for Research and Instruction holds a key role in a collaborative library team to ensure that the Biola community develops skills in discovering, evaluating, and using scholarly resources by providing research support and instruction and assisting in curating the library collection needed to support research assignments within assigned liaison schools’ curriculum. Salary depends upon rank. Example: Assistant Librarian 1 ($6,703 per month) or Assistant Librarian 2 ($7,154 per month).

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10/2024 – Meredith Ader

Meredith is the Head of Research and Instruction at the Regent University Library in Virginia Beach, VA (12,000 FTE). Meredith has been a member of ACL since 2017.

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Graduate & E-Resources Librarian – Taylor University – Upland, IN

Job Summary

The Graduate and E-Resources Librarian provides specialized research expertise to students and faculty in Taylor’s graduate programs. The Graduate and E-Resources Librarian will develop and implement strategic initiatives that enhance research, scholarship, and innovation within Taylor’s Graduate School community. In addition to graduate research services, the Graduate and E-Resources Librarian directly supports the research, teaching, and learning mission of Zondervan Library by supervising the continuing resources lifecycle management and workflows, including acquisition, renewals, licensing, discovery, access, maintenance, and evaluation. The incumbent works to ensure access to and support for robust and innovative collections, efficient and careful acquisition of online resources, and effective engagement with colleagues across the library and externally with consortia and vendors. Sixty percent of this position is dedicated to graduate student research support with forty percent dedicated to the library’s electronic continuing resources.

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Librarian – Virginia Christian College – Dumfries, VA

Job Summary

We are seeking a dedicated and mission-driven Remote Librarian to join our small Christian college community. This unique role is a blend of librarianship and ministry, ideal for someone passionate about serving students and faculty in their academic and spiritual growth. While this position offers a modest salary, it provides a meaningful opportunity to contribute to a growing institution, with potential for professional and financial growth as the college’s budget expands.

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Technical Services Librarian – Nelson University – Waxahachie, TX

Job Summary

Nelson University exists to equip students spiritually, academically, professionally, and cross-culturally for their God-given careers and callings.

The Technical Services Librarian must be skilled and proficient in the organization of information, use of technology, performing research, and inputting data. The librarian should also have excellent communication skills in dealing with students, staff, faculty, and the general public.

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Director of Library Services – Westminster Theological Seminary – Glenside, PA

Job Summary

The Director is responsible for setting the vision and objectives for the library’s staff, collections, and services, with special emphasis on inculcating research skills among students. This position reports to the Dean of Biblical and Theological Studies.

Westminster Theological Seminary is a Protestant theological seminary in the Reformed theological tradition, which will be celebrating the centenary of its founding in 2029. In addition to on-site programs at its Philadelphia campus, the seminary offers a growing range of programs online, as well as in non-English languages and cultures. The library currently has approximately 150,000 print volumes, approximately 550 periodical subscriptions, and offers a substantial array of electronic resources. In addition, the seminary’s Archives and Special Collections house essential resources relating to Westminster’s heritage, including the papers of J. Gresham Machen, Cornelius Van Til, etc. A complete renovation of the library’s main floor is presently underway, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2024.

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The Ruler of Kings on Earth

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. (Revelation 1:4b-5a ESV)

We face unsettling times not only as Christians but also as librarians. Nevertheless, we can take comfort in the Apostle John’s pastoral greetings of grace and peace from God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son. Though people in this world may despise us and undermine God’s truth, we have this assurance that God is sovereign over all. Though our lives may be riddled with uncertainty and concerns, we have this hope that Jesus is ruling. We can look to Him, for He knows our struggles and cares for us.

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