We are currently seeking session proposals for DPLAfest 2016. An annual series of workshops, presentations, and discussions, DPLAfest brings together librarians, archivists, and museum professionals, developers and technologists, publishers and authors, educators, and many others to celebrate DPLA and its community of creative professionals. To review topics and themes from previous fests, check out the agendas from DPLAfest 2015 or 2013.

The deadline to submit a session proposal is Friday, January 22, 2016. Questions? Email us.

Submission terms

• If your proposal for a session is accepted, DPLA will expect you to register for DPLAfest and deliver your session in person on either April 14 or April 15. DPLA reserves the right to change the schedule as it sees fit (we will inform you of any changes).
• After March 1, 2016, should you be unable to deliver your scheduled workshop, you will be expected to find a suitable replacement (subject to DPLA approval).
• The proposal you submit for review will, if accepted, be used for inclusion in the DPLAfest agenda and is the primary way that participants will choose which sessions to attend. You will have the opportunity to edit the title and/or description of your session in February 2016, but any further edits after March 15 will not be allowed.
• By presenting at DPLAfest, you grant permission to be video or audio recorded and grant DPLA worldwide, rights free usage and distribution of the recording at its discretion.

Audiovisual requirements

DPLA will provide:

• Screen and a projector in rooms for sessions, workshops, and lightning presentations.

You must provide:

• Your own laptop computer to show your presentation to the audience.
• Projector adapter (Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter).

Session types

Presentation (45 minutes)

Presentations are explorations into specific concepts/themes or updates on an ongoing project or initiative, given by a single presenter or a group of 2-4 presenters. Presentations normally consist of 30 minutes worth of content, with an additional 15 minutes for questions and discussion, though presenters are free to structure their session however they see fit. DPLA will attempt to group presentations by theme based on the tags attributed to a submission.

Workshop (90 minutes)

Workshops provide a hands-on learning opportunity for participants. Workshops should not be focused on a single vendor tool. Rather, they should attempt to teach participants how to use a technology or free and/or open-source tool, an approach or methodology, or another demonstrable skill or process.

Lightning presentation (5 minutes)

Lightning presentations are short, 5-minute presentations given in rapid-first succession, often with only a small number of slides. There are a few lightning presentation tracks to choose from:

• Hubs showcase: Members of the DPLA Hub network are encouraged to share brief updates on an aspect of their work, whether that’s a new tool, grant program, or other exciting initiative.
• Building tools with the DPLA API: Developers who have built something using DPLA’s API are encouraged to share their work. Hackathon participants will also be able to show off their creations during this session.
• Dork shorts: Have a cool app or other bit of technology that folks might not know about? Looking to give an update on an exciting technical project? Sign up to give a 5-minute dork short!