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CHICAGO — Today, the Public Library Association (PLA) opened the for educational sessions to be presented at its nextbiennial conference, to be held April 3-5, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. The will highlight innovative, inclusive, and collaborative work and ideas that address diverse and changing community needs through our nation’s public libraries. It will feature top-quality education programs, author events, fun networking opportunities, and a bustling exhibits hall featuring the latest in products, services, and innovations.

Most educational sessions will be in the format of workshops or programs. Workshops are in-depth educational sessions for 50 – 100 attendees that are three hours in length. Workshops will be held the Tuesday before the conference begins and require an additional registration fee for attendees. Programs are 60-minute sessions that follow the format of a panel presentation or roundtable discussion. Attendance for programs can vary from 50 to 500. All participating speakers will be expected to register for and attend the conference.

Proposals should outline plans for engaging educational programs that share best practices and key learnings in addressing the core challenges facing public libraries and their communities today. Proposal topic areas range from advocacy, fundraising, and communications to collections and technical services to staff management, recruitment, and retention. PLA welcomes proposals and speakers representing a wide range of diversity, with a commitment to representation of groups that have been historically marginalized or excluded due to race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, economic background, and age.

“Public libraries have demonstrated creativity and resilience as they strive to meet the ever-changing needs of their communities,” said PLA President Dr. Maria McCauley. “We couldn’t be more excited to uplift the range and diversity of knowledge and ideas at the forefront of public libraries today at the PLA 2024 Conference.”

Prospective presenters are strongly encouraged to and before . The proposal submission portal will close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 1, 2023.

The PLA 2024 Conference Program Subcommittee will review all submitted proposals and select conference sessions based on relevance to the profession and general interest to conference attendees. Further information regarding the proposal form, selection criteria, requirements, and instructions can be found .

ABOUT PUBLIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 9,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. PLA strives to help its members shape the essential institution of public libraries by serving as an indispensable ally for public library leaders. For more information about PLA, contact the PLA office at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or pla@ala.org.

ABOUT AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

The °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±app () is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit .