Conference Program Planning Calendar

• Planning Committee meets and begins preliminary planning:

Possible topics
Possible speakers
Types of handouts
Appoint any subcommittees and assign responsibilities
Potential co-sponsors

• IS Conference Program Chair and IS Vice-Chair attend ACRL Conference Program Planning Committee meeting
  
• Prepare outline of conference program as draft for proposal to ACRL Board. Due to the ACRL Board, after review by IS Vice-Chair and Advisory Council, in April or May

• IS Conference Program Chair and IS Vice-Chair attend ACRL Conference Planning Committee meeting to discuss program proposal
  
• Final selection of speakers
  
• If a poster session or invited papers are planned, form a separate subcommittee and make plans for soliciting submissions

• Contact speakers and send letters of agreement
  
• Send Section Chair information regarding the annual program to share with the Executive Committee
  

• Applications due for ALA Special Allocation funding. Notification of decision will be made immediately before Midwinter
  
• ALA Conference Services mails out scheduling packets to all program chairs

• Deadline of October 1 for meeting room request form to be submitted to ALA Conference Services Office by IS Chair. NOTE: This deadline is crucial! ALA guidelines state that no program meetings will be scheduled for an annual conference after October 1 of the year preceding the conference and that the deadline will be strictly enforced.

• Program committee finalizes plans:

Works out final details for program plans and room set up

Reviews assignments for responsibilities

Identifies materials for program packet and assigns preparation responsibility

• Poster session or invited papers subcommittee makes final selection of participants
  
• Send letters of agreement to selected participants
  
• Prepare final draft of program flyer and brochure

• Contact ACRL Office to complete any contractual letters for speakers, particularly important for non-librarian speakers who have been offered an honorarium

• Deadline for copy for preliminary annual program to ALA Conference Services (using their form)
  
• Send a camera ready or electronic copy of program publicity to IS Newsletter
  
• Prepare listserv and web publicity
  
• Notify poster session or invited paper participants of their selection
  
• Submit requests for guest registration badges for non-member speakers and special guests for the conference to ALA through the ACRL Office

• Deadline for copy for official Conference Program submit final copy if different from preliminary copy
  
• Have publicity ready to distribute to ACRL Conference (if held that year), LOEX, and other relevant conferences
  
• Submit request for audiotaping (if desired) to ALA through ACRL Office

• Last chance to make any changes in AV arrangements. Program chair submits any changes in AV requests to ALA Conference Services
  
• ACRL sends letters of agreement and taping release forms (if necessary) to speakers

• Contact chair of Membership Committee regarding plans for recruitment table
  
• Contact chair of Membership Committee to make arrangements to have photos taken during the awards presentation
  
• Contact Section chair if flowers desired for podium or speakers attending the IS dinner
  
  
• Coordinate presentation ceremony with chair of Awards Committee and section chair
  
• Finalize program handouts
  
• ACRL Office notifies chairs whose programs have been selected for audiotaping

• Arrive a day or two in advance to check the program site
  
• On the day of the program, arrive early to check room arrangements and set-up
  
• Check AV equipment to insure that all requested pieces are there and operational

• Report on program at Advisory Council meeting
  
• Submit written report on program evaluation and suggestions for next year to IS Chair no later than July 31 ^st.
  
• ACRL prepares check requests for honoraria and sends to speakers
  
• Program Chair writes thank-you notes to speakers and committee members
  
  
• As soon as possible, Program Chair submits reimbursement requests to IS Chair (due August 1 to IS, with August 15 as ACRL deadline)