Program proposals are now being accepted for the Ohio Library Council’s all-new Community Engagement Conference, set for May 15, 2019 at the OCLC Conference Center in northwest Columbus. The conference planning committee is seeking presentations that will enhance the skills of library staff and that are tied to the Core Competencies of public library service.

The educational programming for the conference will include breakout sessions that will focus on a variety of community engagement topics including how to assess community needs, build partnerships, manage expectations, and empower staff. The event will also include a panel discussion featuring Ohio library staff who have done notable work as well as poster sessions on successful collaborations in Ohio.

A panel discussion representative of libraries of all sizes will talk about their approach to community engagement. Panelists will relate their library initiative to the following topics:

Please note: there are two different forms for submitting program proposals — one for Breakout Sessions, LIBchats and Poster Sessions; and one for the Panel Discussion only.

Programs:
The conference will include:

• One-Hour Sessions (60-minute educational presentations on community engagement topics)
• LIBchats (high-energy, 10-15 minute sessions on thought-provoking topics meant to introduce ideas to attendees)
• Poster Sessions (visual representations of community engagement topics that are displayed during the event)

Program Submission Form | Deadline: Feb. 1, 2019

Panel Discussion:
A panel representative of libraries of all sizes will talk about their approach to Community Engagement. Panelists will relate their library initiative to the following topics:

• What made your community engagement initiative innovative?
• What benefits to the library were realized? What were the benefits to the community?
• What outcomes were anticipated and how were they measured?

Program Submission Form for Panel Discussion | Deadline: Feb. 1, 2019

Learn more.