DLA

Conference Forms and Timeline 2019

DLA Conference Committee planning 2019

Forms:

Instructions: Make sure to download each form and save it with a different file name to your computer first.  Then fill it out, save it again and send it. Email forms to Alison Wessel and Michelle Hughes. 

1. 2019 Workshop Proposal Form (Preliminary Approval):  This is the very first form to use when proposing a workshop or speaker for the conference. (Due Friday September 28, 2018).  
2. Speaker Agreement Forms 2019 (contractual agreements with presenters/speakers) (due Friday October 19).  Choose the Internal form for MD/DE presenters, and the External form for presenters who will join us from outside of Maryland and Delaware.
   1. Conference 2019 Internal Speaker from MD-DE – Use this form for Speakers/Presenters who are from MD and DE.  
   2. Conference 2019 External Speaker Agreement– Use this form for Speakers/Presenters from outside of DE and MD.
   3. DLA Publicity Form 2019 (due Friday October 26) Fill out this form for every speaker/presenter.  Include speakers’ photos and bios, and a brief description of the program for the conference brochure, online and other ways to market the workshops and events!  Please proofread!
3. Conference 2019 AV form-DLA – (due Friday December 21)
4. Book Order Form (optional)  – (due Friday December 21) (please notify Michelle and Alison if you need to use this form.)
5. Final Checklist (due Friday January 25). 
   This includes food options for presenters and a way to double-check everything so there are no surprises.  
6.  

Timeline: Meetings and Forms

July-August: Finalize workshop ideas; Division, Group and Committee conference chairs, run these by the DLA Conference Committee and Executive Director.

• August 9                  DLA Conference Meeting, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Dover Public Library

September:  Submit your ideas to Division VP/Conference Committee Chairs to make sure they contain key ingredients, such as learning objectives and a program planner, speaker/presenter names, and a description of your workshop.

• September 13          DLA Conference Meeting, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Dover Public Library
• September 28         Preliminary Approval Forms due

October: Finalize your speaker’s commitment, the description of the workshop, and obtain speaker’s photo

• October 4                 DLA Conference Meeting, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Dover Public Library
• October 19               Internal & External Presenter Agreement Forms due
• October 26              Publicity Forms due

November/December: Wrapping up, final edits for conference brochure and MLA/DLA Conference Website

• November 8            DLA Conference Meeting, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, Dover Public Library
• December 21           A/V Forms due (see description below)
• December 21           Book Order Forms due if needed

January – date TBA         Final Checklist due  

Registration opens sometime in January. 
Early bird registration ends in mid-March.
Volunteer opportunities will be available through conference registration.

May 1-3 , 2019          Annual Conference!  See you at the Hyatt!

Notes:

• Although the Dover Public Library is designated as the meeting place, some meetings may be virtual due to weather or after a majority of the required forms have been turned in.
• Please mark all of these dates on your calendar and make them a priority.
•  If you have any questions, please contact:         

Definitions and Resources to Help:

• Learning Objectives: See Guidelines for Writing Learning Objectives.
• Program Planner:  This is the designated support person who is responsible for the logistics of the program or workshop.  It is not the speaker or presenter, but rather a person who helps speakers feel comfortable and have everything in place so they can focus on their talk or workshop.  Program planners submit the forms, gain speaker permissions for publicity, work with their Division and the DLA Conference Committee to handle any proposed fees, and make sure the speaker has food, lodging (if they are from outside of Maryland and Delaware), travel, etc.  During the conference, program planners are the designated person who picks up the program packet from the MLA office (on conference location in a suite); this contains blank surveys to be filled out by workshop attendees, a notice of any announcements to be made, a check for the speaker, a certificate for the speaker, and CEU certificates for attendees who complete the survey and turn them in to the program planner at the end of the workshop.  Not everyone needs a CEU certificate but sometimes it’s just a nice thing to have.
• Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort/Hotel, in Cambridge, Maryland:  Here is a link to the Hyatt’s floor plan.
• Internal Speaker Agreement Forms and External Speaker Agreement Forms:
  • Internal Speakers are those who are from Maryland and Delaware (they normally do not qualify for an overnight hotel stay or mileage stipend unless the sponsoring Division agrees to provide these provisions).
  • External speakers are persons who come to the conference from outside of Maryland and Delaware.  Normally, they can be provided with one night’s lodging, a meal and mileage depending upon your library Division or group’s budget.  Division Presidents coordinate with VP/Conference Chairs regarding their Division’s budgets and please feel free to contact DLA Treasurer Joel Rudnick if needed. 
  • These forms must be signed by presenters/speakers along with the title and a brief description of the workshop (for the brochure and to publicize it).  They are putting in writing that they are committed to speaking at the conference.  At the same time, work on publicity (see below).
• Publicity Forms:
  This form grants MLA and DLA permission to put their photo on the conference brochure, obtain a final title and a brief description so that we can publicize their workshop through the conference publications, social media, etc.  Get a nice head shot!
• Audio/Visual forms: Note that each room will have a microphone, podium, projector, laptop and screen.  For regular workshops (on Thursday and Friday) rooms are set up theater style to maximize the number of attendees.  For preconference workshops (on Wednesday), rooms have large round tables with an average of 8 chairs per table.
• (Optional) Book Order Forms: for presenters who are selling their books.

January-February:
Final Checklist – This is an important way to double-check that the meals, hotel, travel, and AV are all set up so that there are no surprises for the speakers and their program planners.   It is a way to communicate what is known; if there are any last-minute changes, this is the time!

Other considerations:

During this process of proposing workshops and gathering forms, we’ll also need:

• the Awards/Scholarships names
• Poster Proposals
• Silent Auction submissions
• volunteers to help at the conference (sign up for on-site volunteer opportunities through conference registration)
• event planning (i.e. Escape Room or a prearranged field trip to nearby museum)
• any other announcements that will be going in the conference brochure.

The conference brochure is finalized in December and is published online by mid- to end-of-January.  Please make sure to read over your speaker’s name, publicity blurb and title carefully.  

Early bird registration is a discounted rate  and usually ends around mid-March. 
DLA members also benefit from a membership discount when registering for the conference.

Summary:
The Delaware Library and Maryland Library Associations first partnered in 2012 to provide a joint state conference.  Our Associations mutually support the desires of our members to provide high quality workshops, presentations and speakers at an event that can be enjoyed by all library staff, administrators and supporters.  The more involved each DLA Divisions and members are, the more relevant we make it.   This ensures that there is something for everyone at our annual conference.

Responsibilities:

Each Division provides at least one workshop (and are encouraged to submit two or three proposals) and a silent auction donation at the conference.  Committees are encouraged to provide workshops as well.

Ideally, every Delaware library staff person, administrator, trustee and supporter who wants to be involved with the conference will feel welcome to do so.   Perhaps your group would like to help with the silent auction or hold a poster session?  There are many ways to be involved.