Now that summer is well underway, we’re in the throes of DLF Forum planning with the help of our amazing volunteers! There’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months:

The Program Subcommittee has been reviewing the proposals submitted to the Forum. Thank you to our 52 committee members and to those who have participated in community voting for shaping our program! We’ll be notifying speakers in the end of July and announcing the full program schedule soon after.

Our Inclusivity Subcommittee has several initiatives underway, including an update to the Guide to Creating Accessible Presentations (as well as an online event–stay tuned!), a revival of last year’s cost-share/ride-share spreadsheet, and outreach plans to publicize conference space accessibility, participant comfort measures, our code of conduct, and other best practices information. Keep an eye out for our #DLFvillage hashtag and please help us make that a welcoming, friendly, and open channel that helps support our community before and during the event!

The Sponsorship Subcommittee has identified the potential sponsors and exhibitors we would like to have join us in Pittsburgh. We are grateful to all our sponsors, including our local host institutions, Carnegie Mellon University Libraries and University of Pittsburgh’s University Library System. You can learn more about sponsorship opportunities here and view our sponsors here.

The Scholarship Subcommittee is beginning to review applications for DLF Forum fellows! We had a record number of applications and, this year, we’re offering five different kinds of Forum fellowships–which means lots of great discussions (and decisions) will be happening soon. If you applied for a fellowship, you will be notified of your selection status by the end of July.

The Local and Social Subcommittees are putting together resources to help you get the most out of your time in Pittsburgh! The Local Committee will share some of their favorite spots in the city with Forum-goers, as well as tips for getting around, and more. The Social Committee will build on these great recommendations to help to facilitate dine-arounds, outings, and our mentorship program, when their work starts later this month.

The Liberal Arts Colleges/HBCUs Pre-conference Planning Committee had its kick-off call this week! This year’s pre-conference, a collaboration between DLF’s liberal arts colleges community and the HBCU Library Alliance, is being organized in an informal and highly collaborative unconference format–but we are still accepting proposals for lunchtime lightning talks. Get your name on the program!

We’d like to extend our immense gratitude to our one hundred DLF Forum Planning Committee and Liberal Arts Colleges/HBCUs Pre-Conference Planning Committee members! The 2017 DLF Forum and pre-conference are community and practitioner-based events that would not be possible without thoughtful and engaged participation from our community. Thank you!