Library Instruction Round Table Manual

CHECKLIST OF DUTIES: LIRT CONFERENCE PROGRAM PLANNING COMMITTEE CHECKLIST

The Conference Program Planning Committee Chair leads the Conference Program Planning committee which is charged with planning, organizing, and delivering the Annual Conference program. The Conference Program Planning chair works cooperatively with the Steering Committee and the LIRT officers who can offer guidance and support in this process. The committee has two simultaneous chairs—one chair who is planning the current year’s program, and one chair who is planning the program for the following year.

Planning the Conference Program:

The committee starts planning the conference program two years in advance. This early start is partly due to the ALA planning and conference tracking process, which requires us to submit a preliminary title and description of the LIRT conference program a year and a half before the program (at Midwinter conference of the year prior to the conference program). The final title and description of the conference program is submitted a year in advance, at the Annual conference prior to the conference program.

The conference program is typically composed of three speakers who speak for approximately 20 minutes each. Time will be left at the end of the session for questions. If the program also includes poster sessions, the program is usually limited to two speakers.

The Conference Program Planning committee generally needs to use both All Committees meeting times at conference. Typically, the All Committees I meeting is used for planning the current or upcoming conference program. The All Committees II meeting is used for planning the following year’s conference program.

The Conference Program Planning Chair needs to be familiar with aspects of the LIRT budget:

  • The LIRT budget includes funds designated for conference equipment rental, such as an audiovisual projector, tables, a VCR, etc. The Conference Program Planning Chair does not need to request this money annually.

  • Expenses for small speaker gifts are already included in the LIRT budget.

  • For any additional expenses, (speaker honoraria, giveaways, supplies, etc.) the Conference Program Planning chair needs to submit a budget request to the Executive Board. The Treasurer will ask committee chairs for their budget requests for the following fiscal year in November. Thus, a budget request needs to be made a year and a half in advance of the conference program. If this deadline has passed, the committee can make a budget request at the Steering Committee meeting at the Midwinter or Annual conference in the year prior to the conference program.

  • ALA regulations state that librarians cannot be given an honorarium or be reimbursed for expenses. However, a non-librarian can be compensated for speaking. If your committee proposes to compensate a non-librarian speaker, make a budget request for these funds.

  • All financial transactions or negotiations should be coordinated with the LIRT Treasurer and the LIRT ALA Liaison. The LIRT ALA Liaison negotiates on our behalf and is responsible for arranging for any contracts or speaker agreeements.

The following checklist serves as an outline of the Conference Program Planning Committee Chair’s responsibilities during her two-year term.

TIMELINE OF DUTIES

Note: The Conference Program Planning Chair should also refer to the Committee Chair checklist for the timeline of duties that apply to all committee chairs. That checklist should be used in conjunction with this one.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE (two years before your conference program)

_____ Assist with final preparations for the current year’s conference program at the All Committees I meeting and on the day of the conference program.

_____ At the All Committees II meeting (see: Conference Meeting Schedule for times):

    • Based on feedback from this year’s conference program evaluation forms, start thinking about ideas for the topic of the conference program that will take place in two years.

    • Elect a member of the committee to propose as Conference Program Planning Committee Chair for the conference program that will take place in two years. At Steering Committee II, you will announce the name of the proposed chair, which will need to be approved by the Executive Board.

_____ At the Steering Committee II meeting:

    • Discuss preliminary ideas for the topic of the conference program to take place in two years.
BETWEEN ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND MIDWINTER (two years before your conference program)

_____ The Treasurer should contact all the current committee chairs for their budget requests for next fiscal year (which will begin September 1 of the following year), which would be the year of your conference program. Consult with the current committee chair and the committee members to determine if you want to make a budget request (to pay a non-librarian, or for other supplies or giveaways). Submit any budget request by the deadline (typically mid-November).

MIDWINTER MEETING (1.5 years before your conference program)

_____ At the All Committees I meeting (see: Conference Meeting Schedule for times):

    • Participate in discussions about the current year’s Annual Conference Program.

_____ At the All Committees II meeting:

    • Discuss plans for the following year’s conference program. Prepare a preliminary title and description and brainstorm potential speakers. Be prepared to present this information at the Steering II committee meeting.

    • Decide if your committee needs to request funds from the LIRT budget to reimburse a non-librarian’s expenses, purchase supplies or a giveaway. A budget request would need to be approved at the Steering Committee II meeting.

