Call for Proposals for Poster Sessions, Demonstrations, and Tours during an Online and In-World Conference:

“The Future is Now: Libraries and Museums in Virtual Worlds”

The American Library Association’s Virtual Communities and Libraries Member Initiative Group (ALA VCL MIG), in collaboration with the Alliance Library System and TAP Information Services, invites librarians, library staff members, museum staff members, vendors, graduate students, and developers to submit proposals for programs related to the topic of libraries in virtual worlds. The conference will be held online using OPAL web conferencing software (www.opal-online.org), with demonstrations, tours, and poster sessions held in virtual worlds such as Second Life.

LearningTimes (http://www.learningtimes.org/) is the sponsor of this conference. LearningTimes is an open community of education and training professionals.

The conference dates are Friday and Saturday, March 5 and 6, 2010. Poster session, tour and demonstration proposals are due by Monday, March 1, 2010.

Please send proposals to: lbell61520@gmail.com.

Topics:

“The Future is Now: Libraries and Museums in Virtual Worlds” online conference will feature interactive, live online sessions using OPAL web conferencing, with demonstrations, tours, and poster sessions in virtual worlds such as Second Life. We are interested in a broad range of submissions that highlight current, evolving and future issues and opportunities involving virtual worlds, libraries, and museums. These include but are not limited to the following themes:

• Starting a Library or Museum in a virtual world

· Museum and Library exhibits in virtual worlds

· Planning events in virtual worlds

• How to Build a Library/Museum Presence in Second Life

• Working with a Class in Second Life or another virtual world

• Virtual World platforms conducive to the missions of libraries and museums

• The future for virtual environments and libraries/museums

• Information Literacy in firtual worlds

• Health information services in virtual worlds

• Museum and library collaboration in virtual worlds

• Library collaboration in virtual worlds

• Working with other campus agencies and cultural institutions in virtual worlds

• Handheld library/museum applications of virtual worlds

• Reference services in virtual worlds

Proposal Submissions:

This conference currently is accepting proposals for poster sessions, demonstrations, and tours:

• Poster sessions on ALA Island in Second Life

· Tours and demonstrations in the virtual world of your choice

Persons directly involved in the accepted presentations, poster sessions, tours, and demonstrations will receive free registration to all conference events.

Presenters Are Expected To:

• Conduct a poster session on ALA Island in Second Life, or provide a demonstration or tour in a virtual world of your choice.

• Provide a digital photo, brief biographical sketch, and program description for the conference website by February 10, 2010.

• Respond to questions from attendees

• Attend a brief online orientation session prior to the conference dates.

Please fill out the following information for your proposal:

1. Title of Session:

2. Description of Session: (100 words or less)

3. Speakers: (Please include real name and institution)

4. Program platform: (OPAL, ALA Island in Second Life, or specify the virtual world you will be using)

5. Program Contact Information: (Name, institution, address, email address, phone number)

Please send proposals to: lbell61520@gmail.com.

Thank you for considering a submission for conference participation. If you have questions, please contact:

• Lori Bell, Alliance Library System, lbell@alliancelibrarysystem.com

• Tom Peters, TAP Information Services, tpeters@tapinformation.com

• Rhonda Trueman, abbeyzen@gmail.com