Open Session Call for Papers: Using Oral History to Document the Histories of Library Associations and Evolving Library Practice [IFLA]

Open Session Call for Papers: Using Oral History to Document the Histories of Library Associations and Evolving Library Practice

Library History Special Interest Group with IFLA Sections of Preservation and Conservation, Information Technology, Library and Research Services for Parliaments, Library Theory and Research, and the Kazakhstan Library Union

Session Theme: 

A Focus on Diverse Communities and Ethical Preservation in the Digital Age

Libraries and archives play a pivotal role in documenting the histories of library associations, yet challenges persist in preserving these narratives—particularly those of underrepresented communities and born-digital records. This call for papers invites contributions that explore the opportunities and challenges of using oral history to document the histories of library associations and their evolving practices, with a focus on diversity, collaboration, and preservation in the digital age.

Call for Papers: 

The IFLA Special Interest Group Library History, together with the IFLA Sections of Preservation and Conservation, Information Technology, Parliamentary Libraries, Library Theory and Research, (to be confirmed) and the Kazakhstan Library Union are seeking proposals for papers to be presented at a session to be held at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress in Astana, Kazakhstan, 18-22 August 2025. Papers should reflect the conference theme, “Uniting Knowledge, Building the Future”

Themes and Objectives

This call aims to advance discussions around oral history’s role in documenting library association histories, addressing critical questions such as (not limited to.):

  • How can oral history initiatives overcome the tension between subjective memory and historical accuracy?
  • What is the role of archivists as curators versus creators of records, particularly in oral history projects?
  • How can libraries and archives ensure the preservation and accessibility of born-digital records?

Contributions are encouraged to address the following themes:

                1.            Oral history and archival theory

  • How has oral history challenged and informed archival theory and practice over the past fifty years?
  • What ethical, human-centered approaches can libraries adopt to integrate oral histories into their collections?
  • Reconfiguration of the role of librarians and archivists in the development of oral historiography: from ‘custodians of knowledge’ to ‘creators of knowledge’

                2.            Diversity and sustainability in oral history projects

  • Case studies highlighting oral history projects that document diverse and underrepresented voices.
  • Examples of library and archival initiatives that connect with communities to preserve cultural and professional heritage.
  • Models that ensure the sustainability of projects and programs that seek to document the history of the field.

                3.            Preserving born-digital content

  • Challenges and best practices for managing born-digital records in the context of library association histories.
  • Strategies for ensuring long-term access, curation, and stewardship of digital content.

                4.            Global perspectives on library association histories

  • Insights from international organizations on the preservation of library professional association histories, as discussed at IFLA and other forums.
  • Collaborative efforts across continents to document and share the histories of library and information science associations.
  • Comparative regional studies: comparing differences in the development of library associations in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, etc.

                5.            Innovative approaches and future directions

  • Exploring new methodologies for recording, preserving, curating and disseminating oral histories.
  • The potential for interdisciplinary collaborations to address the evolving needs of the field.
  • Exploring the indicators and methods for assessing the quality of oral history work
  • Exploring the use of AI and machine learning in the preservation and analysis of oral histories.
  • Discussing the role of digital tools in improving the accessibility and usability of oral history archives.

Why Participate?

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a global dialogue on documenting library association histories, addressing pressing issues in the preservation of oral and born-digital histories, and shaping future practices in the profession.

Submission Guidelines

Proposals should include a title, abstract (max. 300 words), and a brief biography of the author(s). Please submit your proposals to [insert contact email] by [insert deadline].

90 Minutes


Important dates & deadlines:

  • 30 April, 2025– Deadline for submission of proposal abstract
  • 13 May, 2025 – Notification of acceptance
  • 20 July, 2025 – Submission of Full-Text of Paper
  • 20 July, 2025 – Deadline for submission of presentation slides

Submission guidelines

We invite submissions of research papers, case studies, and reflective essays that align with the themes above. Join us in advancing the historical and cultural preservation of our profession, ensuring that diverse voices and digital records are not only documented but celebrated for generations to come.

