Tag: conferences

CFP: Bibliographic Society of Australia and New Zealand Conference: Whose Work Is It Anyway?

Conference Dates: 18–21 November, 2025

CFP Deadline: August 1, 2025

Conference information: https://bsanz2025.wordpress.com/ 

Description:

A book is the product of multiple actors (author, agent, printer, editor, publisher), and once a book exists, its life beyond the printer depends on a whole series of additional actors (distributors, booksellers, purchasers, reviewers, prize committees, second-hand sellers, collectors, libraries).  This conference focuses on all of these processes, at different times and in different places.  Whether we regard these agents as part of a full circuit of connections or fortuitous players that may interact haphazardly, we should not conceive of the book as simply a unified container of ideas, though books often try to appear that way.  Papers that examine how any of these interactions impact on or account for the power of the book are welcome.  We especially welcome studies that examine points at which Darnton’s circuit is disrupted or rerouted in unexpected directions.  And ‘book’ encompasses all written communication: in manuscript, periodical or monograph form, physical or virtual.

The 2025 Annual Conference is now open for submissions. To participate, please submit a 250–300 word abstract along with a brief biographical blurb for the online programme. Submissions close on Friday, 1 August, with acceptance decisions by mid-August to facilitate travel plans. Presenters must be members of the BSANZ at the time of the conference. Registration fees will include a welcome reception on the evening of the 18th and morning and afternoon teas and lunch on the 19th and 20th. The Librarians’ Day on Friday the 21st will not have a separate registration fee and it will be possible to attend at least part of that day via Zoom if you are unable to join us in Dunedin.

In addition to plenary sessions, we envision 6 90-minute panels across the two days. Each panel may take the form of 3 20-minute papers with Q&A following or a roundtable format with a group of speakers each presenting very briefly to open a topic for discussion. It may also be possible to organise a panel for early-career scholars who may prefer to present shorter research talks. We are also happy to receive proposals for an entire panel. So please feel free to propose a format that works best for your topic or interests and we will see what we are able to arrange.

To submit an abstract, please send a word processor file (Word, Pages, etc) rather than a PDF, as we will be editing abstracts for a consistent style for the programme. Feel free to include an image for your topic if you wish, since the programme will be digital. We will not include pictures of speakers in the programme. Send abstracts as an email attachment to books@otago.ac.nz. (If the link [a mailto link] is blocked by your provider, just copy or type the email address the old-fashioned way.). Feel free to send any questions to that same address.

CFP: NeuroGLAM 2025

The members of Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada invite you to participate in their third annual free online conference.

August 22nd 2025 — Online

9 AM – 1 PM Pacific Standard Time
12 PM – 4 PM Eastern Standard Time
1 PM – 5 PM Atlantic Standard Time

What is Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada?
Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada emerged from the success and elevated feelings around the Ontario College and University Library Association’s 2022 Neurodiversity in the Library conference when it was seen just how badly there needs to be a place for neurodivergent gallery, library, archive, and museum workers in Canada to share their interests, experiences, research, and support.

Conceived of as part professional, self-advocacy, and support group, Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada is still in its early stages and primarily organizes on our Discord server (you can contact Ben Mitchell (bemitchell@tru.ca<mailto:bemitchell@tru.ca>) for an invite link).

Potential Topics:
The theme of this year’s conference is neurodiversity, GLAM, fascism, and its discontents. Presentations and panels may relate to, but are not limited to:

Research, professional work, and ongoing projects related to the theme.
Personal accounts of being neurodivergent in GLAM spaces in the context of eugenic and authoritarian cultures, practices, and laws.
How GLAM professions have historically resisted or facilitated fascism in different contexts or are currently resisting or facilitating it.
Surveillance and ableism in GLAM professions.

For those interested, the conference will conclude with a “Five Minute Fascinators” event where participants are invited to talk about a special interest for five minutes and why they think it is so interesting.

After the conference there will be a channel created on the Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada Discord server for ongoing discussions and follow up to discussions raised during the event and where links to recordings will be posted.

