Call for Proposals

Annual Calls for Proposals are issued for our Spring Institute for Youth Services Conference and our Annual Conference. Calls for Proposals for webinars, workshops, and additional resources are issued as needed. Review details of open and upcoming calls for proposals below.

Spring Institute for Youth Services 2024

Submissions are welcome through November 24, 2023.

It's a beautiful day in the library! At Spring Institute 2024, our goal is to spread our knowledge, help the helpers, and share our significant experiences and ideas along with helpful tips and tricks that can be brought back to your library. We want to help the helpers who support and strengthen our diverse communities. We're aiming to infuse joy and reinvigorate library professionals with the latest ideas and knowledge in professional development. Join us and get empowered at Spring Institute 2024!

Spring Institute is the premier professional development and networking event for Michigan library youth and teen services professionals. What will make the 2024 event special is the energy and drive that you bring to the table. You spend all year spearheading new initiatives, discovering new ways to reach your community, and improving your professional skills. Now is the chance to showcase that work!

Ultimately, we need you. We need your best practices, engaging ideas, and input. This is an excellent opportunity for you to develop as a library professional. Submit your ideas and help take your library skills to the next level.

Call for Proposals Closes: Friday, November 24, 2023

Speaker Notification: Friday, December 8, 2023

Speaker Agreement Due: Friday, January 12, 2024

Presentation Materials Due: Friday, February 23, 2024

SUBMIT A PROGRAM PROPOSAL

Program Submission General Guidelines

Download the MLA Spring Institute for Youth Services 2024 Call for Program Guidelines (pdf).

• Proposals must be submitted through the Call for Proposals form on the MLA website. Emailed submissions will not be accepted without prior approval.
• The submitter may or may not also be the presenter.
• You do not need to be an MLA member to submit a proposal or present.
• Presentations cannot include sales pitches for specific products or services.
• Presenters must be able to attend Spring Institute in-person.
• Contact information is required for each presenter. MLA will publish the names, job title, organization, and a short biography of each presenter on the Spring Institute website, unless directed otherwise.
• Breakout sessions are 45 minutes long, including time for audience questions.
• MLA will not reimburse or compensate for presentation time, mileage, or any other expense related to participation in the conference.
• Presenters, including MLA members, must register and pay for the day(s) they attend Spring Institute if they plan to participate in any conference activities beyond their presentation.

Presentation AV & Room Setup

• All presentation rooms will be supplied with a HDMI connected PC laptop, projector, screen, and microphone. Presenters may provide their own laptops or use the provided laptops.
• Wi-Fi internet will be in each presentation room; however, MLA cannot guarantee the speed and dependability of the services at any given time.
• Remote mouse devices/pointers are the responsibility of the presenter. If presenters choose to bring their own computer that does not have an HDMI connection, they will be responsible for providing their own cables or adapter.
• Rooms will be set with theater style seating (chairs facing forward without desks or tables).

Agreements and Selection Notification

• MLA will contact each presenter in writing with regards to final decisions of the acceptance process by December 8, 2023.
• MLA will send all individual presenters a Presenter Agreement indicating date, time, and details of their presentation. This will be confirmed by the presenters and returned to MLA by January 12, 2024.

Handouts

• Handouts will be added to the event website and mobile app. Examples of handouts may include, but are not limited to: presenter contact information, a list of additional resources, a copy of presentation slides, or related worksheets. Handouts are not required but are strongly encouraged.
• Hard copies of handouts will not be printed or distributed. Presenters may provide hard copies of handouts if desired at their own cost.
• All presentation materials will be due to MLA by February 23, 2024 and will be posted to MLA’s website.

Selection Criteria

The MLA Spring Institute for Youth Services workgroup will use the following criteria in assessing the viability of including presentations in the schedule. The work group retains the right to reject, modify, or combine proposals.

Additionally, preference will be given to proposals that connect to the 2024 theme: It’s a Beautiful Day in the Library.

• Purpose — Does the proposal clearly identify a goal and takeaways for the audience?
• Audience — Is the target audience clearly identified?
• Practicality — Is the topic appropriate for a conference breakout session in content and target audience?
• Engagement — Will the presentation and presenter(s) keep the audience’s focus and attention through clear speech, engaging visuals, useful and relatable content?
• Timeliness/Relevance — Is the topic of current interest, bringing new ideas and a fresh perspective to its intended audience and theme?
• Qualifications — Does the speaker(s) have sufficient background experience to present on the proposed topic?

Timeline

• Friday, November 24, 2023 — Final day to submit proposals.
• Friday, December 8, 2023 — Selection notifications distributed via email from MLA to all presenters.
• Friday, January 12, 2024 — Presenter agreements due to MLA office.
• Friday, February 23, 2024 — Handouts received for posting on MLA website.
• Thursday and Friday, March 7-8, 2024 — MLA 2024 Spring Institute, Muskegon.

Questions

Please feel free to contact MLA’s Program and Event Director Amber Sheerin or Ashley Lehman, Spring Institute 2024 Conference Chair, with any questions you may have prior to your submission.

Amber Sheerin, Michigan Library Association: [email protected]
Ashley Lehman, Orion Township Public Library: [email protected]