IASL 2021 Annual Conference
Broadcasting virtually from Denton, Texas
July 12-16, 2021
CALL FOR PAPERS
The International Association for School Librarianship (IASL), Texas Woman’s University (TWU), and the University of North Texas (UNT) invite professional and research contributions to the 49th Annual Conference and the 24th International Forum on Research on School Librarianship. The conference is dedicated to the advancement of theory and practice in school librarianship.
Call for Papers (downloadable and printable PDF document)
Theme of Conference
- A Rich Tapestry of Practice and Research Around the World
Thematic Topics
- Innovation
- Language & Culture
- Growing Literacies
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Literature & Storytelling
Main Goals of Conference
- to learn about current school library practice and research;
- to discuss the mission, vision, and role of the school librarian in a digital society;
- to explore and discuss ideas for transforming school library programs;
- to learn about school library programs in Texas and the region;
- to create global connections for future collaboration.
Who should attend?
The IASL Annual Conference provides a space for school librarians, teachers, administrators, researchers, and all those with an interest in education and libraries to explore how school librarians effect change, empower learners and positively contribute to education.
Why should you attend?
This year’s conference provides a virtual space for practitioners to share their understandings of where we are today and to build for the future. The conference is participative and promotes dissemination and exchange of ideas in a variety of formats. It is also an excellent opportunity for delegates to learn more about the issues and trends in school librarianship, network with other librarians across the globe, experience the camaraderie of librarianship, and dialogue about research and best practices in school libraries both local and international.
Conference Streams
The conference organizers invite contributions to:
Stream A: Annual Conference of the International Association of School Librarianship
- Professional paper
- Professional workshop
- Special Interest Group presentation
Stream B: International Forum on Research on School Librarianship
- Research paper
Stream C: Poster session
Submitting a Proposal
Each year the IASL conference has an overarching theme which it aims to address in keynote speeches, associated discussions, presentations, workshops, Special Interest Group meetings, and poster presentations. Proposals that address the conference theme, A Rich Tapestry of Practice and Research Around the World, or any aspect of school librarianship in general, are most welcome.
All proposals will be reviewed. Stream A and C proposals will be reviewed by members of the program committee and the selection is based primarily on quality. Stream B proposals will be reviewed in a double-blind process by at least three members of the IASL Research Special Interest Group.
General Submission Process for ALL Proposals
To maintain the high quality of presentations at the conference, to make the program rich and detailed, and to ensure that the review process is fair; all proposal submissions must be made in English.
Before submitting your proposal, you will be required to provide the following information:
- Complete contact information for the person submitting the proposal
- Names, email addresses, and affiliations of all presenters
- A 25-30-word biography statement for each presenter
- Title of the paper, workshop, presentation, or poster
- Stream under which your proposal falls and the type of proposal
- A 100-word description of the presentation, workshop, or poster to be included in the program (please make this description engaging)
Proposals should be prepared and submitted as a .doc, .docx, .rtf or .pdf format. The font should be Times New Roman, size 12, 1.5 line spacing (except the references, which should be single-spaced). All references and in-text citations should conform to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition).
General Selection Criteria:
- Selection of professional papers, workshops, and/or posters will be based on content quality, relevance to theme, and originality. See specific types of proposals for additional information.
- All research proposals must be sent in as a double-blind copy for the review process. See specific proposal guidelines for additional information.
Please submit all proposals at https://cutt.ly/IASL2021Proposals
The deadline for submission of ALL proposals is February 15, 2021.
Submission Guidelines for Specific Types of Proposals
Stream A: Annual Conference of the International Association of School Librarianship
Professional Paper - 30 minutes
Professional papers may explain a topic of interest in school librarianship, demonstrate a new or innovative school library practice, and/or explore issues and trends in school librarianship. A twenty-minute presentation will be followed by ten minutes for questions and discussion.
Submission format: Proposals for a professional paper should be a maximum of 500 words, excluding the reference list. The proposal should include:
- Title
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Objectives of the presentation
- Clear description of what participants will learn
- References (as required)
Professional Workshop or Panel Discussions - 60 minutes
Professional workshops or panel discussions should be designed to engage participants in activities related to the conference theme or a topical issue in school librarianship. Professional workshops or panel discussions are intended to enhance the skills of the attendees, engage in discussion with participants, and/or to foster deeper understandings on the matters related to the conference theme.