Guidelines
We invite proposals for individual presentations as well as for panel submissions. Presentations and panel discussions can be pre-recorded or delivered live.

For individual presentations, please submit an abstract of no more than around 2500 characters (approximately 400 words) a presentation title, a brief biographical statement (including pronouns if you feel comfortable doing so), contact information, and any potential trigger warnings for your presentation. You may also indicate the expected length of your presentation (10 minutes or 20 minutes max).

For complete panels, please submit a panel abstract of no more than 2500 characters (approximately 400 words) as well as a list of all participants and brief biographical statements (including pronouns if you feel comfortable doing so). Please identify (up to three panelists and one moderator) and provide participants’ contact information for the panel organizer.

At Neuro-GLAM-erous Canada we believe that the personal and professional are political, and encourage participants to think of themselves as whole beings. The sphere of vulnerability this creates will require tact and understanding. While this is a space to learn and be vulnerable, harassment, bigotry, and bad-faith actors will not be tolerated.

Proposals can be submitted to neuroglamcon@gmail.com<mailto:neuroglamcon@gmail.com>

Any questions can be directed to Ben Mitchell at bemitchell@tru.ca<mailto:bemitchell@tru.ca>

Proposal deadline: July 31st 2025

CFP – Ephemera Society of America Conference

250 years: Ephemera Shapes America

Preamble 

On July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. John Dunlap, a twenty-nine-year-old Irish immigrant, spent much of the night of July 4, 1776, hastily setting type and printing final copies of the single-sheet broadside of the Declaration. One was attached with a seal and folded into the Continental Congress manuscript journal after the words: “The Declaration being again read was agreed to as follows.” The others were distributed throughout the new United States to be read aloud in each of the 13 colonies and to the continental troops. Newspapers quickly published the contents. It is self-evident that ephemera played a pivotal role in the founding of our country. This broadside not only described the reasons for the country’s founding, it was also the means by which the public learned of our separation from Britain. Finding an original “Dunlap Broadside” continues to be the holy grail for collectors of American historical documents. Of the estimated 200 originally printed, twenty-six examples are known today. Most reside in institutions, including three at the National Archives, London. But copies have been unearthed in such places as Philadelphia’s famed Leary’s Book Store in 1968, in a crate that had not been opened since 1909. One, still in private hands, was discovered about twenty-five years ago behind a picture frame purchased for $4 at a Pennsylvania flea market.

Request for Proposals:

This historic anniversary is an apt moment for examining how ephemera played a key role not only in our founding, but also during the significant political events and social movements that make up our nation’s history.  Ephemera has helped to ignite, inform, commemorate, and reflect such events as the Civil War, the abolition of slavery, the Western land rush, the Centennial celebration, women’s suffrage, the World Wars, the Second Red Scare, counterculture movements in the 60s and activist activities today. Sometimes, ephemera serves as primary evidence. Without such survivors as hand-written accounts, photos, news clippings, and maps to establish the historical record, we might not know of the existence of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street and the tragic Race Massacre of 1921.

We invite submissions for talks at our 2026 conference in March on how ephemera has shaped and mirrored the major events and movements that have marked America’s growth. These presentations should be richly illustrated and supported by ephemera. Examples include: broadsides, posters, pamphlets, handbills, leaflets, newspaper articles, trade cards, billheads, letterheads, photographs, scrapbooks, diaries, circulars, brochures, booklets, signs, correspondence, playbills, menus, ration books, tickets, postcards, draft cards, arm bands, and buttons. 

Ephemera 46, the Ephemera Society of America (ESA) annual conference, will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich, Connecticut, on March 20, 2026. 

Each presentation will be 30 minutes in length, followed by a brief Q&A.  Please submit the following:

  • Presentation title and a written abstract, focusing on the way ephemera tells the story of your chosen topic. Please describe the specific types of ephemera you will use to illustrate your topic. Each presentation needs to feature at least three different types of ephemera. Proposals should not exceed 150 words.
  • 5 to 6 representative ephemera images 
  • A one-paragraph biography, including any affiliations
  • A jpg photograph of yourself for publicity purposes
  • Mailing address, phone number and e-mail address

Following a review of all proposals, finalists may be asked to submit 10 to 15 images of the types of ephemera that will be used to illustrate their talk. Proposals must be submitted via e-mail or post by September 15, 2025, to:

Barbara Loe, Ephemera 46 Conference Chair

e-mail: bjloe@earthlink.net or

post: Ephemera Society of America, Inc., P.O. Box 95, Cazenovia, NY 13035-0095.

