Call for Proposals

The application process for the 2024 IRDL Online Research Conference is now closed.

​​IRDL invites you to share your personal experience and unique approach to library research design with fellow librarians by submitting a proposal for this year’s Institute for Research Design in Librarianship Online Research Conference: Building Skills and Community with Librarian-Researchers. This virtual conference will take place on November 18-19, 2024 and is free for all attendees. Join us to foster a sense of community and promote research collaboration. We hope that this conference will spark conversations about current library research and introduce fresh perspectives, diverse experiences, and cutting-edge innovations in library research design and methodologies. Proposals for both Research Tools Petting Zoo and Seven-Minute Scholarship presentations will be accepted until July 31, 2024.

Research Tools Petting Zoo Proposals: In seven minutes, tell us about a research tool you have used to gather, analyze, organize, visualize, or present your research. Please consider inclusion (cost) and the amount of effort it takes to learn the tool (learning curve). Your proposal should demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of the tool and the ability to showcase how it was used in a research project.

Your proposal may follow the following format:
Here's a tool I've been using in my research:

  • How I use the tool (or just a feature of the tool) and how it works
  • My experience with the tool and ability to demonstrate it
  • Limitations to the tool -- what worked for me about the tool and what didn't
  • How long did it take to learn the tool? Do I need specific knowledge to learn the tool?
  • What is the cost and levels of access?

Seven- Minute Scholarship Proposals: Do you have an interesting or innovative approach to library research design you want to share with fellow librarians? In seven minutes, share a new perspective, experience, or innovation in library research design or methodology.

Proposal Selection Criteria
The committee will be using a rubric to evaluate proposals during a double-anonymous review process. The rubric grades proposals on the following:

  • Innovation (Seven-Minute Scholarship): Does the proposal use a new method or design?
  • Relevance (Seven-Minute Scholarship): Does the proposal address a current issue in research design in librarianship or is connected to an issue in the author’s community? Is it practical and of interest to other librarians?
  • Scope (Seven-Minute Scholarship and Petting Zoo): Is the proposal properly formatted for a seven minute presentation via Zoom?
  • Expertise with the tool (Petting Zoo): Does the presenter confidently know the specific aspects of the tool to be able to describe them in a presentation, in a way that non-users can understand?

Application Timeline
July 31: Deadline to submit proposals
August 31: Presenters will be notified if their Research Tools Petting Zoo or Seven-Minute Scholarship proposal was accepted
October 31: Deadline for presenters to email their presentations to: irdl@lmu.edu