RBMS 2026 Call for Proposals

Special Collections for All: Access, Equity, and the Reach Beyond the Academy

Rare books, special collections, and archives inhabit a more diverse range of spaces than is typically acknowledged. Our field includes museums, historical societies, public libraries, corporate archives, independent libraries, and more. RBMS 2027 Special Collections for All encourages special collections librarians and archivists to consider how we can better engage and serve our communities when we take an expansive view of the field and aim to democratize access for all. This conference celebrates the work of special collections libraries and archives outside the academy, and encourages academic institutions to examine how it engages with a wider community. 

This conference encourages professionals to consider three broad themes: First, how do various special collections and archives shape their core services and what can be learned from these various models? Second, how does public programming function as an access and equity strategy, and a fundamental method for reaching individuals who are not likely to enter into academic reading rooms? Third, how do we communicate the value of special collections and archives to the broadest possible audience and what do partnerships with other public history organizations teach us about advocacy?

Special Collections for All as a conference aims to reflect the diversity of where special collections work happens, and treat access and equity as fundamental strategies, not just individual good intentions. We are also interested in presentations that extend the conversations begun at previous conferences. 

To that end, the RBMS27 Conference Program Planning Committee enthusiastically invites proposals from practitioners in a wide variety of roles across the full range of special collections settings for in-person or virtual sessions, including papers, panels, discussion sessions, lightning talks, the Power of New Voices sessions, posters, and workshops.

The program committee welcomes all proposals of interest to the RBMS community but preference will be given to proposals that explore and help expand our profession’s engagement with this year’s program theme. Potential topics might include but are not limited to:

• Access and accessibility
• Accessibility and inclusivity instruction techniques and learning outcomes
• Advocacy
• Budgets, fundraising, and grants
• Cataloging and description
• Community archives and public history
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Demystification of special collections
• How GLAM core services present to the general public
• Inter- and intra-institutional collaborations
• Navigating the politics of academia and internal advocacy
• Programming and outreach
• Promoting the invisible work of technical services
• Reading room as public space
• Supporting the work of non-traditional scholars
• Technology as a tool for access and equity

Session Formats

Seven session formats are available. Please review the session formats and choose carefully to match your desired content and outcomes.

Modality Options

All presenters in the same session must be either ALL in-person in Reno or ALL virtually presenting from their own location(s).

Collaboration Spreadsheet

Seeking someone to collaborate with on a presentation? Use this spreadsheet to help find someone!

Selection Criteria

The proposal form must be completed in full to be considered. The RBMS 2027 Conference Committee will evaluate proposal content on the following criteria:

• Applicability and timeliness
• Clarity, organization and outcomes
• Educational value and suitability for session format
• Point of view and creativity
• Connection to the conference theme (not mandatory, but preferred)

You may submit multiple proposals for consideration, but if accepted for more than one program, you may be asked to choose one.

Requirements

RBMS 2027 presenters will be required to:

• register and pay to attend the conference (or attend by scholarship), either in-person or virtually, depending on session modality;
• participate in online speaker training (for virtual presentations); and
• adhere to the ALA Statement of Appropriate Conduct for Professional Conference and Events and the ALA Online Code of Conduct. 

Notifications

February 2027 - Discussion Groups, Panels, Papers, Power of New Voices, Workshops issued
April 2027 - Lightning Talks and Posters notifications issued

Deadlines

First Deadline: December 18, 2026
11:59 p.m. CST
Discussion Groups, Panels, Papers, Power of New Voices, Workshops

Second Deadline: Friday, March 5, 2027
11:59 p.m. CST
Lightning Talks and Posters

Submit Your Proposal