Decisions and notification about proposals will be made by November 30, 2025. Presenters will be requested to sign a release at the time of acceptance allowing their presentation to be filmed for use by the ESA.

If selected, a draft PowerPoint presentation must be submitted by February 28, 2026. The final presentation must be submitted by March 12, 2026. Presentations must include 25 or more ephemera images. At this time, funding is not available from ESA to support travel or presentation costs. 

ESA is eager to expand the use of ephemera in the classroom, and we encourage presentations on all subjects addressing the use of ephemera in teaching and academic research. We encourage undergraduate and graduate students to submit proposals for the Emerging Scholars Program to be held on Thursday afternoon, March 19th.  For more information, please see “Emerging Scholars” under the “Discover” tab on our website:  www.ephemerasociety.org

CFP: Society of Georgia Archivists Annual Meeting

The Society of Georgia Archivists Annual Meeting Program Committee proudly presents the theme for the 2025 annual meeting: Archivists “Macon” It Happen: Back to Basics.

The Committee invites you to attend the meeting, to be held at Middle Georgia State University in Macon, Georgia on Thursday, October 2, 2025.

Our 2025 program invites session proposals that will encompass presentations, working groups, interest groups, skill labs, mini workshops, and demonstrations on a broad spectrum of archival work as we take it back to the basics. Presentations will examine how archivists accomplish their work without reinventing the wheel – how do we leverage existing tools, workflows, and archival community connections?  While proposals on all aspects of archival practice and research will be considered, the Program Committee is especially interested in the following key topics:

  • Access, outreach, and instruction
  • Acquisitions, i.e. donor relations, deeds of gift, transfers, collection development policies, and donor guides
  • Career resources, i.e. advancement, resume & cover letter building, interview skills, conflict resolution, and salary negotiation 
  • Digital stewardship, i.e. digital scholarship/digital humanities projects, born-digital preservation
  • Preservation
  • Processing
  • Trainings, i.e. disaster planning, in-house conservation, and volunteer & student training
  • Workflows/Documentation/Project Management

The committee welcomes proposals from anyone involved with archives, including archival staff and volunteers, students, new professionals, community organizers, researchers, and allied professionals. 

The following are the session types we are accepting this year:

  • 50-minute mini workshops. A mini workshop on topics of interest that includes concrete practical tools and lessons for a smaller group of attendees. 
  • 50-minute working group/interest group. For working groups, facilitators and up to 5-7 discussants grapple with a shared concern. Before and during the meeting, working groups articulate a purpose they are working toward or a problem they are actively trying to solve. Proposals are submitted by facilitators, who will confirm discussants after acceptance. For interest groups, facilitators determine a topic of interest to host a structured discussion forum where attendees can engage in open-ended discussions, share ideas, and debate issues related to the topic of choice.
  • 50-minute panel (2-5 presenters). A complete session made up of formal presentations coordinated around a single theme.
  • 25-minute skills lab, tutorial, or case study (1-3 presenters). Show attendees how to use or apply a specific tool, technique, workflow, or concept. Visual aids and/or handouts are encouraged. 
  • 7-minute “Lightning Talk” (1-2 presenters). Briefly highlight recent projects, works in progress, or ideas for future collaboration.
  • Poster Session. Briefly highlight recent projects, works in progress, or ideas for future collaboration.

Proposals can be submitted through the online submission form. The deadline for proposal submissions is May 30, 2025.  

The Program Committee has created a Google spreadsheet to connect individuals seeking ideas and/or collaborators for session and poster proposals. The document is not monitored by SGA or the Program Committee and is not part of the official submission process.

