The WLA Programming Committee is excited to review your program proposals for the next annual conference, to be held October 28-31, 2025 at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton, WI. This year’s conference theme is “Be the Change". The WLA annual conference is an event where everyone can contribute valuable knowledge and connect with others in the library and information community.

We are now accepting proposals for presentations, panels, and workshops. WLA members and non-members are encouraged to apply. Breakout sessions will run 60 minutes in length, with a maximum of four presenters and one moderator. Presenters may be part of up to two breakout sessions. Only proposals for in-person sessions will be considered.

Who is encouraged to send us a proposal?

• People from various departments in library types and organizations (academic, public, special, and school), including youth services, outreach, adult services, marketing, technical services, patron services, programming, etc.
• People across the organizational hierarchy: patron-facing staff, administration, directors, emerging and incumbent leaders, trustees, etc.
• People from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities, including those who identify as: BIPOC, neurodivergent, people with disabilities, or LGBTQ+.

Room Setup

Attendee seating will be theater style (chairs only) in all breakout rooms. Rooms will be refreshed by hotel staff between sessions, but the conference is not able to offer special room setups. Rooms will include an HDMI-enabled projector, projection cart, screen, podium, and microphone. Presenters are responsible for bringing their own laptops, power adaptors, and projection adaptors. To best to accommodate every attendee, every speaker must speak using a microphone.

WLA is able to accommodate a limited number of panel presentations for the 2025 Fall Conference. To be considered a panel, there must be at least 3 panelists (up to a maximum of 4) per session, in addition to a speaker/moderator at the podium. A panel room set up includes a podium with microphone next to a draped table with 4 chairs. 

A single or duo speaker room includes a podium with a microphone, but does not include a table or chairs. In a situation where there are two speakers, they will need to share the podium and the microphone.

Deadlines and Agreements

All responses must be received in full by 5 p.m. CST on May 9, 2025 to be considered.

WLA believes in protection for their presenters as well as the Association. If selected as a presenter, an agreement will be executed that provides for mutually beneficial force majeure and indemnification. 

There must be one representative per session to serve as point of contact. WLA will only send one agreement per session. The person submitting this proposal is responsible for including names and contact information in the proposal and agreement for all presenters in their session. Please include all planned speakers in this proposal. Once presenter agreements are executed, WLA staff will compile information on sessions and presenters for our website, conference app and promotional materials and schedules that may need to be printed. For this reason, final information on specific presenters and sessions must be included in presenter agreements. WLA is not able to guarantee that changes will be included in conference mediums if changes are received after agreements are executed.

The designated contact who is filling out this form will also need to complete the agreement form, sign, and return it to WLA by the designated deadline.

Presenters must register and pay registration fees for the WLA annual conference if they plan to attend other sessions or conference events.  WLA does not pay honorariums or reimbursements to members of the Wisconsin library community. If presenters only plan to deliver their presentation and then leave, they do not need to register for the conference.

All presenters agree to abide by the WLA code of conduct.

Timeline: 

• Proposals due at 5 p.m. CST on May 9, 2025
• Presenters will be notified of their status and presenter agreements will be electronically distributed by the WLA office by June 13, 2025.
• Signed agreements must be received by the WLA office by 5 p.m. CST on June 26, 2025 for the session to be approved for the conference
• WLA will return fully executed agreements, that include meeting space designations, to presenters by July 18, 2025.

Conference Proposal Workshop
Join us for an online proposal workshop on April 16 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. and May 5 from 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. to learn more about the proposal process and get tips for crafting a successful submission.   Mark your calendars and join the workshop using this link:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86547797705?pwd=AyeMZBHRyBAmAeEutVGb8GecyDKhEc.1

Submission Deadline

Please submit your proposal using the online form linked here: https://forms.gle/Vd68vDSG989yc4ns7 by 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, May 9.

Contact program committee members Daphne Goldfinch and Michelle Dennis with questions. Enter an email address below to get a copy of your proposal by email. Upon submitting your proposal, you will receive an automated confirmation email that will include your submission. Please retain a copy of your proposal for your records and future reference.