Note:
Dear CALA members,
We are pleased to inform you that CALA Midwest Chapter is holding the annual chapter conference on May 9, 2025, on the theme of Libraries 2035: Adapting and Innovating for the Next Quarter-Century. To navigate the evolving landscape of librarianship, we believe in the power of collaboration and community. This half-day virtual meeting will provide the opportunity to connect, share insights, and collectively explore innovative approaches for the next 10 years.
Call for Proposals
The call for proposals is now online and available at the following address: https://forms.gle/dcZLJGtW8dzCbPva6. The CALA Midwest Chapter is seeking proposal submissions on any aspect of librarianship and the field of library and information science. No project or idea is too small to share.
We especially encourage student members who may have school projects ready to share through a supportive environment. It will be an excellent opportunity to gain experience and enrich your professional profile.
Topics of interest include but are not limited to:
Immersive Technologies
Decentralized Libraries
Sustainability in Libraries
The Library as a Community Hub
Personalized Library Services
Global Knowledge Networks
Ethical AI in Libraries
Evolving Librarian Roles
Session Types:
Presentation (10-12 minutes):
Live presentations are delivered online during the conference and can include audience interaction.
Lightning talk (3-5 minutes):
Lightning talks are short pre-recorded videos that offer a quick take on a story, case study, idea, or project. Lightning talks will be streamed live at a specific time slot with simultaneous chat (Q&A) during the conference. The accepted lightning talk will be presented in a pre-recorded format to be submitted in advance on April 25 and participate in the synchronized Q&A on May 9.
Review criteria
The program review committee will evaluate all submitted proposals based on their relevance to the field, level of innovation, clarity of writing, and potential interest and practicality for attendees.
Conference Awards
To recognize the chapter conference proposals and video presentations that exemplifies the pinnacle of practices or research regarding librarianship, there will be three conference awards: (1) Best Proposal Award, (2) Best Student Proposal Award, and (3) Best Lightning Talk Video Award.
Best Proposal Award: The review committee will select one best-rated conference proposal, open to all professional proposals (excluding students). All submitted proposals excluding students are automatically considered for this award.
Best Student Proposal Award: The review committee will select one best-rated conference proposal, reserved exclusively for students. All submitted proposals by students are automatically considered for this award.
Best Lightning Talk Award (Video): Less is more work! The award recognizes the merit and quality exhibited (and the effort it required) in a short video presentation, including content relevance, audience engagement, well-time pacing, and effective visual aids. Be creative and have fun.
Submission
For submission: Please fill out the form online. The deadline to submit a proposal is March 7, 2025
Stay well,
Your CALA Midwest Chapter Officers, 2024-25
Feng-Ru Xu, President
Shuyi Liu, Immediately Past President
Angel Tang, Vice President
Xiao Zeng, Professional Development Committee Chair
Wenli Gao, co-chair, wgao5@uh.edu
Hui-Fen Chang, co-chair, huifen.chang@okstate.edu
Jinxuan Ma, jma4@emporia.edu
Li Sun. lisun@rutgers.edu
Ven Basco, buenaventura.basco@ucf.edu
Attachment: Awards Cover Sheet
Dear CALA members:
The CALA Best Service Awards Subcommittee invites you to nominate candidates for the 2025 CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award in Memory of Dr. Margaret Chang Fung.
The CALA Outstanding Library Leadership Award in Memory of Dr. Margaret Chang Fung is given annually to an individual CALA member who consistently demonstrates outstanding leadership and exemplary achievement in library and information services at the national and/or international level. Nominees, who have made significant contributions and services to CALA and the advancement of Chinese-American librarianship, will receive special consideration. This award is one of the highest and long-standing recognitions given by the Association. Candidates will all be evaluated equally regardless of age, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, or length of service to the profession. Nominees must be a current CALA member for at least three consecutive years. No individual member may receive the award more than once.
The recipient of the CALA 2025 Outstanding Library Leadership Award in Memory of Dr. Margaret Chang Fung will be announced by CALA President. The recipient will receive an award certificate and $1000.
The nomination package must be submitted in English, including:
Award Cover Sheet
Please submit the nomination package by March 31, 2025. This year, we are piloting the award submission through a new system. Please submit your application here: https://awards.cala-web.org/index.php/outstanding/index
Sincerely,
CALA Best Service Awards Subcommittee
Dear CALA Members,
We are pleased to announce that the CALA Conference Travel Grant Subcommittee is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 Conference Travel Grant. All current CALA members are encouraged to apply. Please note that a separate call will be made for the Chapter President Grant for attending the ALA Annual Conference.
