RoadShow Costs

Licensing Fee

Institutions pay a licensing fee to host an ACRL RoadShow workshop. ACRL organizational members receive a 10% licensing fee discount!

License fee structures for each RoadShow are listed below.

Additional Expenses

Travel Costs

For in-person RoadShows, hosts cover presenter travel expenses associated with the workshop. ACRL staff work with presenters to keep travel costs as economical as possible. Travel costs can vary widely, depending on presenters' locations, host locations, and lodging/transport options. We recommend that hosts budget for ~$1,000 per presenter in addition to the license fee. On average, travel costs can range from $800-$1,200 per presenter for U.S.-based locations. This includes:

• Travel expenses to/from the host's city (economy airfare, mileage/gas, etc.)
• Local ground transportation (airport shuttle, taxi/rideshare, parking, etc.)
• Lodging for up to two nights for U.S.-based workshops and up to four nights for international workshops
• Per diem meals of up to $70/day per presenter

In-Person Expenses

Hosting a workshop in-person creates wonderful opportunities for collaboration and networking. In-person workshop hosts should consider potential additional costs associated with an in-person event, such as:

• Marketing the RoadShow to your professional community
• Room rental fees
• Printing handouts
• Food and beverages for participants
• A/V equipment rentals
• Interactive learning materials (flip charts, markers, sticky notes, etc.)
• Staffing

Virtual Expenses

A virtual workshop can be accessible to a wide range of participants, and sometimes has lower associated expenses. Virtual workshop hosts should consider expenses like:

• Virtual meeting platform (Zoom is our preferred tool)
• Marketing the RoadShow to your professional community
• Staffing

Discounts and Savings

ACRL's RoadShow program is intentionally designed as an affordable and accessible model for delivering high-quality professional development to your library, campus, or institution, but we know that budgets can vary widely. We encourage hosts to explore cost-saving options such as:

• An organizational membership with ACRL, which gets member institutions a 10% RoadShow license fee discount.
• Charging a small cost-recovery fee for participants or participating institutions. Please note: RoadShows are not intended to generate revenue for hosts, and any fees charged should not exceed workshop costs.
• Partnering with another local institution or organization to share costs. Reach out to your local library consortium, state association, or ACRL chapter to collaborate on hosting.
• Sourcing funding from your local library advocacy group or previous institution donors.
• Working with your institution's existing staff development office or funding mechanism.
• Including the RoadShow as one part of a larger grant that advances your community and institutional priorities. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have leadership, staff development, and/or faculty development grants for qualifying institutions, and additional grants can be found at Grants.gov.
• Requesting donations or sponsorships from local catering, printing, or event management vendors. Please note: hosts may not solicit donations or sponsorships from national vendors of library products or services to cover RoadShow costs. ACRL prioritizes local commitment and support for workshops, and ACRL often has existing fund-raising relationships with national vendors for conferences and other programs.