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While the AMICAL 2026 Conference had to be postponed, we’ve moved online several of its sessions that had a timely focus on consortial development. We’re calling this new event the Online Spring Summit. The Summit includes four sessions over three days primarily intended for AMICAL member group leaders. As explained below, however, one session is open to all AMICAL members. Consortial programs from ideas to action: Program and grant design workshop Open to all AMICAL members April 2 | 14:00 Paris time (see local time) | 90 minutes This workshop is focused on shaping concrete program ideas for AMICAL and pairing them with realistic grant and funding strategies in cases where this is needed. Participants should come with ideas for new initiatives, or for substantial developments for existing initiatives. The session will emphasize building momentum, laying the ground for continued work beyond the workshop. The workshop will be facilitated by Barbara McFadden, originally invited as keynote speaker and workshop facilitator for AMICAL 2026. Barbara led large-scale inter-institutional collaborations for the Big Ten Universities and has consulted widely on collaboration in higher education. To participate, complete at least the highlighted sections of the Idea Canvas worksheet and send it to contact@amicalnet.org by end of day April 1. We’ll reply with the Zoom link for the session. Even a rough or preliminary idea is welcome — the more of the worksheet you complete, the more you’ll get out of the session. Note: Submitting your worksheet is the only way to receive the Zoom link. Get a copy of the Idea Canvas worksheet (If you don’t have a Google account, you can download and complete it as a Word Document.) Questions? Reply to this email or reach us at contact@amicalnet.org

Dear colleagues, In light of the evolving situation in Iran and the region, we have decided to postpone AMICAL 2026, which was scheduled for 31 March – 2 April at the American University of Sharjah. We want to ensure that all attendees feel safe at our events and, given the uncertainty, we do not feel we can proceed with the conference at this time. We will follow up with additional information as we assess further the situation and how we may be able to reschedule the event. Above all, we wish safety to all colleagues and their loved ones who may be affected directly by the situation. –AMICAL 2026 Organizers & AMICAL Executive Committee

There’s still time to submit your proposal for AMICAL 2025 (May 19–28, 2025)! The conference will bring staff and faculty across the consortium to address key challenges and opportunities in libraries, pedagogy, and academic technology at American international liberal arts institutions. We’re particularly interested in proposals that address the following topics in ways relevant to AMICAL members: AI in teaching, learning, and institutional strategy Digital pedagogy and scholarship Leadership in academic support units Information and digital literacies Open education and resources Library services and technology Key dates January 24: Draft proposals due for Interactive Sessions February 13: Final deadline for all proposals Upcoming info sessions Join us to learn about the available session formats and to get feedback on your proposal ideas: Info Session #3 – 21 January 2025, 11:00 Paris time (see local time) Info Session #4 – 4 February 2025, 11:00 Paris time (see local time) Info Session #5 – 10 February 2025, 11:00 Paris time (see local time) Don’t miss this opportunity to share your work and collaborate with colleagues who understand your institutional context! View the Call for Proposals → Questions? Contact us at contact@amicalnet.org

Mark your calendars for AMICAL 2025, which will take place online May 19–28, 2025! AMICAL’s annual conference aims to bring colleagues across the consortium to work on issues important to libraries, pedagogy and academic technology at American international liberal arts institutions. The majority of the program will consist of sessions proposed by members. Whether you’re a faculty member, librarian, or technologist, you’ll find opportunities to share inspiring work, discuss common challenges, and develop practical solutions alongside colleagues who understand your context. Call for Proposals The call for proposals is now open through February 13. We invite proposals that address the following topics in ways relevant to AMICAL members: Responses to & engagement with AI in teaching & learning Campus-level AI strategy & implementation Digital pedagogy & scholarship (incl. digital liberal arts, oral history, virtual exchange) Leadership in libraries, centers for learning & teaching, or academic technology Information & other literacies (AI, digital, data, media, etc.) Open education & OERs Library resources, services and technology Support for research & scholarship (incl. open access) Teaching writing & writing centers View the Call for Proposals → (Note that proposals using the “Interactive session” format must also submit a draft proposal by 24 January 2025.) We’ll be holding a number of information sessions. Here are the registration links for the first two: Info Session #1 – 17 December 2024, 11:00 Paris time (see local time) Info Session #2 – 9 January 2025, 11:00 Paris time (see local time) You can sign up to either of these sessions to learn about the available formats and how to submit a strong proposal. We will also answer any questions you may have and offer advice on any proposal ideas you wish to share for feedback. Suggest a keynote speaker As we craft the program, we’re also seeking suggestions for keynote speakers who can offer inspiration and insight to our group on high-level, future-facing topics. Suggest a Keynote Speaker → Our recent survey of AMICAL member interests highlighted the importance of learning and sharing on the topics above. Help us build a conference program that answers that need!