Proposals should include:

  • Title of proposed presentation
  • Abstract of proposed paper (no more than 300 words)
  • Name of presenter plus position and/or title
  • Employer / affiliated institution
  • Contact information including email address, telephone number
  • Short biographical statement of presenter

Send proposals via email to: IFLA LIBHIST SIG <iflalibhistsig@gmail.com>

Use subject line: WLIC 2025 LIBHIS-SIG

Please note:

  • At least one of the paper’s authors must be present to summarize the paper during the program in Astana. Abstracts are to be submitted only with the understanding that the expenses of attending the conference will be the responsibility of the author(s)/presenter(s) of accepted papers.
  • The language of the session is expected to be English.
  • All papers presented at the WLIC 2025 will be available online under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
  • All papers must be unpublished and not previously presented.
  • Authors must disclose whether they submit this proposal to another WLIC 2025 session.
  • Authors of accepted papers must complete the IFLA Authors’ Permission Form.
  • All expenses, including registration for the conference, travel, accommodations, etc., are the responsibility of the authors/presenters. IFLA does not provide any financial support.

Call for Nominations: 2025 Distinguished Service in Library History Award

Call for Nominations

“The Distinguished Service in Library History Award is presented annually by the ALA Library History Round Table (LHRT) and honors the career of a person who has a lifetime of scholarship and service in the field of library history. This non-monetary award is intended to be given to an individual who has a record of contributions; who demonstrates length, breadth, and depth of involvement in library history; and who has had a significant impact on the work of the ALA Library History Round Table or on the library history community at large.”

Deadline: April 30, 2025

To learn more: https://lhrt.news/2025/04/03/call-for-nominations-2025-distinguished-service-in-library-history-award/

Virtual Book Discussion: Access in the Trends in Archives Practice Series

Approach privacy protected records with confidence! Join Megan K. Friedel and Ashlyn Velte, authors of the recently released Providing Access to Privacy-Protected Records at Public Institutions in the Age of Radical Empathy: Cases and Considerations, in conversation with Menzi L. Behrnd-Klodt, author of Modules 5 and 6 in Rights in the Digital Era, for a conversation about modern considerations surrounding privacy laws and professional ethical standards.

The panel takes place April 11, 12:00–1:00 p.m. CT, and will conclude with a Q&A session with all three authors.
Register Now

Nominations now open for the 29th Mander Jones Awards – Publications

The Mander Jones Awards Committee is pleased to announce that the call for nominations for the 29th annual Mander Jones Awards – Publications is now open!

These awards recognise excellence in publications relating to archives and recordkeeping. They are named in honour of Phyllis Mander Jones, a founding member of the Archives Section of the Library Association of Australia (later the ASA) and co-editor of the first issue of Archives & Manuscripts. 

Works published in 2024 are eligible for nomination. 

Nominations close Friday 6 June 2025.

How do I nominate?

You can submit your nomination(s) (electronic and hard copy) via our online nomination form in our new applications portal. You will need to create an account to nominate. You can save your progress and return at a later date to complete your nomination. You can also access and view any completed submissions. 

A copy of any nominated hard copy publication must be sent to the Mander Jones Award Committee and postmarked prior to the nomination deadline. You can find full details on how to send hard copy nominations on our website and within the online nomination form. 

You can find full details about nominating for the 29th Mander Jones Award – Publications on our website. 

Questions?

If you have any queries about the Mander Jones Awards, please contact Louise Trott, the Mander Jones Award Secretary.

If you have any questions about the online nomination form or submitting your online nomination, please contact the ASA Office.

CFP: Grant Writing Collaborations in Academic Librarianship

Grant Writing Collaborations in Academic Librarianship

Editor

Dr. Addison Lucchi

Instructional & Research Librarian | Professor
MidAmerica Nazarene University

About this Edited Collection

This edited collection focuses on effective strategies and best practices for fostering collaborative grant-writing initiatives among academic libraries, faculty, and external organizations. In many institutions, grant proposals are developed in isolation, often without direct collaboration with the library as an academic unit. However, through collaboration between academic libraries and other departments across campus, transformative projects can be designed to provide lasting change for the entire academic community. Drawing on a rich array of case studies from diverse academic libraries nationwide, the book highlights successful collaborations that have resulted in meaningful change. It also offers a wealth of practical guidance on best practices, templates, checklists, writing tools, and frameworks for developing innovative grant proposals that center on strategic collaboration.

Readers will discover how to identify potential collaborators, navigate the complexities of joint proposals, and leverage library resources to enhance project outcomes. By centering on strategic collaboration, this collection equips librarians and faculty with the insights and skills needed to craft impactful grant projects that not only secure funding but also advance institutional goals and enrich the academic experience for the entire community.

Publisher

ACRL Press

Chapter Topics

Chapter topics may focus on, but are not limited to the following:

Case Studies in Successful Grant Writing Collaboration & Project Implementation:

  • Mini-grants
  • Library-centered grants
  • Broader academic grant projects
  • Community-centered grant projects
  • Large, multi-year grant projects
  • Etc.