_____ At the Steering Committee II meeting:

    • Submit a preliminary title and description of the Annual Conference program that will take place the following year. This title and description will need to be approved by the Steering Committee. The President will submit this information to the LIRT ALA Liaison.

    • Submit a budget request, if needed, for the following year’s conference program. The Steering Committee will discuss and decide whether to approve the budget request.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE (One year before your conference program)

_____ Assist with final preparations for the current year’s conference program at the All Committees I meeting and on the day of the conference program.

_____ At the All Committees II meeting (see: Conference Meeting Schedule for times):

    • Discuss plans for the following year’s conference program. The topic and description of the conference program should be finalized. The committee should have solid ideas for speakers for the following year’s conference program. Be prepared to present this information at the Steering II committee meeting.

    • Decide if your committee needs to request any additional funds from the LIRT budget for the following year’s conference program (to pay or reimburse a non-librarian’s expenses, giveaways, etc.). A budget request would need to be approved at the Steering Committee II meeting.

_____ At the Steering Committee II meeting:

    • Submit a detailed title and description of the Annual Conference program that will take place the following year. The title and description are approved by the Steering Committee and the President submits the information to the LIRT ALA Liaison.

    • Submit a budget request, if needed, for the following year’s conference program. The Steering Committee will discuss and decide whether to approve the budget request.
BETWEEN ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND MIDWINTER (Year before your conference program)

_____ Contact and arrange for speakers for the upcoming conference program. You should ideally have speakers committed to the program prior to the Midwinter meeting.

_____ Confirm with LIRT President the final details for the upcoming Annual Conference Program. The President will request the room and equipment for the conference program. Your request should include the following items:

    • PA system
    • 2 microphones in audience for questions
    • 10 tables for poster sessions (if needed)
    • 350 chairs and tables (“Classroom” arrangement, if available. Otherwise, request chairs in rows.)
    • Laptop and audiovisual projector (the LIRT budget includes funds for this equipment)

_____ Submit the first announcement about the Annual Conference Program for the December issue of LIRT News (deadline is typically October 15).

_____ The Treasurer should contact all the current committee chairs for their budget requests for next fiscal year (which will begin September 1 of the following year), which would be the year of the next committee chair’s conference program. Consult with the incoming current committee chair and the committee members to determine if you want to make a budget request (to pay a non-librarian, or for other supplies or giveaways). Submit any budget request by the deadline (typically mid-November).

MIDWINTER MEETING (6 months before your conference program)

_____ At the All Committees I meeting (see: Conference Meeting Schedule for times):

    • Discuss plans and preparations for the current year’s Annual Conference Program.

    • Prepare a final title and description for the current year’s Annual Conference Program to be presented at the Steering Committee II meeting.

    • Discuss tasks to be completed between Midwinter and Annual Conference. Delegate tasks as appropriate to committee members. The tasks include:

      • Create and bring 350 copies of the conference program (Sample Conference Program document)

      • Create and bring 350 copies of the program evaluation form (Sample Conference Program Evaluation Form)

      • Create and bring name placards (printed on card stock) for each speaker, LIRT President, LIRT Vice-President and Conference Program Committee chair

      • Create and bring 350 copies of the handout of poster session descriptions (if applicable), including names, titles, and abstracts

      • Advertise conference program on listservs (consult with Public Relations Coordinator)

      • Advertise conference program in LIRT News (consult with Public Relations Coordinator)

      • Purchase speaker gifts

_____ At the All Committees II meeting:

    • Participate in discussions for the following year’s conference program.

_____ At the Steering Committee II meeting:

    • Submit the final program title and description for the current year’s conference program. The title and description are approved by the Steering Committee and the President submits the information to the LIRT ALA Liaison.

_____ Talk with Research committee chair about creating the bibliography to accompany the conference program. Confirm that the Research committee will prepare the bibliography, and make sure Research committee chair knows the program topic.

BETWEEN MIDWINTER AND ANNUAL CONFERENCE (6 months before your conference program)

_____ Finalize arrangements for this year’s Annual Conference Program. Confirm speaker engagements and purchase speaker gifts.

_____ Confirm that committee members will complete the tasks that have been delegated to them (including making and bringing copies of the program, evaluation forms, handouts, and name placards).