We’re excited to announce that AMICAL has partnered with SPARC to provide a limited number of complimentary registrations to attend virtually the Open Education Conference, a hybrid event taking place 8–10 October 2024. The Open Education Conference is an annual convening for sharing and learning about open educational resources, open pedagogy, and open education initiatives. View the program to explore the diverse range of speakers, topics, and sessions. The majority of sessions are accessible to virtual attendees. Apply for a registration waiver by Thursday 26 September If you are interested in Open Education, and believe it would be valuable for your work to attend this event, you may request an AMICAL-facilitated registration waiver, which would allow you to register for the event at no cost to you. (The normal registration fee is $100.) We ask that applicants review the program, commit to attending the conference, and to share their experience with other AMICAL members. AMICAL will organize that sharing and may include posting take-aways on AMICAL Connect, providing feedback on the event, or participating in future AMICAL discussions on Open Education. Note that sessions generally fall between 9:00–18:30 US Eastern Daylight Time (15:00–00:30 Paris time). If you can’t attend the live sessions, you will be able to watch the pre-recorded presentations, and get post-event access to session recordings and materials shared by presenters. Because of the limited number of registration waivers available, AMICAL can only issue a small number per institution. Priority will be given to applicants nominated by their AMICAL Representative as being likely to have substantial impact on OER and Open Educational Practices at their institution. You may therefore wish to reach out to your AMICAL Representative to let them know you’re applying. The remaining waivers will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis and distributed equally across institutions. 👉 Apply for an AMICAL registration waiver for Open Ed 2024 The deadline for applying is 11:59 PM Thursday, 26 September. AMICAL will confirm if we can issue you a registration waiver by Monday, 30 September. Otherwise, we will send you instructions for self-funded registration. If you have any questions, email us at contact@amicalnet.org.

AMICAL 2024 is a wrap – thank you to everyone who joined us during these two weeks! Recordings & material from other presentations Recordings from all AMICAL 2024 presentations are now available. Access note: These recordings are limited to Conference registrants and colleagues from AMICAL institutions. Only the keynotes by Rainie Lee & Rebekkah Smith Aldrich are publicly available. So please share them appropriately. All slides and other material provided by the presenters are being added to the online schedule (Sched) as we receive them. Stay connected The best way to stay informed of AMICAL’s events and activities, and connected with peers across the consortium, is to sign up for AMICAL Connect, the consortium’s online platform. Registration is open to all faculty and staff from AMICAL members institutions, and only takes a minute. Colleagues from outside of AMICAL can register for our general mailing list. We hope you have a wonderful and restful summer, and we’ll connect again in the fall!

Registration is now open for AMICAL 2024, and the full schedule has been posted! The conference will run online 27–30 May and 3–6 June 2024, between 11:00 and 16:00 Paris time, and will offer insightful presentations by, and lively discussions with, AMICAL colleagues and invited experts. All staff and faculty from AMICAL member institutions interested in libraries, pedagogy and academic technology are welcome to attend the conference. There is no registration fee — event costs will be covered by AMICAL and sponsorships. The Conference will be especially relevant to: Librarians, especially instruction librarians and library directors Faculty developers and coordinators of centers for learning & teaching Faculty interested in innovative pedagogy and collaborations with librarians and/or technologists Instructional designers and academic technologists Forward this announcement to any potentially interested colleagues at your institution! Keynote speakers “At the heart of the whirlwind: The library’s role in supporting mental health and well-being” – Kelly E. Miller, Associate Dean for Learning and Research Services and Director of Mindfulness and Well-Being Programs at University of Miami Libraries(Thursday, May 30) “The coming AI epoch: A new age of enlightenment? A new threat to humanity?” – Lee Rainie, Director of Imagining the Digital Future Center at Elon University (Monday, June 3) “Our grandest challenge” – Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Executive Director at Mid-Hudson Library System & Co-Founder and Board President of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative (Thursday, June 6) Member presentations AMICAL members will offer more than 25 presentations exploring the evolving landscape of education, particularly in the face of artificial intelligence. Topics addressed will include ethical use of AI in classrooms, its impact on libraries and teaching methods, and strategies for faculty and student success in the digital age. There’s also a focus on collaboration, community and openness. If you have any questions about the Conference, email us at contact@amicalnet.org See you at the Conference!