The purpose of this grant is to support CALA members in their professional development by enabling their active participation in the ALA Annual Conference, IFLA Annual Conference, and other library related conferences.
This year, we are offering 10 grants for each of the following conferences:
2025 ALA Annual Conference
2025 IFLA Annual Conference
Other library-related conferences (excluding the ALA and IFLA Annual Conferences)
Each grant recipient will receive $1,000 upon being awarded the grant. Following approval by CALA’s Executive Committee (EC) and the official announcement via the CALA listserv, recipients will receive their grant checks from the CALA Treasurer after attending the conference and submitting their conference reports.
Eligibility and Evaluation Criteria
To qualify for the grant, applicants must meet the following requirements:
Be a current CALA member in good standing.
Have served (including the application year) on a CALA or CALA chapter board, committee, or working group.
Priority 1: Applicants presenting at the conference will be given the highest priority.
Priority 2: Applicants serving as committee members or officers convening meetings will receive secondary consideration.
Additional Preference: Consideration will also be given to first-time attendees of ALA or IFLA conferences or applicants who never received a CALA travel grant before .
All grant-related activities must take place between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
Application Package Requirements
Applicants must submit the following documents:
A completed CALA Conference Travel Grant Application Form.
A statement (maximum 500 words) describing the applicant’s need for the grant and the anticipated benefits of receiving it.
Supporting documentation verifying the applicant’s professional or administrative responsibilities at the conference. Examples include a conference invitation letter, a presentation or paper acceptance letter, or a poster acceptance letter.
An updated Curriculum Vitae (CV).
Grant Recipient Obligations
Grant recipients are required to:
Submit a one-page report on their conference experience to the CALA Travel Grant Subcommittee within one month of attending the conference.
Allow their grant reports to be posted on the CALA website and published in the CALA Newsletter.
Actively serve on a CALA committee, subcommittee, or task force during the following year.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply for the Travel Grant is March 31, 2025. Recipients will be notified no later than May 10, 2025, following approval by the Executive Committee. The EC will issue an official announcement, and the CALA President will announce the recipients at the CALA Annual Conference. Please note that individuals may apply for only one type of grant.
Submission Instructions
Email your complete application package, including the Travel Grant Application Form and required documents, to the following:
Suzhen Chen, Co-Chair: suzhen@hawaii.edu
Ping Fu, Co-Chair: fup@whitman.edu
Li Sun: lisun@rutgers.edu
Yingqi Tang: tang@jsu.edu
Ya Wang: wangy@sfsu.edu
Please include the name of the conference you plan to attend in the email subject line.
We encourage all CALA members to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance their professional growth and contribute to our vibrant CALA community.
Sincerely, CALA Conference Travel Grant Subcommittee travel-grant-chair@cala-web.org
Dear Chapter Presidents,
We are pleased to announce that the CALA Conference Travel Grant Subcommittee is now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 CALA Chapter President Travel Grant. This grant is designed to support CALA chapter presidents in attending ALA Conferences.
All current chapter presidents serving during the 2024-2025 term are eligible to apply. In cases where a chapter president cannot attend the ALA Conference, the chapter vice president may apply, provided they are delegated by the current chapter president.
Each chapter is eligible for one award.
Grant Details:
Each recipient will receive a grant of $1,000, which will be issued by the CALA Treasurer upon submission of a conference report.
The CALA Executive Committee will determine the final recipients based on the subcommittee’s recommendations.
Grant recipients will be announced in early May 2025 via the CALA listserv.
Application Requirements: Applicants must submit a complete application package containing the following:
Completed CALA 2024-2025 Travel Grant Application Form (attached).
Updated Curriculum Vitae (CV).
A statement outlining the applicant's needs and the benefits of receiving the grant.
Supporting documentation demonstrating professional or administrative responsibility at the ALA Conference. Acceptable documents include:
A copy of the conference invitation or confirmation letter.
An acceptance letter for a presentation or poster.
A recommendation letter from the applicant’s supervisor, peer professional, or faculty advisor.
For vice president applicants, a delegation letter from the current chapter president is required.
Submission Instructions: Please email the completed Travel Grant Application Form and all required documents to the following committee members by March 31, 2025:
We encourage all eligible CALA chapter presidents (and vice presidents, if applicable) to take advantage of this opportunity to attend ALA Conferences and advance their professional growth.
CALA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (website: https://cala-web.org)
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