The 2024 ACL Conference is gearing up to be an innovative and interactive gathering for librarian professionals at University of Northwestern – St. Paul June 10-12 and online June 25-26.

Presentations prepared and given by library colleagues are an important part of the ACL Annual Conference and are typically 60 minutes long. We are looking for in-person and online presentations that balance both theory and practice, are well-researched, and are presented in an engaging manner. 

Please contact Ruth McGuire, ACL Presentation Coordinator, (conferenceprezo@acl.org) with any questions.

If you are interested in presenting a poster, please check back for more information to be shared at a later date.

Topics of Interest to the Association Include:

  • Advocacy and Outreach
  • Archives Management
  • Assessment of Student Learning or Library Services
  • Changing Library Environments
  • Collection Development
  • Distance Learning
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
  • Embedded Librarianship
  • Faculty Collaboration
  • Future of Librarianship
  • Information Literacy and Library Instruction
  • Integration of Faith and Profession
  • Leadership/Management
  • Open Educational Resources/Open Access
  • Partnerships with the Writing Center, Student Life, or Other Campus Departments
  • Public, Access, Technical, or Web Services
  • Research Support to Faculty or Students
  • Scholarly Communication
  • Specialized Collections or Programs
  • Student Engagement/High-impact Practices
  • Writing, Professional or Creative

Presentation Formats:

  • Workshop: The presenter uses a lecture or hands-on format, allowing 10 minutes at the end for questions and discussion.
  • Panel: Group of two or three experts present on the same concepts or convey varying points of view, allowing time at the end for questions and discussion.
  • Roundtable Discussion: Informal group discussion around a specific topic. The leader will be prepared with comments and questions, will keep the discussion focused on the topic and will encourage the participation of all attendees.

How are presentations selected?

A selection team reviews and chooses presentations based on several criteria included in the below rubric. We hope this tool is useful in understanding what the selection team is looking for and will assist in your proposal formation.

  • Purpose, Clarity, and Organization of the Proposal
    Does the topic address current, relevant, and/or highly significant issues in the field of librarianship?
    Is the proposal written professionally, and does it adequately explain the topic?
  • Outcome
    Will participants leave with inspiration, new knowledge, skills, tools, or innovative perspectives?
  • Relevance to Theme
    Does the workshop connect to the conference theme?
  • Topic/Content
    To what extent will the session result in a gain of knowledge in a specific area?
    To what extent will the session result in the development of a new skill or practice?
    To what extent will the session provide a tangible tool or best-practice model for use?
  • Speaker
    To what extent is the speaker qualified or respected in the proposed workshop content area?

2024 Expectations for Presenters

Presenters must register for the ACL Annual Conference. Selected presenters have the opportunity to receive a discount on conference registration. For 2024, presenters will choose to submit a presentation proposal for either the in-person conference or the virtual conference.

  • If you are attending the in-person conference, the virtual conference component is included in your registration cost. You may choose to present at either event.
  • If you are attending only the virtual conference June 25-26, you may present at that event only. For 2024, the format for online presentations will be pre-recorded workshops that are released at a scheduled workshop timeslot on June 25 or 26 and will be immediately followed by a Live Q&A session. Please note that anyone who presents during the virtual conference must lead the Live Q&A session directly following their workshop presentation.

2024 Timelines for Presentation Presenters

In-Person Conference Presenters

  • November 7, 2023 – Call opens for presentations
  • December 18, 2023 – Deadline for submitting a presentation proposal
  • January 12, 2024 – Notification of acceptance of presentations
  • January 21, 2024 – Deadline for presenter acceptance
  • February 16, 2024 – Deadline for uploading presenter photo/bio and workshop description to Whova
  • March 15, 2024 – Deadline for presenters to register for conference
  • June 9, 2024 – Attend Presenters Meeting at conference
  • June 9, 2024 – Deadline to upload or link workshop slides and handouts to Whova workshop profile
  • June 10-12, 2024 – Attend 2024 ACL Annual Conference at University of Northwestern – St. Paul. Present during your scheduled workshop timeslot.

Virtual Conference Presenters

  • November 7, 2023 – Call opens for presentations
  • December 18, 2023 – Deadline for submitting a presentation proposal
  • January 12, 2024 – Notification of acceptance of presentations
  • January 21, 2024 – Deadline for presenter acceptance
  • February 16, 2024 – Deadline for uploading presenter photo/bio and workshop description to Whova
  • March 15, 2024 – Deadline for presenters to register for conference
  • Early April 2024 – Attend online presenter training.
  • April 30, 2024 – Complete and submit the virtual speaker disclosure form. (This form must be completed by all presenters and co-presenters.)
  • May 30, 2024 – Deadline for online presenters to upload recorded workshop (closed captions should be included at this time)
  • June 25-26, 2024 – Participate in Virtual Conference and lead the Live Q&A for your presentation at the scheduled timeslot.