The call for proposals is now open for AMICAL’s premier online event, which will take place online 27 May – 6 June 2024! The Conference is designed to connect you with colleagues, inspire fresh thinking, and empower you to shape the future of learning at your institution. The program will feature thought leaders outside of AMICAL, along with presentations from peers across the consortium. We invite proposals on all topics relevant to libraries, technology and/or pedagogy at AMICAL member institutions. Staff and faculty members from all AMICAL member institutions are welcome to submit proposals. Don’t miss this chance to share your expertise and connect with the AMICAL community! Deadline to submit: 7 April 2024 Let’s transform the learning landscape at AMICAL member institutions together!

AMICAL invites you to our third online Mid-Year Forum on 13–21 February 2024! Led by AMICAL members or invited speakers, Forum sessions address timely issues in libraries, technology, and pedagogy. This year’s sessions will focus on generative AI & pedagogy, Wikipedia editing assignments, course-integrated Digital Liberal Arts, and library leadership. Participants will come away with recommendations, project ideas and strategies to apply to their own work. Sessions are open to faculty and staff from AMICAL member institutions, and there is no registration fee. The Forum welcomes all members, but will be of particular relevance to: Instructors of any discipline Instruction librarians Library directors Faculty developers Instructional designers and technologists View the schedule & register for sessions →

We’re proud to announce that we’ve partnered with SPARC again this year to offer a limited number of complimentary registrations allowing colleagues from AMICAL member institutions to attend the Open Education Conference, taking place online 7–9 November 2023, at no cost. AMICAL members can apply for the complimentary registrations as explained below. The Open Education Conference (“OpenEd”) is an annual convening for sharing and learning about open educational resources, open pedagogy, and open education initiatives. This dynamic gathering celebrates the core values of open education that strive to realize education ecosystems that are accessible, affordable, equitable and inclusive to everyone, regardless of their background. You can view the program for a full list of speakers, topics and sessions. Note that sessions will run 10:00–19:00 US Eastern time. If you’re not able to attend the live sessions, registrants can watch the pre-recorded presentations get post-event access to session recordings and materials shared by presenters Apply for a registration waiver by 26 October If you are interested in Open Education, and believe it would be valuable for your work to attend the Open Education Conference, you may request an AMICAL-facilitated registration waiver, which would allow you to register for the event at no cost to you. (The normal registration fee is $100.) We ask that applicants review the program and commit to both attending and sharing about your conference experience with other AMICAL members. That sharing will be organized by AMICAL and may include things like: Sharing on AMICAL Connect a particularly interesting or useful take-away from this event Responding to future requests from AMICAL for simple evaluative feedback on Open Ed 2023 and this waiver initiative Participating in a later event for discussing Open Education topics among AMICAL members Because of the small number of registration waivers available, AMICAL can only issue a small number of waivers per institution, which we’ll prioritize as follows: We will give first priority to applicants who have been named by their AMICAL Representative as the ‘priority applicant’ for their institution, as most likely to have substantive impact on OER and Open Educational Practices at their institution. You may therefore wish to reach out to your AMICAL Representative to let them know you’re applying. After that, we’ll prioritize the remaining applications according to the order they were received, while distributing them evenly across interested institutions (1 per institution, then 2 per institution, etc.) 👉 Apply for an AMICAL registration waiver for Open Ed 2023 The deadline for applying is Thursday evening, 26 October. AMICAL will confirm if we are able to issue you a registration waiver by Monday, 30 October. Otherwise we will send you instructions for registering at your own expense.