Grant Writing Tools and Resources:

  • Resources for grant-writing
  • Templates and checklists for successful grant proposals
  • How to find available grants
  • Potential workshops and training for librarians and other grant-writing collaborators

Other topics are welcome, and you are encouraged to submit your proposals.

We welcome proposals from any authors who have written and managed grant projects as a part of their academic library, or who have collaborated with academic libraries on their campuses. Particularly, we are searching for clear examples and case studies of grant-writing collaborations, including how academic libraries have collaborated with external departments and organizations to create meaningful change in their communities. Case study chapters will include details on the grant search process, project development, grant writing process, and project implementation. Additionally, we seek chapters that provide a variety of practical tips and tools for academic library grant-writers, drawing upon experience, including practical templates, checklists, toolkits, etc.

Each case study chapter (4,000 to 8,000 words) should also include practical lessons learned through experiences and advice for future grant-writers. Each tools and resources chapter (2,000 to 6,000 words) should include usable resources, tools, lists, etc. to facilitate and improve the grant-writing process.

Proposals for all chapters should include 1) a proposed title for the chapter; 2) an abstract for the chapter; 3) a brief outline for the chapter; and 4) a list of practical takeaways, lessons learned, or action steps for the reader.

Tentative Timeline: 

  • March 10, 2025 – CfP opens
  • June 30, 2025 – CfP closes 
  • July 31, 2025 – Notification of submission status (accepted or declined) sent
  • May 1, 2026: 1st draft due

How to Submit Your Proposal

Please note that a 400-500 word abstract is required (and must be submitted via a shared Google doc in the submission form) and should include an overall outline of the proposed chapter with clearly labeled relevant headings that address the topic of the edited collection as described in this CfP. Please make sure to also address, even if only at a high level, what lessons learned / practical actionable next steps readers can take away from your chapter to hopefully help address similar concerns they may be facing. Specifically, the proposal should include: 1) a proposed title for the chapter; 2) an abstract for the chapter; 3) a brief outline for the chapter; and 4) a list of practical takeaways, lessons learned, or action steps for the reader.

Please submit your proposal by completing the proposal submission form available by visiting 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScKm5qHgNUB_XbW8P4u0qEpqO0c2TGqd6BDcMnPFj_3nrWACw/viewform?usp=header. Alternatively, you are welcome to email your proposal directly to amlucchi@mnu.edu. 

Questions

Questions or concerns? Please submit let us know by emailing Dr. Addison Lucchi at amlucchi@mnu.edu. 

Call for Applications: Announcing the Launch of the Sharing Stories from 1977 Editorial Fellows Program

Call for Applications: Announcing the Launch of the Sharing Stories from 1977 Editorial Fellows Program

New Deadline: April 15, 2025

Application Site: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EPboKDMgxT-l2Q2TcSwrZ5BcULZeR-p2uHFfdMKvwAA/viewform?edit_requested=true

Sharing Stories from 1977, a nationally recognized digital humanities project, is pleased to announce we are forming an editorial board for our peer-reviewed, open-access website. Sharing Stories from 1977: Putting the National Women’s Conference on the Mapis the central hub for documenting and interpreting the 1977 National Women’s Conference (NWC).

We are seeking twelve graduate student Sharing Stories Fellows who will be competitively selected in a national search to serve as an inaugural class of editors in 2025-2026. 

Fellows will conduct editorial review of biographies drafted primarily by undergraduate researchers to be published on the Sharing Stories site. This program will especially suit graduate students interested in developing experience in the peer-review publication process and using digital tools. An interest in contemporary US history, women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, public history, and/or digital humanities is a bonus. 

This virtual editorial fellowship will run from September 2025 through July 2026 with a time commitment of approximately 5 hours a week. Fellows will work in editorial groups led by Drs. Stacie Taranto, Emily Westkaemper, and Judy Tzu-Chun Wu as well as engage in social mixers and have the opportunity to present works-in-progress at an annual Sharing Stories Fellows Research Workshop.

Applications are DUE APRIL 15, 2025 and include a CV, Statement of Interest, and Writing Sample.

For more information on this program and to apply, check out: https://www.uh.edu/class/ctr-public-history/projects/sharing-stories/ssoppurtunity-editoralfellowship.php.

