Embedded Files
Call for Proposals - Now Open!
Proposals accepted September 15th - October 24th 2025!
Spring Forward 2026: Library Mixtape
Think about the last time you heard a song that spoke to your soul, felt in your bones, and made your body move. Did you add it to your Songs I Love playlist? You know the one. Itâs a mix of anything and everything you like from upbeat pop, soothing slow jams, folk, heavy metal, country, disco, hip hop, and a little classical thrown in. The style doesnât matterâyouâre in it for the vibes.Â
Or maybe, instead of adding songs to a digital playlist, youâre more accustomed to sitting by the radio to record the latest bop onto your cassette mixtape. Or youâd prefer to hunker down in the Computer Room⢠where you can burn âMambo No. 5â onto CDs for all your friends. Thereâs a timelessness to the sensation of creating â and especially sharing â the perfect mix. Libraries are a little like that too, donât you think?
We have a history of curating collections and spreading the word to an audience of fans, regardless of format. Libraries and music are universal languages that motivate people to come together and take action. This yearâs Spring Forward virtual conference invites you to tell us what groove is in your heart, what kicks off your Sunday shoes, and what makes you want to twist and shout (for better or for worse). Come add to our mixtape of perfect library tunes. Letâs pump up the jams!Â
Session Formats
Live Sessions:
Jam Session (45-60 minutes)--Sessions with high participant engagement, skill building, and/or collaborative activities; focus should be on the group learning togetherânot the âexpert.âÂ
Concept Album (45-60 minutes)--Facilitate a roundtable of people interested in talking about a topic or issue in libraries.
Sound Bites (7-10 minutes)--Share an idea, a tool, or a success story in a shorter live session.
Asynchronous Content:
Liner Notes (asynchronous article, video, podcast, infographics, or other visually engaging content)--Show us something cool youâve done, and how others can do it too.
Or, something else entirely! Tell us your great idea thatâs its own original composition!Â
Forward Libraries strives to bring workers from all types of libraries together to learn and grow with one another. Weâre looking for proposals that are fun, engaging, and will leave our attendees ready to try out new things at their institutions, with a support system of new friends and colleagues behind them!
Samples to Remix (aka some ideas to help you groove):
All things Open: access, pedagogy, educational resources
Assessing and reflecting on library services, programs, and collections
Cataloging, aka how do we keep track of all this stuff?!
Concerns and opportunities using AI in libraries
Connecting with your community, sparking interest, or increasing your reach
Designing instruction and research help that supports student learning
Developing and enhancing access to collections
Fighting the power, fighting book bans, fighting for your library
Hiring, getting hired, and finding library jobs
Keeping privacy and security in your library
Making your library spaces and collections more accessible and inclusive
Have another idea? Improvise a new riff and help us hear new melodies! Submit your proposal by October 24, 2025!
Preview a PDF version of our submission form, if you'd like to know what documentation you will need to have in place before you submit your proposal.
Considering a submission? Check out our Past Programs to see what types of sessions we featured.Â
Timeline
September 15 to October 24, 2025: Proposals Accepted
November: Peer Review
Early December: Invitations to Present Sent
January 2026: Registration Opens
March 9-20, 2026: Spring Forward Conference!
Content for Spring Forward will be spread over two weeks in March. We know that 8 hours of online meetings is exhausting, and we want participants to be able to breathe between sessions. Plus we know that just because you're conferencing, it doesn't mean your library stops functioning!Â
Google Sites
Report abuse