The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) seeks individuals in the Canadian and US library and archives community who are committed to advancing the purpose of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility in Libraries & Archives (IDEAL) Conference to serve on the IDEAL Conference 2024 Planning Task Force and Working Groups. The conference will take place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, July 15–17, 2024.
This opportunity is open to all in the Canadian and US library and archives community. Graduate students and library employees in any stage of their career are encouraged to apply. You do not need to work for an ARL member institution to serve on the IDEAL Planning Task Force and Working Groups.
The term for the task force and working groups is 17 months, approximately July 1, 2023—November 30, 2024. The task force will meet at least one hour each month via video conferencing platforms; occasional additional meetings are expected to be required leading up to the conference as well as afterwards. Asynchronous work is anticipated; the time required will be based on the needs of the task force.
The task force is responsible for:
- Advising ARL staff on event programming and delivery
- Assisting ARL staff with event programming and delivery
- Reviewing assessment and evaluation results to provide feedback and recommendations to the ARL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and ARL staff to shape changes for future conferences and considerations for the Association
- Promoting the conference to encourage interest and registration
- Attending the conference (Should other arrangements be needed, this should be noted in the expression-of-interest submission.)
Task force members are responsible for chairing a working group:
- Production (co-chairs): Leads the planning of conference logistics and details in partnership with Participant Experience Working Group; executes onsite production and logistical tasks with guidance from ARL staff.
- Participant Experience: Leads the creative elements of the IDEAL Conference experience in partnership with the Production Working Group; organizes the value-added components that enhance the participant experience and complement the content experience.
- Plenary Sessions: Leads the content planning and keynote speaker identification process; manages speaker request process and post-confirmation communications; coordinates the general session speakers onsite and program flow/stage management.
- Concurrent Sessions (co-chairs): Leads the content planning and speaker identification process for concurrent sessions; manages speaker request process and post-confirmation communications.
- Poster Sessions: Creates the framework for the conference poster session and designs the experience with the overall conference content and goals in mind. Manages the onsite coordination and logistics of the poster submission, placement, and board-tacking process.
- Sponsorships: Leads the sponsor identification process and coordinates and tracks sponsor commitments, communication, and acknowledgements. May perform external outreach, preparing sponsor materials with ARL staff support.
- Local Coordination (co-chairs): Serves as the liaison—between the host institutions, ARL staff, and local venues—providing connections, guidance, and support in engaging necessary local resources; must be based in the host city.
Working groups are expected to meet at least one hour each month via video conferencing platforms; occasional additional meetings are expected to be required leading up to the conference as well as afterwards. Asynchronous work is anticipated; the time required will be based on the needs of each working group.
Additional commitments include providing onsite support during the conference.
The task force co-chairs will meet with ARL staff prior to the monthly task force meetings to plan the meeting agendas and address other program-related needs. Additional asynchronous work is anticipated.
How to Apply
Applicants should complete the required expression-of-interest form, which asks for a description of interest in this opportunity, including specific working group(s) of interest. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Please share this opportunity with colleagues who might be interested.
About the Association of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is a nonprofit organization of research libraries in Canada and the US whose vision is to create a trusted, equitable, and inclusive research and learning ecosystem and prepare library leaders to advance this work in strategic partnership with member libraries and other organizations worldwide. ARL’s mission is to empower and advocate for research libraries and archives to shape, influence, and implement institutional, national, and international policy. ARL develops the next generation of leaders and enables strategic cooperation among partner institutions to benefit scholarship and society. ARL is on the web at ARL.org.
