Proposal Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTERING PROPOSALS

The deadline for submitting proposal information is November 30, 2008. After this date, the online form will no longer be available for entering new proposals.

Please prepare your program proposal in advance. All fields in red are required. If you do not have information for a required field or it does not apply to your proposal, please enter N/A or TBA in the fields. In Phone or Fax number fields you must enter 10 digits and not begin with the number one ( 1 ). You may save an incomplete proposal and return to it at any time before November 30, 2008. You may edit or add additional information to your proposal at any time until November 30, 2008. An ID number and password will be emailed to you in a confirmation message when you submit your proposal. You will need these in order to edit the proposal at a future time.

Programs with significant incomplete information on November 30, 2008 will not be considered. For example, a program with no description or speakers or without contact information for the program organizer will not be provided to the Program Subcommittee for review.

PLEASE NOTE: a program cannot be an advertisement for a vendor or solely a demonstration of a product/service. Specific products/services may be used or described only if essential for a correct understanding of the program topic. Library staff who currently use the vendor product/service must participate in the presentation.

(POLICIES ON VENDOR PARTICIPATION)

PROGRAM ORGANIZER INFORMATION

The Program Organizer will receive notification of the program's acceptance or rejection. If the program is accepted, the Program Organizer will serve as the primary contact for the PLA committee and staff. The Program Organizer will work with his or her speakers to determine the scope of content, the order of speakers within the program, audiovisual needs, etc.; will confirm program details, descriptions and arrangements with speakers and staff; and will facilitate the program's presentation (in addition to speaking when appropriate).

PLA depends on Program Organizers to perform a variety of functions in developing the program and ensuring that it is successful at the conference. These include becoming familiar with PLA policies concerning expenses, honoraria, audiotaping, and publishing (both traditional and electronic); communicating regularly with speakers; responding to requests for program information from PLA staff and committee members; adhering to deadlines; and arranging for on-site program support if not attending the program to do so personally. By entering a proposal into the database, you agree to perform these functions to the best of your ability if your program is accepted, or to identify a substitute Program Organizer as necessary.

PLA reserves the right to reorganize program content, combine program proposals, and make other changes as necessary to render the program appropriate for presentation at its meetings. The involvement and agreement of the Program Organizer will be sought on all such changes. However, the Organizer must provide PLA final authority on all program-related decisions, and acceptance or rejection of this proposal does not preclude PLA from developing programs with similar or identical topics, objectives, or speakers.

If your proposed program is being sponsored by a PLA committee or another ALA unit or committee, you will be asked to enter it in this section of the form. Programs may be sponsored by one or more committees or units.

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

TITLE

Creative, interesting and informative titles and descriptions are most favorably viewed by the proposal review committees and prospective program attendees.

PROGRAM FORMAT

Preconferences are offered as half-day, full-day, or one-and-one-half day. Please select, from the list provided on the form, the format that will provide the best educational experience for participants. All regular or concurrent program sessions are 75 minutes long so there is no option for format selection.

TARGET AUDIENCE

All programs proposed are considered for their ability to attract and educate public library administrators and staff. If the proposed program is targeted toward a different audience or librarians with particular interests, please use the space on the form to explain.

PROGRAM SUBJECT CATEGORY

Please choose only one from the list. These subject categories do not necessarily reflect the final list of tracks that will be used at the conference.

ROOM SET & EQUIPMENT NEEDS

Preconferences: Please choose one set-up from the list provided on the form. Each preconference room will be equipped with a projection screen, computer/data projector, lectern, and podium microphone. Please be cognizant of the fact that additional equipment must be rented at a significant cost to PLA.

Programs:Standard room set-up is theater-style to capacity with a head table for 6, podium with microphone, 1 table microphone on either side of the podium, LCD (computer/data) projector and screen. Please be cognizant of the fact that additional equipment must be rented at a significant cost to PLA.

DESCRIPTION

Please provide a suggested description of the proposed session. Do not include presenter names, abbreviations, or acronyms. If the program is accepted, this description will be used in promotional materials and may be edited for style and clarity by PLA staff.

OBJECTIVES

Please identify three (3) objectives for your session. Objectives should use active verbs, be concrete, and state what the program participants should know or be able to do; they should not simply repeat topics that will be addressed. Objectives should begin with the phrase "At the end of this program, participants will . . . ." (Examples: "�participants will be able to identify ten threats to library security�" "�participants will be able to implement outreach programs to reach minority adults in their communities �"). Objectives should be achievable and realistic given the length and scope of the proposed program. These will be included in the online schedule of programs.

FUNDING

If special funding is required to present this program, please enter both the total amount of any funding requested and a specific explanation of how that amount breaks down and what it is intended to support in the Notes/Comments/Other box.

Please note that according to PLA policy, speakers who are not ALA members may be eligible for per diem, travel reimbursement, and/or honoraria. PLA does not automatically provide financial support for nonmembers; it must be requested for the speaker. Members of PLA or ALA are not eligible for such funding. All requests for reimbursement or honoraria are subject to approval of the program committee and PLA staff; acceptance of the proposal does not guarantee funding.

(PLA SPEAKER HONORARIA AND EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT POLICIES)

Preconferences have unique policies regarding funding and payment of speakers. Please review them.

(PLA POLICIES GOVERNING PRECONFERENCE MANAGEMENT AT PLA NATIONAL CONFERENCES)

ADDITIONAL SPEAKERS INFORMATION

This section allows the organizer to input information on the speakers proposed for the session. Program Organizers who are also speaking do not need to be listed in the Additional Speakers section.

The speaker entry form requires complete contact information for each speaker (name, title, organization, address, phone, fax and e-mail). The form also requires that you know the speaker's ALA and PLA membership status and that you indicate whether or not the speaker is employed in a library. Please have this information ready when you begin to enter your proposal. If the presenter is not an ALA or PLA member and does not work in a library, you will need to enter any financial support (honorarium, travel expenses) requested at this time.

NOTIFICATION OF PROPOSAL STATUS

Program Organizers will be notified whether or not their proposal has been approved, after March 1, 2009.