Contact Information

Sandra Davidson, PhD

Project Manager, Sharing Stories from 1977: Putting the National Women’s Conference on the Map

Contact Email

sddavids@cougarnet.uh.edu

URL

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1EPboKDMgxT-l2Q2TcSwrZ5BcULZeR-p2uHFfdMKvwAA/vi…

New Issue: Archives and Records, Volume 45, Issue 3 (2024)

Archives and Records, Volume 45, Issue 3 (2024)

Articles

Children as archive producers, participants, and agents: introduction to the special issue on children and archives
Anna Sparrman, Victoria Hoyle & Johanna Sjöberg

Imagining tiny archives: exploring young children’s collecting of nature things
Alex Orrmalm & Marek Tesar

From passive subjects to active agents: enabling child-centred recordkeeping in social care contexts
Sharon Vincent, Martine Hawkes, Justine Ogle, Joanne Evans & Barbara Reed

Researching colonial childhoods: accessing the voices of children in the Gold Coast (Ghana) 1900 –1957
Afua Twum-Danso Imoh

‘Politics are the way our country is run’: the social value of school archives for tracing children’s civic engagement
Emily Murphy & Helen King

Everyday records or living archives? An analysis of record-keeping in residential children’s homes in Scotland
Ruth Emond, Andrew Burns, Hugh Hagan & Karl Magee

Ethics in research practice: young people, pictures, and archives
Yelyzaveta Hrechaniuk & Anna Sparrman

Book Reviews

Disputed archival heritage
edited by James Lowry, London, Routledge, 2022, 356 pp.
Helena Clarkson

A soldiers’ chronicle of the Hundred Years War. College of Arms manuscript M9
edited by Anne Curry and Rémy Ambühl, Cambridge, D. S. Brewer, 2022, 480 pp.
Anthony Smith

New Issue: Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals

Collections- Volume: 21, Number: 1 (March 2025)
Focus Issue: Hazardous Heritage
(partial open access)

Introduction
Introduction to the Focus Issue: Hazardous Heritage
Henna Sinisalo and Doris Blancquaert

Hazardous Heritage
Journey into a Toxic Past: Pest Control in Museums at the End of the Nineteenth and the Early Twentieth Century in Germany and Beyond
Helene Tello

Museum Professionals’ Perceptions of Chemical and Biological Hazards and Risks in Museum Work Environments in Finland
Henna Sinisalo

Hearing Victims’ Voices: The Asbestos Story in the Archive
Arthur McIvor

Asbestos as Difficult Heritage: The Need for a Multi-Voiced Heritage Policy
Doris Blancquaert and Hélène Verreyke

Tracing Toxic Agency—Exploring the Open-Air Museums and Their Contaminated Vernacular Buildings
Anne-Sofie Hjemdahl and Terje Planke

Disappearing Façades: The Challenges Behind Asbestos-Containing Façade Materials Heritage Value and Significance from a Curator’s Viewpoint
Liisa Katariina Ruuska-Jauhijärvi

Addressing the Presence of Arsenical Bindings in the British Library’s Collections
Amy Baldwin, Paul Garside and Nicole Monjeau

All Bottled Up: Hazard Assessment of an Historic Pharmaceutical Collection
Anna Fowler, Kerith Koss Schrager and Nancie Ravenel

From Poison Books to “Bibliotoxicology”: Highlighting Hazards in Paper-Based Library Collections
Rosie Grayburn and Melissa Tedone

Hazardous Heritage Within the War Heritage Institute
Saskia Van de Voorde and Zoë-Joy Vangansewinkel

Congress Review: Hazardous Heritage: Working With and Around Dangerous Materials in Cultural Heritage, 23 to 24.10.2023, Antwerp, Belgium
Liisa Katariina Ruuska-Jauhijärvi, Marleena Vihakara and Doris Blancquaert

CFP: One-day symposium : “Map exhibitions 19th-20th centuries”

France

ANNUAL ONE-DAY SYMPOSIUM OF THE HISTORY COMMISSION OF THE FRENCH CARTOGRAPHY COMMITTEE

Friday 14th November 2025

INHA (Paris) – Salle Vasari

The History Commission of the CFC is organising a study day on ‘Cartographic exhibitions’ on 14 November 2025 at the Institut national d’histoire de l’Art (INHA) in Paris.

This one-day symposium is a continuation of the previous meetings on ‘Art and Cartography’ (2023) and ‘Cartography and Cinema’ (2024), in which cartography and its history were examined from the angle of their presence in modern and contemporary visual cultures. The aim of this new day is to consider the various aspects of the encounter between cartography and the general public.

Maps have long been exhibited, more or less permanently, in the galleries of major palaces and public buildings. Think, for example, of the Vatican Map Gallery or the world map room in the Farnese Palace in Caprarola. But it is not to these perennial cartographic settings, which are already well known, that this Study Day aims to focus its analysis, but rather on temporary installations.