For more information about the 2025 Annual Meeting, contact a member of the planning team:

CfP Museums in Motion: New Frontiers in Chinese Museum Studies

We are delighted to invite papers for the international workshop ‘Museums in Motion: New Frontiers in Chinese Museum Studies’, to be held in person and online at the University of Siena on 13-14 November 2025. 

Studying Chinese museums is both an intriguing and rewarding pursuit, offering a valuable perspective on the histories and cultures of China and its unprecedented transformations over the past three decades. These institutions house an extraordinary wealth of historical, artistic, and cultural artefacts, providing deep insight into China’s long and complex past, as well as its multilayered interactions with the world today. From ancient bronzes and calligraphy to contemporary art and political exhibitions, museums in China serve as dynamic spaces where history is preserved, interpreted, and debated. They shape narratives, influence national and local identities, and even serve political functions. The way history and culture are presented—what is emphasized, omitted, or reframed—offers a revealing glimpse into China’s evolving relationship with its past and present.

At the same time, questions of accessibility and representation remain central. While major state-run museums, such as the National Museum of China, present grand, state-approved narratives, smaller independent museums sometimes offer alternative perspectives, occasionally challenging official histories. This raises critical discussions about who controls historical narratives and how they are curated. Beyond their role as cultural and historical institutions, Chinese museums are at the forefront of technological and curatorial innovation. Digital exhibitions, AI-driven curation, and new approaches to audience engagement are transforming how visitors experience history and culture. But what does this mean for museum studies as a field? Are existing theories and methodologies sufficient to analyze these developments, or do we need new frameworks to understand this evolving landscape?

Furthermore, museums play an increasingly significant role in China’s modern cultural and economic strategies. The country has invested heavily in building and modernizing these institutions, signalling both a commitment to preserving heritage, and an effort to enhance cultural tourism internally and China’s cultural influences externally. Yet, this also raises fundamental questions: Are museums primarily spaces for education, instruments of soft power, or engines of commercial gain? How do they compare to museums in other parts of the world? Ultimately, studying Chinese museums is not just about appreciating artefacts—it is about understanding the intersections of history, culture, politics and society. Museums are not just neutral spaces; they actively participate in shaping national identity and public memory.

Objectives

Given China’s rapid cultural, political, and technological transformations, this workshop aims to explore the current landscape of Chinese museum studies. It seeks to foster international collaboration by bringing together scholars, curators, policymakers, and practitioners from diverse perspectives. The event will serve as a unique forum for critical dialogue, interdisciplinary exchange, and the rethinking of future directions in Chinese museum studies. 

We aim to collect contributions to publish an edited volume with a leading publisher in the field in 2026/2027.

Scope 

We encourage interdisciplinary approaches and welcome submissions in English that engage with a broad range of research topics, projects, and case studies, from practitioners, policymakers, and scholars from different perspectives and disciplines, including but not limited to: Archaeology; Art and Art History; Anthropological and Ethnographic Studies; Sociological Perspectives; Political Science and International Relations; Economic and Business Approaches; Media and Communication Studies; Museum Studies and Curatorial Practices; Conservation and Heritage Management; Exhibition Design and Interpretation; Education and Pedagogical Approaches; Gender and Feminist Studies; Postcolonial and Decolonial Studies; Science and Technology Studies; and Philosophical and Ethical Considerations.

Key questions the workshop seeks to address include (but are not limited to):

  • How are museums in China shaping and reshaping historical narratives?
  • What role do digital technologies play in Chinese museums?
  • How do Chinese museums engage with international audiences and collaborate with global institutions?
  • What challenges do museums face in terms of funding, curation, and public engagement?
  • How do museums navigate issues of decolonization, repatriation, and contested heritage?
  • What role do museums play in fostering community engagement, especially among local and ethnic minority groups?
  • How do privately funded museums contribute to or challenge dominant narratives?
  • How do museums address environmental sustainability and heritage conservation?
  • What ethical concerns arise with AI, VR, and big data in museum curation?
  • How are gender, diversity, and marginal voices represented in Chinese museums?
  • What role do Chinese museums play in international cultural diplomacy and soft power?
  • How do Chinese exhibitions and collections abroad shape global perceptions of Chinese culture?
  • What are the dynamics of collaboration between Chinese and foreign museums and how do these influence museum practices globally?
  • New methods and approaches to museum studies 
  • Historical perspective on museum development in China 
  • Museum development in Greater China and among Chinese diasporas 

