Breakout Session Proposals

***The deadline for proposal submissions was November 27, 2023; proposals are no longer being accepted.***
***Thanks to everyone who submitted a proposal!***      

The LOEX 2024 Conference Planning Committee invites you to submit breakout session proposals for consideration to the 52nd Annual LOEX Conference. The conference will be held May 2-4, 2024.

Successful proposals will showcase effective and innovative library instruction & information literacy practices, provide valuable information that participants can utilize at their libraries, support collaboration, and be applicable to a broad variety of academic institutions and student communities.


Breakout Session Formats

Two types of proposals will be accepted:


  • Presentation: A 50-minute session that includes time for a 40-45 minute presentation and 5-10 minutes of question and answer. Most feature a successful program, practice or key issue related to instruction or information literacy. Presenter(s) should include in the proposal a description of the topic and an outline of the presentation. Based on past experience, sessions can have as few as 25 people or as many as 150.  
  • Interactive Workshops: A 50-minute session where the presenter facilitates a learning experience in which attendees develop or explore teaching and/or research techniques. Presenters are expected to facilitate a well-planned and interactive session. Proposals should include a description of the topic and details on how the presenter will make this session a "hands-on" experience for attendees.  Workshops are intended for an audience typically of 30-60 people, but can be as high as 90.


For all breakout sessions, the exact number of participants won't be known until the session takes place; however, estimates of attendance based on the results of an interest survey will be provided to the presenters before the conference.  

Proposal Tracks

Proposals should reflect elements of one of the following six tracks:

  • Planting Seeds: Pedagogy and Instructional Design       

How have you been deliberate about growing your instruction, whether for online, hybrid or classroom contexts? What inclusive models or design processes have you used to ensure your instruction reaches as wide a group of learners as possible? Share a project that demonstrates best practices or innovation in instructional design and/or pedagogy, whether you have revamped an existing project or branched out to create new curricula, lesson plans, or instructional objects. Let us know how you grow your practice and keep things fresh.   

  • Putting Down Roots: Collaboration and Outreach     

A tree has a stronger foundation if it develops a layered, diffuse root system. How have you grown relationships beyond the library? Who have you developed partnerships with? Are you branching out and working with public libraries, school libraries, or community organizations? What kinds of programs, projects, or initiatives are you cultivating? How have you made connections with underserved or underrepresented groups? Tell us about how you make these efforts bloom.

  • Seeing the Forest: Assessment and Evaluation          

It is always wise to take a step back and a deep breath to assess what is going on. How do you make sure you don’t lose sight of the big picture? How can daily outcomes flower into long-term change? What steps have you taken to make sure all voices are given a chance to speak up, stand up, and be counted? Share assessment projects that measure and mark information literacy achievement or other instructional programming outcomes. Has your cohort, department, or institution made a major commitment to a program, service or resource? Tell us how individuals keep groups and administrative teams invested in new projects.

  • Controlled Burns: Revitalize and Renew       

Springtime signals regrowth. Sometimes it is fruitful to reconnect with past projects or collaborators. What do you prune and what do you keep? How do you know when to rebuild or when to start fresh? How do librarians as professionals support wellbeing and avoid burnout? What leadership have you shown to ensure you and your co-workers are on the right path? Share approaches and programs that have enabled you to re-energize and revive your body and spirit. 

  • Climate Change: Adapting to New Technologies  

As teaching librarians, we adapt to new technologies all the time. From online design software to student participation apps, librarians are often on the cutting edge of educational technologies. With the rise of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools, we are at a crossroads in the digital landscape. Do you think the future looks bright? Or are you worried we’re in for a cataclysmic shift? How do you implement the tools so they can be utilized and properly reflect the diverse population on your campus? What new tools are you finding useful to move your pedagogy forward? What old tools have you used in new ways or new settings?

  •  Field Notes: Using Research to Inform Practice  

How have you conducted original research to investigate the effectiveness of your instructional approach, or drawn from the literature of the field to enhance your practice? This is your chance to demonstrate how engaging in research and utilizing existing research can enrich your teaching in a variety of contexts.

Submission Information

  ***The deadline for proposal submissions was November 27, 2023; proposals are no longer being accepted.*** 

Proposals can be submitted only through the online submission form and must be received by Monday, November 27, 2023. The primary contact for the proposal will receive an automated email indicating receipt of the proposal when it is submitted and will be notified if the proposal has been accepted for presentation by Monday, January 15, 2024.

If your proposal is accepted, then up to three presenters will be automatically registered for the conference and required to pay registration in full by the due date in April. Presenters are encouraged to submit a full paper version of their presentation (see due dates below) for inclusion in the LOEX Conference Proceedings.

All proposals must include the following:

  • Session title (limit 20 words)
  • Short description of the session (limit 100 words)
  • Long description of the session (limit 500 words)
  • List of 1-3 learning outcomes (visit Tips on Writing Learning Outcomes from the University Library at UIUC for guidance)
  • Type of audience(s) for which the session is intended

You do not need to be a LOEX member to submit a conference proposal. We accept the best proposals, regardless of institution or membership. LOEX membership only matters for general registration, which begins Friday, February 9, 2024.


Note: Failure to pay the registration fee will result in the cancellation of presentation and conference registration. All presenters are responsible for paying their own travel and lodging expenses.  

Proposal Timeline

  • Monday, November 27, 2023: Deadline to submit proposals
  • Monday, January 15, 2024: Notification of acceptance of proposal
  • Thursday, May 2 - Saturday, May 4, 2024: 52nd Annual LOEX Conference
  • Friday, April 26, 2024: Deadline for all Presentation presenters to submit full papers (up to 2500 words) for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings  
  • Friday, May 17, 2024: Deadline for all Interactive Workshop presenters to submit full papers (up to 2500 words) for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings  

Proposal Selection Criteria

Successful proposals will showcase effective and innovative library instruction & information literacy practices, provide valuable information that participants can utilize at their libraries, support collaboration, and be applicable to a broad variety of academic institutions and student communities .

The committee will be using a rubric to score the proposals. Along with the criteria listed under the session format descriptions, the rubric scores each proposal on:

  • Content and objectives of presentation
  • Relevance to the selected conference theme and track and to the field of library instruction
  • Originality and creativity
  • Demonstrated expertise of the presenter(s) on the topic
  • Methods used to inform and also engage the audience

In addition, the rubric scores Presentation proposals on how well they utilize a variety of presentation modes; Interactive Workshop proposals are scored on the degree and type of audience participation.

All committee members participate in the review process.  Each proposal will undergo double-blind peer review by two committee members and be scored based on our rubric. Upon receiving the recommendations of the reviewers, the LOEX Director and conference co-chairs will conduct an equity check to ensure diversity in presenters, institution types, and topics.

Presenter Benefits

The solid reputation of the LOEX Conference ensures that presenters benefit as much as their audience. Presenters can expect to:

  • Contribute to the field of library instruction and information literacy
  • Receive professional recognition at the conference
  • Highlight their institution's accomplishments
  • Publish a full paper on the presentation topic in the LOEX Conference Proceedings
  • Obtain valuable feedback from colleagues
  • Receive up to three registration spots set aside, per session, for presenters at the LOEX Conference