Since the nineteenth century, cartography has been the focus of a great many temporary exhibitions, both specialist and more general. Like works of art or scientific objects, maps, globes, models, relief maps and observation instruments were considered worthy of public interest. Take, for example, the enthusiastic response to the exhibition entitled ‘Cartes et figures de la Terre’ [Maps and Figures of the Earth], presented at the Centre Pompidou in 1980. Exhibitions devoted to the history of cartography, or certain aspects of it, are regularly held at scientific gatherings (geography congresses or learned societies), at international fairs and, of course, in libraries, museums and archive centres.

We need to look at these cartographic exhibitions from a number of angles: 

– What were the projects, motivations and objectives of the designers of these exhibitions?

– What were the scientific, artistic and political contexts in which these exhibitions were organised?

– What cartographic documents were chosen? According to what criteria? What were their aims?

– What was the chosen scenography? How have these choices evolved over the years? Are there any links, or even analogies, with the history of art exhibitions?

– How many people attended the exhibition? What type of audience, if any? How did the press react to the exhibitions?

Contributions may address all or only some of these questions.

Practical details

Proposals for papers (approximately 1500 characters), accompanied by a short bio-bibliography, should be sent before 10 May 2025 to the following address: catherine.hofmann@bnf.fr.

The selection committee will meet in mid-June and will announce the results of the call for papers in early July.

The papers selected will be published in an issue of the journal of the French Cartography Committee, Cartes & Géomatique, in 2026.

Contact Information

Catherine Hofmann, map curator at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris)

Jean-Marc Besse, head researcher at CNRS and EHESS

Contact Email

catherine.hofmann@bnf.fr

URL

https://cartogallica.hypotheses.org/

CFP: ARTEFACTS 30: Care and Repair

CALL FOR PROPOSALS FOR ARTEFACTS 30, CARE AND REPAIR

With pleasure, Norsk Teknisk Museum (the Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology) announces that the next and 30th meeting of ARTEFACTS will be held in Oslo, Norway, 12–14 October 2025.

ARTEFACTS is an international network of academic and museum-based scholars of science, technology, and medicine, who share the goal of promoting the use of objects in research. The consortium was established in 1996 and since then has held annual conferences examining the role of artefacts and collections in the making of science and technology and related areas. See https://www.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/our-work/research-public-history/artefacts-consortium.

The theme of the 2025 meeting is CARE AND REPAIR, and we encourage proposals (see formats below) concerning how erosion, breakdown, and maintenance, instead of progress and innovation, can be starting points for research. What are the limits of our fragile world, and what work does caring do? We characterize ‘care and repair’ broadly, encompassing objects, people, and environments, but all proposals should have a focus on the material culture of science, technology, and/or medicine.

In keeping with the theme, we especially encourage proposals from museum conservators, as well as those who care for museum communities. These could potentially be joint submissions with other museum practitioners and scholars. ARTEFACTS conferences are friendly and informal meetings with the character of workshops. There is plenty of time for open discussion and networking.

Examples might include, but are not limited to:

  • Conservation and restoration of technoscientific heritage; “stubborn” objects, those which require persistent care and repair; challenges while taking care of technoscientific collections… 
  • Working with communities on technoscientific heritage; forgotten stories of care and repair; amateurs and enthusiasts, the maker movement, and do-it-yourself (DIY) culture…
  • The sustainability of technoscientific heritage; practices of repair leading towards more sustainability; making things last; waste and reuse; the afterlives of technoscientific heritage…
  • Historical perspectives on technology and repair; the shaping of technology through practices of repair; how repair practices have changed over time; lost expertise / knowledge / skills; the lifespans and persistence of technology; technology’s manifold temporalities…
  • Care and the medical humanities; care versus repair, with regard to hierarchies of expertise in healthcare; caregiving and the difficulties of providing and receiving care; ethical dimensions of care and maintenance; how caregiving has changed over time…

Please remember that the focus of presentations should be on artefacts.

This time, ARTEFACTS is experimenting with two tracks for submissions: (1) works to be considered for publication (a pre-circulated paper and a longer presentation based on the paper) and (2) works-in-progress (shorter presentations without a paper). Abstracts for track 1 should be 500-1000 words; abstracts for track 2 should be 200-300 words. They should be accompanied by a 75-word author biography and sent to artefacts@tekniskmuseum.no by 15 May 2025. We aim to notify accepted participants by 5 June 2025.

Registration will open formally when the program is announced in June, but in the meantime informal queries should be directed to artefacts@tekniskmuseum.no.