Calling all librarians!
Do you have a tool, project, or great idea about teaching and learning online that you'd like to share with your peers? The ACRL Distance and Online Learning Section Instruction Committee (DOLS-IC) invites you to submit a proposal to our third annual Distance and Online Library Instruction Virtual Poster Session, which will take place April 26-30, 2021. Proposals are due February 17, 2021.
What is a virtual poster session?
The term “poster” is used very loosely. The intent is to keep the spirit of the traditional poster session while allowing for creativity in the format used. As in traditional poster sessions, virtual presenters will create short, asynchronous presentations of their work and be available to answer questions during the week of the poster session. While an image or PDF that matches the traditional poster format is welcome, the sky's the limit! Interactive and multimedia formats are especially encouraged.
All posters will be hosted on the DOLS website. During the poster session week, presenters will asynchronously engage with attendees throughout the week. Viewers can ask questions about your work through commenting functionality and engage in conversation with you about your topic. After the poster session week has concluded, the posters will be archived on the DOLS website so that they can continue to be viewed indefinitely.
What is the timeline for this event?
- Proposals are due by February 17, 2021.
- If accepted, you'll be asked to submit your completed poster by April 9, 2021.
- The virtual poster session will take place April 26-30, 2021. Presenters will actively respond to comments and questions for the full week of the poster session. The DOLS-IC will assist with promoting interaction, but we ask that you check in on your poster at least once a day to keep the conversation going.
What topics can I present on?
Posters can be on any topic related to distance and online library instruction. We would love to hear about your successes and failures in teaching distance and online students, your instructional techniques and approaches, and the tools and technologies that you use! We encourage you to align your proposal with one of our six tracks:
- The Accidental Virtual Librarian: How did you handle the rapid transition to online learning back in March? Did you sink or swim? Tell us about your experiences.
- Accessibility and Inclusivity: How do you ensure that your online courses and learning objects are accessible and inclusive?
- Assessment: How do you assess your online instruction (including qualitative and affective assessment)?
- Instructional Collaborations: How do you effectively build relationships and collaborate with faculty, instructional designers, and others to instruct distance and online students?
- Project Planning & Management: How do you efficiently manage the “behind the scenes” work of planning, developing, reviewing, and updating online courses and learning objects?
- Student Engagement: How do you ensure students remain engaged in your synchronous and asynchronous online instruction?
How will presenters be chosen?
We seek to provide a poster session featuring a diversity of perspectives and especially invite posters from librarians, staff, and LIS students that highlight voices and experiences which are underrepresented in libraries. Proposals will be reviewed and selected by DOLS-IC members, using a blind peer review process based on the following criteria:
Quality of Proposal: Is the information requested on the proposal submission form complete? Is the abstract well written and articulate, and does it clearly describe the main idea of the poster?
- Alignment to Poster Session Theme: Is the poster about library instruction in the distance/online environment?
- Interest to Attendees: Does the topic have potential to attract poster session attendees and stimulate conversation? Will innovative, new, and/or unique information be presented? Is the topic practical, easily implemented, and broadly applicable?
I'm ready to submit!
I still have questions!
If you have questions, please contact ACRL Distance and Online Learning Section Instruction Committee Co-Chairs, Matthew LaBrake (matthew-labrake@