Dates: 13–14 November 2025
Format: Hybrid (Online & In-Person)

Hosting University: University of Siena (Department of Philology and Literary Criticism) – Arezzo Campus
Venue: Logge del Grano Hall, Piazzetta Logge del Grano 5, 52100 Arezzo, Italy

Presentation Format: Papers should not exceed 20 minutes, followed by a 5-minute discussion.

Submission Guidelines: Please send an abstract (250 words)along with a bio (max. 100 words, detailing affiliation, career stage and disciplinary background).

Important Dates: 

  • Submission Deadline: 31 May 2025
  • Notification of Acceptance: 31 July 2025
  • Program Draft: 30 September 2025

Fee: Attendance at the workshop is free. Participants attending the in-person session shall cover their own travel and accommodation.

Proposal Submission: Please send proposals in a single email to all organizers at the following addresses:

Ornella De Nigris: ornella.denigris@unisi.it|Cangbai Wang: C.Wang6@westminster.ac.uk |Sofia Bollo: sofia.bollo@uzh.ch

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.

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.

CFP: Australian Society of Archivist Conference

The Call for Papers is now open and will close on:

  • AEST: 9:00 am on Monday 28 April 2025
  • AWST: 7:00 am on Monday 28 April 2025
  • ACDT: 8:30 am on Monday 28 April 2025
  • NZDT: 11:00 am on Monday 28 April 2025

How to Submit

  1. Read the information below regarding the theme and proposal types.
  2. Click on the Submit Your Proposal button below to create an account and follow the instructions to submit your abstract. Abstracts should be no longer than 300 words.
  3. If you have any technical issues accessing the portal or submitting your proposal, please contact us.
  4. If you have questions about the theme or your proposal in general, please contact the Program Chair.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL

Theme

The purpose of archives is often explained as being for the benefit of societal memory. As the International Council on Archives’ Universal Declaration on Archives states; they are authoritative sources of information which play an essential role in the development of societies by safeguarding and contributing to individual and community memory and that open access to archives enriches our knowledge of human society, promotes democracy, protects citizens’ rights, and enhances the quality of life.

What has been the societal impact of archives and archival practice over the past 50 years? How is this changing over time? How should it be changing?

The conference aims to bring together a wide range of perspectives and stories on our profession and practice by showcasing what archives mean to communities, institutions and individuals. It is also a space to explore where we have been, are, and want to develop as a sector.

Call for Papers

The Australian Society of Archivists is excited to invite your proposals for contributions to our upcoming conference “Telling Our Stories: Community, Connection, Resilience”, to be held 10-12 November 2025 in Warrane/Warrang/Sydney.

We invite you to share your experiences, reflections and research by ‘telling our stories’ from and about the archives by submitting a brief proposal of no more than 300 words.

Topics could include, but are not limited to:

  • Archival history
  • Community and school archives
  • Impact of technology on archives
  • Digital accessibility
  • Access to and repatriation of displaced archives
  • Privacy and ethical considerations
  • Cultural considerations
  • Audiences: who is missing?
  • Social responsibility
  • Reparative description, Indigenous self-determination
  • Teaching with archives
  • Community outreach and access
  • Archival education
  • Using technology to improve engagement
  • Impact of digital transformation on archival concepts
  • Artificial intelligence and machine learning
  • Big data

We encourage submissions from all who engage with archives: students, new professionals, experienced archivists and recordkeepers, information professionals, academics, researchers, artists, and community members.

Conference Audience

Your audience will mainly be archivists, records and information professionals from small, medium and large organisations in government, private and community sector organisations. It will also include students, academics, educators and researchers.

The conference will be face to face, however it should be noted that sessions will be recorded for on-demand viewing. This should be considered when developing your abstract and any subsequent presentations.

