The theme of AMICAL 2017 is “Centering on learning: Partnerships and professional development among librarians, faculty and technologists”.

Student learning, and students’ critical engagement with their objects of study and research, are a core part of AMICAL member institutions’ educational missions. This year the AMICAL Conference brings together faculty, librarians and technologists from these American international liberal arts institutions to envision how we can work together in more substantive ways to support that student learning.

Schedule

The Conference will include a day of pre-conference committee meetings (17 May), followed by three conference days (18-20 May) of presentations, workshops, discussions and unconference sessions.

The schedule is now available.

Goals

Knowledge sharing, skill development, project building… and inspiration!

AMICAL 2017 will be a dynamic and interactive program of sessions relating to AMICAL’s programs and initiatives, committee work, and the consortium’s broader mission. During those four days, we will:

• create opportunities for discussing issues of special relevance to AMICAL institutions and their American-international liberal arts environments
• allow members to develop practical expertise through peer and invited workshops
• facilitate collaborative project development
• inspire members to think about their work differently, to push their limits, and to reflect on the meaning and higher level goals of their work

Elements of the program

Invited speakers will address attendees through keynotes, workshops, or other invited sessions. Invited because of their combination of demonstrated expertise, AMICAL-relevant experience, and innovative thinking in those areas, they’ll be helping attendees grapple with timely issues of importance to libraries, learning, technology or higher education.

The majority of the program is composed of sessions submitted by AMICAL members through the call for proposals. Proposals may draw upon the theme or any of the topics identified in the call. Sessions will include poster presentations and technology showcases (“Community Idea Exchange”), facilitated discussions (“Birds of a Feather”), brief presentations (“Lighting Talks”), mini-workshops, and panel presentations.

Committee meetings will allow those members engaged in ongoing consortial projects to look back and plan ahead. These meetings will be scheduled primarily on the first day and will not require session proposals. The Program Committee will get in touch with committee chairs about preparing for these meetings.

A portion of program time will be reserved for the unconference, impromptu discussions and improvised sessions proposed by attendees at the event.

A select group of library and educational technology vendors have been invited to sponsor and participate in the Conference because of interest expressed in their products and services by AMICAL members. Vendors will show and discuss their products and services during exhibit hours on Thursday and Friday.