Call for Session Proposals: Omaha 2027

The Midwest Archives Conference will hold the 2027 Annual Meeting on May 13-15, 2027, at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, in Omaha, Nebraska. For more information about the host and the conference, see the meeting website.

 

Theme: Bridging New Frontiers

Situated at the crossroads of the Missouri River, our host region has long been defined by connection, departure, and discovery. Here, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge connects Nebraska and Iowa, and historic paths like the Oregon and Mormon Trails once launched bold journeys west.

This year’s conference invites professionals across archives, museums, records management, and special libraries to gather at this vital intersection. Together, we will explore what it means to bridge new frontiers: connecting past and present, addressing gaps in historical records, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and pioneering the integration of emerging technologies like AI. Join us as we chart new trails of thought, navigate changing landscapes, and build lasting connections across our fields.

The Program Committee encourages submissions from newer professionals, first-time presenters, and colleagues from non-academic institutions. A MAC membership is not required. Presenters may submit more than one proposal but may present only one session OR poster. We want to hear from the solo archivists or from those with more limited institutional support!

With an eye toward clear takeaways that can be broadly applied, possible areas of focus include but are not limited to: 

  • Distinct approaches to collecting, reference, and instruction
  • Creative or unique approaches to outreach
  • Successful community archiving projects and partnerships
  • Collaborative projects leveraging local and/or regional resources for greater impact
  • Stretching resources and budgets in innovative and practical ways
  • Providing access to complex collections (e.g. born-digital records, fragile materials, collections on inaccessible media)
  • Projects or programs that leverage staff in distinctive ways
  • Practical workflows for accessioning, appraisal, processing, preservation, deaccessioning, and cataloging
  • Overcoming challenges to making collections accessible and discoverable
  • Utilizing facilities in unique ways to highlight and provide access to collections
  • Incorporating AI in discovery of materials
  • Modernizing legacy practices, policies, and/or platforms

The Program Committee will also consider proposals not related to this theme or that fall outside these areas of focus. 

 

Possible Session Types

  • Standard Presentation: Two to four speakers present on a common theme. May include a moderator to guide discussion and/or introduce speakers and theme.
  • Open Forum: Topical discussion with moderator leading discussion with everyone present. May include additional moderator(s) to direct breakout conversations.
  • Roundtable Discussion: Three or four participants make very brief remarks, then discuss a topic together. Includes a moderator to steer the discussion.
  • Lighting Talks: Presentations may be from 3 to 10 minutes long, with the time allotted depending on the number of presenters. May or may not include slides or images.
  • Debate: Moderator announces the topic, and two individuals debate. May include more than one topic and additional debaters.

In January 2027, there will be a separate call for poster proposals as well as a possible call for pop-up sessions for less traditional session types or time-sensitive topics.

 

Possible Session Lengths

60 minutes and 90 minutes. Please be mindful of your number of presenters and session type when indicating the preferred session length. All sessions will be held in-person.

 

Speaker Representation

The Program Committee seeks a broad slate of presenters representing a variety of professional and institutional backgrounds, perspectives, and voices. We seek to foster a culture of uplifting new voices in the MAC program and encourage submissions from anyone interested in presenting, including students, new professionals, first-time presenters, and those from allied professions. In order to facilitate and promote a variety of programs appealing to a wide range of audiences, the proposal submission form will ask voluntary questions about presenters' professional and institutional background and past presentation experiences.

To facilitate collaboration among those brainstorming session ideas, the Program Committee encourages use of the MAC Facebook page and this spreadsheet for brainstorming session proposal ideas.

 

Proposal Evaluation

The Program Committee will evaluate all proposals submitted by the deadline using the following criteria:

  • Quality and clarity of the session abstract;
  • Thoroughness of content and sufficient speakers to address all relevant aspects of the topic;
  • Originality of proposed topic;
  • Variety of presenters and viewpoints;
  • Appropriateness of proposed format for session content.

All proposals will be considered in the context of the overall structure of the meeting and the availability of time slots for proposed sessions. You can preview a PDF of the proposal form here. All individuals involved in an accepted proposal must sign a presenter agreement.

 

 

Proposal Submission

The deadline for submitting session proposals for the 2027 MAC Annual Meeting is Friday, October 23, 2026 at 5pm CT. Use the Call for Proposals form to submit your proposal.

If you have any questions about the proposal process, please contact the 2027 Program Committee Co-chairs, Olivia Garrison ([email protected]) and Jeff Jenson([email protected]).