Proposal Types

All presentations will be presented on location and in-person:

  • Posters
    • presentation of research, project, idea, or other type of work in a paper poster
    • presenters will be required to present during the poster session in order to answer questions and further explain their poster
    • we specifically invite students to use this category
    • posters will need to be printed
  • Project show and tells (10 minutes)
    • strictly limited to 10 minutes per talk (all speakers combined), including questions
    • short, less formal presentations to share information about in-progress or completed projects
    • provide opportunities to share project status and potentially engage and network with other delegates interested with relevant expertise
    • speakers may use slides to enhance their talk
  • Lightning talks (10 minutes)
    • strictly limited to 10 minutes per talk (all speakers combined), including questions
    • short, less formal presentations to share information about ideas and research and connect with other delegates
    • speakers may use slides to enhance their talk
  • Individual papers (30 minutes)
    • comprise one or more speakers presenting on a topic for a maximum of 30 minutes
    • presentations should last 20 minutes to allow at least 5 minutes for questions
    • papers will be grouped to form 90 minute sessions around a common theme
  • Interactive presentations (30-60 minutes)
    • comprise one or more speakers
    • an interactive presentation designed to engage the audience in active discussion
  • Panels (90 minutes)
    • comprise 3 to 5 speakers who together present on a topic for 90 minutes
    • panels have options in how they use the time available, potentially giving each panellist a set time to speak and allowing time for questions during or at the end of the panel session
    • panellists may use slides to illustrate or enhance their contribution to the panel
  • Workshops half-day or full day, to be held on day before or after the conference
    • hands-on sessions designed to involve participants in practical activities
    • limited capacity per workshop (please note maximum capacity requirements in the submission).

CFP: Visual Resources Association Annual Conference

The Call for Proposals has bee extended! The submission deadline is Monday, April 7, 2025, at 11:59 pm PDT.

Whether you are a current member or a potential attendee, we encourage you to reflect on your experiences, ideas, and expertise. We encourage submissions from VRA members and non-members, seasoned attendees and first-timers, as well as students, early-career, mid-career, and senior professionals.

Please direct any questions about the submission process to VRA’s Directors for Events & Initiatives at initiatives@vraweb.org. 

VRA 2025 Virtual Whiteboard

Interested in engaging with the VRA community to develop or refine a proposal or suggest ideas? VRA’s Education Committee has set up a Virtual Whiteboard where you can brainstorm collaboratively about potential papers, panels, special interest/user groups, workshops, meetings, and poster sessions. Reach out to the Education Committee co-chairs at education@vraweb.org if you have any questions about the whiteboard. 

Suggested Topics

We welcome proposals on a wide range of topics related to visual resources, including case studies, lessons learned (both successes and challenges), practical applications, innovative methods, ongoing projects, ethical considerations, research, and pedagogical practices. Suggested topics include:

  • Coding
  • Community outreach
  • Copyright/intellectual property
  • Digital asset management, digital curation, digital preservation, etc.
  • Digitization (workflows, digital capture and imaging technologies)
  • Digital scholarship and digital humanities
  • Diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural competencies, social justice
  • Project management (communication, grant writing, prioritization, leadership, etc.)
  • Linked data
  • Materials/objects collections
  • Metadata/cataloging ethics (decolonizing vocabularies, radical cataloging)
  • Storytelling and oral history
  • Technologies (GIS and mapping, 3D imaging, etc.)
  • Tools: open source, evolution, future trends
  • Workplace cultures and professional transitions (academic departments, libraries, cultural heritage institutions, archives, corporate, etc.)

This is not an exhaustive list. Do not hesitate to propose something new or highlight an area of concern that you feel has not been adequately addressed in the past! 

Past conference schedules can give you an idea of the range of topics presented in previous years.

Conference Format

As we look ahead to VRA 2025, we are excited to announce a carefully considered shift in the structure for our upcoming annual conference. 

Five years since the onset of the pandemic, the landscape of large-scale conferences has profoundly transformed. Priorities have shifted, placing greater emphasis on health and safety, accessibility, affordability, and environmental sustainability. These changing expectations have inspired us to reimagine how we structure our conferences to better serve our community.

