Submit a Session

Before You Submit

Please review the information below or watch our instructional video before submitting your proposal. Then, click the button at the bottom to enter the submission portal.

Proposal Deadline: October 30.

• Who should submit?

  We welcome proposals from academic librarians and library staff who are using EBSCO products, services or content to support teaching, learning and research at their institutions.

   

  You do not need to have a large-scale project, polished case study or formal presentation background to submit. Some of the most valuable User Group sessions come from practical, everyday work: solving a workflow challenge, improving discovery, promoting a database, evaluating usage, supporting faculty, testing a new approach or learning from something that did not go exactly as planned.

   

  We encourage proposals from a range of library roles, including subject librarians, systems and electronic resources librarians, collection development teams, instruction and outreach librarians, administrators and anyone involved in connecting users with library resources.

• Session Formats

  Sessions are held in one of three formats:

  • Standard Presentation – 40-minute presentation + 10-minute Q&A (1-2 speakers)
  • Panel Presentation – 40-minute presentation or discussion + 10-minute Q&A (3-4 speakers)
  • Innovation Session – 10-minute presentation + open Q&A, lightning round format
• Session Pathways

  To help you shape your proposal, we invite submissions in the following session pathways. These are not formal agenda tracks, and proposals may fit more than one area.

   

  Research Journey and User Experience

  This area focuses on evaluating and improving user workflows through optimization and integration of tools and services. It includes:

  • Improving the research experience
  • Configuring discovery tools
  • Integrating new tools into existing services
  • Reducing friction in access or authentication
  • Understanding user behavior
  • Applying usability findings

  Collections, Content and Database Strategy

  This area focuses on identifying, analyzing, and sharing use cases around library content and collection development. It includes:

  • Database evaluation
  • Subject-specific resource use cases
  • Collection development strategy
  • Faculty engagement
  • Content gaps and emerging needs
  • Managing renewals, cancellations or budget pressure
  • Connecting users with high-value content

  AI, Innovation and Emerging Technology

  This area focuses on use cases and expectations for newer and emerging technology. It includes:

  • AI in library services
  • Linked data
  • Automation
  • New service models
  • Emerging student or faculty expectations
  • Responsible technology adoption
  • Pilots, experiments and lessons learned

  Implementation, Migration and Change Management

  This area focuses on practical tips and storytelling related to new product or service adoption and internal stakeholder input. It includes:

  • Product migrations and new platform rollouts
  • Internal training
  • Stakeholder communication
  • Launch planning
  • Troubleshooting
  • Staff adoption
  • Lessons learned after go-live

  Analytics, Assessment and Demonstrating Value

  This area focuses on how libraries can demonstrate value through off-the-shelf reporting strategies or more creative approaches to analysis. It includes:

  • Usage reporting
  • Assessment strategy
  • Dashboarding
  • ROI and value conversations
  • Student or faculty engagement metrics
  • Communicating impact to campus stakeholders

  Teaching, Outreach and Campus Engagement

  This area focuses on maximizing engagement with students, faculty, and other communities served by the library. It includes:

  • Information literacy
  • Faculty partnerships
  • Student outreach efforts
  • Database instruction
  • Supporting specific disciplines
  • Research consultations
  • Library marketing of tools or collections
• What makes a strong proposal?

  Strong proposals often focus on one or more of the following angles:

  • A practical workflow others can adapt
  • A challenge your team solved or is still working through
  • A decision-making process that helped your library move forward
  • A pilot, experiment or early lesson learned
  • A content, tool or service strategy that improved user engagement
  • A collaboration between library teams, campus partners or vendors
  • A before-and-after look at a configuration, implementation or outreach effort

---

Proposal Walkthrough Video

Watch our video walkthrough for an overview and tips on submitting your proposal.