Submission Format: In addition to the general guidelines, the proposal should be a maximum of 500 words, and include
- Title
- Abstract that includes:
- At least two measurable outcomes or objective/s of the workshop or panel
- A detailed description of the contents of the workshop or panel
- The activities/discussions in which the delegates will be engaged
- Plans to encourage interaction between participants and with the presenter(s)
- Examples of tasks and/or learning experiences
Try to answer the following questions in your proposal:
- What types of collaboration, interactivity, or discussion will occur during the workshop?
- What will participants take home as a tangible deliverable or takeaway?
- How will the participants be able to apply the effective practices shared in the workshop in their own context?
- Who do you envision as the primary audience types who would get the most out of this session and why?
Special Interest Group (SIG) Session - 60 minutes, 90 minutes, 120 minutes
The Chair of each Special Interest Groups (SIGs) is encouraged to propose a session for the conference specifically related to their mission and goals.
Submission Format: In addition to the general guidelines, the proposal should be a maximum of 500 words, and include:
- A detailed description of the session
- Plans to encourage interaction between participants and with the presenter(s)
Try to answer the following questions in your proposal:
- What are the goals of the SIG in holding this session?
- What will participants learn from the session?
- How might the participants contribute to the work of the SIG?
- Who do you envision as the primary audience types who would get the most out of this session and why?
Please submit all proposals at https://cutt.ly/IASL2021Proposals
Stream B: International Forum on Research on School Librarianship
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For Stream B proposals, please follow the guidelines below to prepare your proposal for double-blind peer review which means that both the reviewer and author identities are concealed from the reviewers, and vice versa, throughout the review process. Preparing your proposal for double-blind review Besides the obvious need to remove names and affiliations under the title within the manuscript, there are other steps that need to be taken to ensure the proposal is correctly prepared for double-blind peer review. To assist with this process, the key items that need to be observed are as follows:
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Research Paper - 30 minutes
Research papers should present original research of interest to those involved in school librarianship. A twenty-minute presentation will be followed by ten minutes for questions and discussion.
Submission format: A research paper proposal should be a maximum of 1000 words excluding references. The proposal should include the following (or similar) headings:
- Introduction
- Statement of the Research Problem
- Literature review
- Methodology
- Findings (may be preliminary)
- Discussion
- Implications and Conclusions
- References
Selection Criteria - Research proposals will be evaluated based on the following:
- Is the research problem of interest to the conference audience?
- Does the proposal present original research?
- Does the proposal demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the literature?
- Are the research methods (e.g., design, methodology, analyses) appropriate?
- Are the conclusions well supported?
- Is the proposal well written?
- Does it follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) for in-text citations and references?
Abstract or Paper Publication:
All accepted research abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings. Attendees wishing to submit a full-length research paper (5000-6000 words) may do so by the deadline, May 1, 2021, for the accepted paper to be included in the conference proceedings.
Please submit all proposals at https://cutt.ly/IASL2021Proposals
Stream C: Poster Session
Posters may illustrate/exhibit works in progress or completed research projects and/or special programs that address any of the thematic topics for the conference, such as Innovation, Language & Culture, Growing Literacies, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and/or Literature & Storytelling. Posters are accepted for presentation as:
- A maximum of 1m x 1.5m (approx. 3’x5’) full-color poster to be displayed during the conference
- Poster layout may utilize any combination of photographs, graphics, and textual information
- An electronic pdf copy of a print-ready poster file is to be submitted for review
Because a poster is research presented in a visual format, the submission format, and selection criteria are similar to those for research papers.
Submission format: A poster proposal should be a maximum of 500-1000 words, excluding references. The proposal should include the following (or similar) headings:
- Title
- Abstract that describes:
- the format of the poster
- the kinds of visual materials that will be included on the poster (photographs, data samples, graphs, etc.)
- how these illustrate the project or particular aspect of the work
- Statement of the Research Problem
- Literature review
- Methodology
- Findings (may be preliminary)
- Discussion
- Implications and Conclusions
- References
Selection Criteria: Poster proposals will be evaluated based on the following:
- Is the research problem of interest to the conference audience?
- Does the proposal follow submission guidelines (format, headings, word limit, etc.)?
- Does the proposal present original research and/or innovative program ideas?
- Does the proposal demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the literature?
- Are the research methods (e.g., design, methodology, analyses) appropriate?
- Are the conclusions well supported?
- Is the proposal well written?
- Does it follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition) for in-text citations and references?
Poster Abstract Publication
All abstracts of accepted poster proposals will be published in the conference proceedings.
**Please note that printed posters may not be sent in advance to the organizers**
Please submit all proposals at https://cutt.ly/IASL2021Proposals
The deadline for submission of ALL proposals is February 15, 2021.
