Thank you for your interest in the TCDL 2026 Planning Committee. Applications are now closed.
Help Us Shape the Future of Digital Scholarship:
The Texas Conference on Digital Libraries (TCDL) is more than just a conference; it’s a vibrant community dedicated to advancing digital scholarship and library innovation. For TCDL 2026, we invite you to volunteer as a member of our Planning Committee. Your expertise, passion, and collaborative spirit will be essential in creating an impactful experience for all attendees.
Conference dates: June 2-4, 2026
Venue: Commons Conference Center, Austin, TX
Why Become a Member of the Planning Committee:
Serving on the TCDL Planning Committee is a unique opportunity to:
- Shape a Leading Conference: Directly influence the program, content, and experience of a premier digital libraries event.
- Expand Your Network: Connect deeply with digital library professionals, thought leaders, and TDL staff from across Texas and beyond.
- Develop New Skills: Gain invaluable experience in project management, event planning, communications, program development, and leadership.
- Contribute to the Community: Play a vital role in fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and celebrating innovation within our field.
- Increase Your Visibility: Enhance your professional profile through active participation and leadership within the digital library community.
What Does a Planning Committee Member Do:
Committee members are the architects of TCDL 2026. This is an active, hands-on role where your ideas become reality. Responsibilities include:
- Strategic Planning: Contributing to the overall vision, content, and structure of the conference, including participating in the conference theme selection process, developing the call for proposals, nominating a keynote speaker, reviewing proposals, and drafting a post-conference report.
- Task Execution: Actively participating in a chosen subcommittee to determine logistics, develop materials, and carry out specific tasks throughout the planning cycle.
- Conference Participation: Serving as a session moderator during the conference, and/or volunteering with on-site roles (e.g., at the check-in desk, providing directional support).
- Regular Engagement: Attending full committee meetings and regular subcommittee meetings (virtual).
- Collaboration: Working closely with TDL staff, the TCDL Chair and Vice-Chair, and fellow committee members.
Subcommittees:
In addition to serving on the full committee, we ask that you participate in at least one of the following core subcommittees. Please indicate your preference(s) on the application form.
- Awards Subcommittee: Manages all aspects of the annual TDL Awards program for the conference, including criteria development, call for nominations, the review process, selection of winners, planning for the awards ceremony, and overseeing student engagement and support initiatives (including developing the criteria for the student scholarship, reviewing applications, and selecting recipients).
- Participant Experience Subcommittee: Responsible for ensuring a positive and productive experience for all attendees. This includes coordinating speaker logistics, providing moderator training, managing volunteers, selecting physical swag items, developing local resources for attendees, and planning social and networking activities.
- Posters Subcommittee: Focuses on planning and executing the poster presentation sessions and the poster reception. This includes managing poster submissions and reviews, coordinating with presenters, and organizing the popular scavenger hunt activity.
Time Commitment:
The time commitment varies depending on the subcommittee and the phase of conference planning, typically ranging from 5-10 hours per month. This includes attendance at full committee meetings and regular subcommittee meetings.
Who We’re Looking For:
We seek enthusiastic, collaborative, and dedicated individuals from all TDL member institutions and a wide range of experiences and perspectives. We value a broad spectrum of contributions and a commitment to fostering a welcoming, respectful, and productive environment for all TCDL participants.
We will ask about your previous committee experience on the application form to help us build well-rounded subcommittees. However, little to no previous committee experience will NOT disqualify you from serving. We welcome new voices and provide support!
How to Apply:
Ready to join the TCDL 2026 Planning Committee and help us make this an impactful conference?
Please complete our online application form by Friday, August 22, 2025:
TCDL 2026 Committee Application
Questions?
If you have any questions about serving on the TCDL 2026 Planning Committee, please contact us at info@tdl.org.
We look forward to reviewing your application and planning TCDL 2026 together!