Over the past three years, the VRA Annual Conference has embraced a hybrid model, accommodating virtual and in-person attendance with a mix of in-person and remote presenters. However, in 2025, we are embarking on a new approach to enhance the experience for all participants.

VRA 2025 will feature two distinct components: virtual pre-conference programming held a week prior to the main event, followed by three days of on-site conference programming at the Porter Hotel in Portland, OR.

On-site conference attendees will automatically be registered for the virtual pre-conference, and folks unable to attend on-site will have the option to register for the virtual pre-conference programming separately. 

This change is designed to ensure flexibility and accessibility while creating a more engaging experience. It will also lessen the burden on both our organization’s finances and the volunteers who make this event possible. Furthermore, by separating virtual and on-site programming, we aim to avoid the challenges posed by the hybrid model, which often leads to a fragmented experience for both in-person and virtual participants.

To help us in this effort, we invite you to share your feedback through an anonymous survey. Your voice matters, and we want to hear from you as we work toward a more inclusive and engaging conference. Click here to access the feedback form.

Working together, we can design a conference experience that adapts to the evolving expectations of our field for 2025 and beyond.

Please direct any questions about the conference format to VRA’s Directors for Events & Initiatives at initiatives@vraweb.org. 

Proposal Types

VRA 2025 is an in-person conference, and accepted speakers are expected to deliver their presentations onsite (barring extenuating circumstances). To accommodate those unable to attend in person, there will be a limited number of all-virtual sessions during pre-conference programming the week of September 29, 2025. Presenters should plan their submissions and participation accordingly.

Committees, chapters, and user groups may choose to meet virtually before the conference, in-person during the conference, or both (two meetings, one virtual and one in-person).

Please note, there will be a separate call for posters in June 2025.

Individual Paper (15–20 minutes): Individual presentations that may highlight new research, a project, a case study, or an innovative idea relevant to the VRA community. Papers should aim to provide attendees with fresh tools, strategies, or inspiration they can apply in their own practice. Grouped thematically with other individual papers into sessions with a total run time of 60 to 90 minutes, including a Q&A.

Lightning Talk (5–7 minutes): Short individual presentations addressing a timely or specific topic. Lightning talks provide attendees the opportunity to hear about a range of innovative projects or ideas from a broad group of colleagues in a short amount of time. Grouped into sessions that may or may not be themed, with a run time of 60 minutes, including a Q&A.

Pre-coordinated Panel (60–90 minutes): Moderated sessions typically consisting of 3–4 presenters speaking for 15 minutes each, followed by a facilitated Q&A. Panels provide attendees with diverse perspectives on a single topic, a comparison of tools or methods, or a number of case studies on related subjects. If you are proposing a panel, it is your responsibility to fill the time with presenters. It is not necessary to identify all potential presenters before submitting, but conference planners will need names of presenters several months prior to the conference.

Workshop (90 minutes–3 hours): An opportunity to teach and explore a specific tool, technique, workflow, or concept relevant to the VRA community. Recent conference workshops have included sessions on digital cartography, accessibility, salary negotiation, critical cataloging, grant writing, coding, open data, photogrammetry, and more. 

Special Interest or User Group (60 minutes): Small, informal, facilitated group discussions on topics or tools related to specific segments of the VRA community. Facilitators may propose a meeting for an existing group, or you may also propose a meeting for a topic of interest to you to see if others share that interest.

Committee or Chapter Meeting (60 minutes): Sub-groups within VRA can use conference time to gather and discuss their efforts to continue the work of the organization. These groups are generally regional chapters or established organizational committees.

Schedule

  • January 27: Call for Proposals opens
  • March 14, 11:59 pm PDT: Call for Proposals deadline
  • April 7, 11:59 pm PDT: Call for Proposals extended deadline
  • On or around May 12: Notification of final decisions
  • On or around June 2: Tentative programs released for conference and virtual pre-conference

Code of Conduct

All presenters are expected to adhere to VRA’s Conference Code of Conduct.