_____ Consult with Research Committee chair to confirm that the committee is preparing a bibliography for the conference program. Determine who will bring 350 copies of the bibliography to the conference program.

_____ Contact speakers to ask if they would like to have handouts available at the conference program. Offer to make and bring the copies or ask the speakers to bring 350 copies.

_____ Coordinate with the LIRT Public Relations Coordinator to prepare publicity for upcoming Annual Conference Program:

    • Submit brief announcement for Annual Conference Program for the March issue of LIRT News (deadline is typically February 15).

    • Submit detailed announcement for Annual Conference Program for the June issue of LIRT News (deadline is typically April 15).

    • Coordinate with the Public Relations Coordinator to create a flier for the Annual Conference program. Obtain official ALA basket number for publicity fliers from LIRT ALA Liaison.

    • Coordinate with the Public Relations Coordinator to send email announcements for the Conference Program to appropriate listservs.

    • Consult with the Public Relations Coordinator to decide whether you should submit an article for the Cognotes newsletter. A Cognotes article would need to be submitted at least two weeks before the conference to ensure inclusion in first issue of Cognotes.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE (Year of your conference program)

_____ Retrieve from the LIRT Trunk (at the ALA Office):

    • LIRT Sign
    • Red placemats (if the room arrangement will include tables and chairs for the audience)
    • LIRT bookmarks
    • LIRT membership brochures

_____ At the All Committees I meeting (see: Conference Meeting Schedule for times), make the final preparations and arrangements for the current year’s Annual Conference Program. Discuss the tasks that need to be performed on the day of the conference program and delegate tasks to committee members.

The following tasks will need to be performed on the day of the conference program:

    • Arrive at least one and a half hours early to set up

    • Put placemats (if room setup includes chairs and tables) at each place

    • Place copies of the following handouts at each place:
      • Program
      • Evaluation form
      • Bibliography (prepared by the Research committee) to accompany program
      • Speaker handouts (if applicable)
      • Poster session descriptions (if applicable)
      • LIRT membership brochure

    • Designate two persons count the number of attendees (and compare notes after the program).

    • Make sure equipment arrives and is functioning. The hotel or convention center should be able to provide technical support if needed.

    • Turn lights up/down as necessary

    • Designate two committee members to take notes during the program, then have one person compare the notes and write up an article for LIRT News (around 900 words, deadline typically is July 15)

    • Help set up poster presentations, if applicable. (It’s a good idea to bring tape, scissors, etc.)

    • Check temperature in room, and ask for temperature to be adjusted, as needed.

    • Have two people stand at the door at the end of the session to pick up evaluation forms

    • Place the following on the podium and head table: LIRT sign, name placards for each speaker, LIRT President, LIRT Vice-President, and Conference Program Planning Committee Chair

_____ Present current year’s Annual Conference Program (typically Sunday morning). The Conference Program Chair will sit on the stage and introduce the program and the speakers. The Conference Program Chair will give speakers their gifts.

_____ At the All Committees II meeting (see: Conference Meeting Schedule for times):

    • Reflect on this year’s Annual Conference Program. Read the evaluations, and think about what went well, or what might be done differently next year.

    • Participate in discussions about the following year’s conference program.

    • Based on feedback from this year’s conference program evaluation forms, start thinking about ideas for the topic of the conference program that will take place in two years. Be prepared to discuss these ideas at the Steering Committee II meeting.

    • Elect a member of the committee to propose as Conference Program Planning Committee Chair for the conference program that will take place in two years. At Steering Committee II, you will announce the name of the proposed chair, which will need to be approved by the Executive Board.

_____ At the Steering Committee II meeting:

    • Present a summary of the number of attendees, reaction to, and feedback about this year's conference program.

    • Announce the name of the proposed chair for the Conference Program Planning Committee Chair for the conference program that will take place in two years. This person will need to be approved by the Executive Board.

    • Also, discuss preliminary ideas for the topic of the conference program to take place in two years.
POST ANNUAL CONFERENCE (Year of your conference program)

_____ Remind committee members who took notes during the conference program to compare their notes and write an article (900 words) summarizing the conference program for LIRT News. Submit the article prior to the deadline for the September newsletter (typically July 15th).

_____ Review and revise this checklist as needed (send comments to Past President).

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Last Updated: Content: 5 June 2006 -- Billie Peterson-Lugo; Graphics: 15 April 2001-- Jana Ronan