Program Proposal Overview

Proposing a Program? Start here

Thanks to our dedicated members, a great deal of thought and intention goes into planning, developing, and delivering education at AALL’s Annual Meeting & Conference. You are encouraged to explore our many resources for program proposers, but the following provides an overview of the process.

Program Topics

  • AALL members are looking for programs that help them address workplace challenges, understand legal information trends they need to know about, and introduce important perspectives not always available to them. They use the conference program lineup to explain to their employers why they need to attend. Programs also help members in their professional growth and career development.
  • AALL crowdsources program topic ideas from AALL members, and the Annual Meeting Program Committee (AMPC) seeks strong program proposals on the 30 “must-have” program topics they identify. (The AMPC will also select additional programs on topics other than the must-haves.) All program proposals support competencies and skills from AALL’s Body of Knowledge (BoK).
  • We encourage you to work with other AALL members on program proposals. We are committed to elevating new and diverse voices in our profession—consider working with speakers who have the desired experience/education but who may not have presented at Annual Meeting in the past. [See also: AALL Spectrum]
  • The AALL Annual Meeting & Conference is an opportunity for members to hear from nonmember thought leaders operating within the legal information spectrum. Program proposals from nonmember thought leaders are encouraged.

Proposal Expectations

  • The AMPC is comprised of 44 AALL members representing different library types, roles, and expertise. All proposals are evaluated and scored using a rubric and identifiers are removed so the first review is anonymized.
  • Program takeaways should clearly state what the attendee/audience will be able to implement after attending (vs. what the presenter will do).
  • A program coordinator must be designated in order to submit a proposal. (This person is typically—but not always—the program proposer.) The program coordinator will develop the program, identify and work with the program’s speakers, ensure that the program’s presentation delivers its stated takeaways, and work with the assigned AMPC member liaison.
  • Standard program length is one hour. It is strongly recommended that there are no more than three speakers on a program of this length. (2.5-hour deep dives are also an option.)
  • All program coordinators, moderators, and speakers are required to register for and attend the Conference. At a minimum, everyone must have a single-day registration for the day of their program.

Program Expectations

  • Since conference programming runs concurrently, when an attendee decides to attend one program, they are choosing that program over numerous other programs happening at the same time. They expect that the program will match its description and deliver its stated takeaways.
  • Program coordinators are expected to conduct a virtual run-through of the program prior to its presentation at the conference.
  • Conference programs must start on time, with the knowledge that attendees may dip in and out of programs throughout the hour if the program they’re attending isn’t meeting their expectations.

Organizational Demographics *

  • 46% of AALL members are law librarians and legal information professionals who work in academic (law school) settings; 34% work in private (law firm) settings, and 16% work in court or government libraries.
  • More than 40% of AALL members have job titles that indicate some management responsibilities (such as director, dean, associate, solo librarian, department head, etc.). Some other titles held by AALL members are chief knowledge officers, competitive intelligence analysts, legal information managers, heads of outreach services, marketing & business development research analysts, and business intelligence specialists.

Personal Demographics *

  • 37% have been in law librarianship and legal information profession for 16 or more years.
  • 44% are in the mid-career age range (41-56).
  • 72% are female.
  • 92% have an MLS/MLIS degree; 48% have a JD (or equivalent) degree.

Who Attends the AALL Annual Meeting? *

  • 51% work in academic (law school) settings; 26% work in private (law firm) settings; 15% work in court or government libraries.
  • Most conference attendees report that their employers pay their conference registration and related expenses.
  • Member attendance at the Annual Meeting is high—52% of the AALL membership attends every year, 23% occasionally attend.

* Numbers are self-reported.