Call for Proposals:
Second Empirical Studies in Libraries Summit
We are pleased to announce the upcoming Empirical Studies in Libraries Summit (ESiLS), a forum dedicated to showcasing and discussing the latest research and findings happening in and about libraries. This summit aims to bring together scholars, practitioners, and students who are engaged in empirical studies that advance our understanding of library practices, user behaviors, the impact of libraries on their communities, and more!
We invite proposals for presentations, workshops, posters, and panel discussions that address, but are not limited to, the following topics:
Innovative methodologies in library research
User experience and satisfaction studies
Data-driven decision-making in library services
Impact assessment of library programs and services
Information-seeking and user behavior studies
Collaboration between libraries and community organizations
The role of libraries in promoting digital or information literacy
Case studies highlighting successful empirical research in libraries
Target Audience: We encourage researchers as well as practitioners in academic, public, special, and all other libraries to submit proposals. Doctoral students are especially encouraged to apply. To further our commitment to inclusivity, proposers will have the option to disclose whether or not they are members of marginalized communities during the submission process. We aim to amplify the voices of those from these communities and strongly encourage their participation in submitting proposals.
Proposal Guidelines:
Submission Format: Proposals should be submitted by January 19th. Proposals should include: Title, Authors, Abstract and Session Type.
Review Process: All submissions will undergo a blind peer review process by the organizers of the conference. Proposals will be evaluated based on their originality, relevance to the Summit's focus, methodological rigor, and potential impact on the library community. Session proposals that do not include empirical data collection will not be accepted. Session proposals that are not accepted may be offered the option to convert their session to an asynchronous poster.
Notification of Acceptance: Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their proposals by February 2, 2026.
Note 1 - Originality: We encourage submissions of original content relevant to ESiLS and encourage submitters to be intentional in where they submit proposals for professional engagement. ESiLS does not accept presentations that have been presented elsewhere, or that are accepted/slated for presentation elsewhere. (If you are submitting multiple places, that is fine--though you may need to choose which to present at if accepted at more than one.) Any use of prior material should be cited by a reference to the source of that prior material, including one's own work. Questions about this? Email the organizers!
Note 2 - EBLIP: Presenters at ESiLS will have an opportunity to publish papers based on their work in the journal Evidence Based Library & Information Practice (EBLIP) for the journal's December 2026 issue. EBLIP is a peer-reviewed, open access journal that has been published since 2006. Submissions will be on/around June 1, 2026, and may fall into one of the following categories: research article, review article, commentary, or a "using evidence in practice" article. All submissions must follow the journal's author guidelines. Submission of a manuscript does not guarantee that it will be accepted for publication.
>> Submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/SVZqHN2gPD4dDeie7
Questions about the Empirical Studies in Libraries Summit may be sent to the organizers at info@esils.org. Additional information is available on our website at https://www.esils.org
We'd like to thank our sponsors for this conference:
SUNY Brockport's Drake Library
University at Buffalo's Information Science Department
Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP)