Annual Conference Update

Conference Date: November 2-3, 2023

Conference Location: Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, Lewis Center, Ohio

Online ILS Forum & Mini-Conference: Friday, Oct 27, 2023 via Zoom

Register for the 49th Annual Conference!

On behalf of the 2023 Conference Planning Committee, I want to extend our sincere thanks again to all who submitted session proposals, and those who agreed to present at this year’s Conference!  You’ll note in the recently posted Program and session grids that between the virtual and in-person events, the Conference will feature 25 presentations, 3 lightning talk rounds (each with 5 presentations), 12 posters, 4 thematic discussions, and a full-day, in-person workshop.  Four of the presentations will be simulcast in our designated Hybrid Track meeting room at the in-person Conference venue, and each will feature Support, Access & Technical Services topics.

As I mentioned in the June ALAO Newsletter, the Planning Committee had a tremendous response from our Access Services, Technical Services, and Support Staff colleagues for this year’s call for session proposals.  Over 50% of the Conference sessions this year will be presented by professionals in these fields.  We look forward to welcoming Conference presenters and attendees from these and all areas of academic librarianship at ALAO 2023! 

Don’t wait to register!  We have some great event packages to choose from, priced to help make attendance affordable:

Thursday Nov 2nd In-Person Preconference Workshop  – *Please note that a separate registration is required for this event.

Full Conference Package Registration – Includes:

• All Virtual ILS Forum (FREE) & Mini Conference programming on Oct 27th
• All in-person and hybrid Conference programming on Nov 3rd
• Entrance to the Thursday (Nov 2nd) Evening Social Event at the Olentangy River Brewing Company near the Nationwide Conference Center.

Online-only Conference Package Registration – Includes:

• All Virtual ILS Forum (FREE) & Mini Conference programming on Oct 27th
• All hybrid simulcast sessions from the in-person event on November 3rd
• Hybrid simulcast of the 2023 Conference Keynote Address by Trevor Dawes

A Note on Attending the Oct 27th Virtual Morning ILS Migration Forum

Access to the Morning Forum on Friday, October 27th will be provided free of charge to all Ohio academic librarians, regardless of whether they register for the 2023 ALAO Annual Conference.  Sign-up information for the Morning Forum will soon be distributed.

 If you wish also to attend the afternoon Virtual Mini-Conference on Oct. 27th, you must register for one of the 2023 ALAO Conference packages listed above.  Access to the Morning Forum is included in both of the registration package options at no additional charge.

2023 Executive Board Retreat

Our annual Board Retreat this past July 21st was very productive, and ALAO is well positioned this coming year to successfully complete the fifth and final year of our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan.  ALAO’s Board, committees, task forces and interest groups have made tremendous progress in fulfilling the goals and objectives of this Plan.  Recent accomplishments include,

• The creation of a DEIA-focused Committee, Toolkit, and program offerings
• The expansion of ALAO grant and scholarship programs
• The exploration of hybrid venues for ALAO programming and events

In 2023/24 the Board will explore additional ways to further actualize our Strategic Plan goals by,

• Expanding ALAO membership
• Streamlining new-member communications and onboarding
• Partnering with regional library associations for event programming

Let me take this opportunity to thank all of our outgoing and incoming Board members most sincerely for their commitment and service to ALAO!  Their amazing work and leadership helps us all bring the Association’s mission into reality.  We look forward to the coming year when we will celebrate 50 years of ALAO and begin envisioning what our sixth decade might look like.