The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries are now accepting proposals for the 2021 Southern Miss Institutional Repository Conference, which will take place virtually on April 29-30, 2021. 

We are accepting proposals for short concurrent sessions (approx. 25 minutes), full concurrent sessions (approx. 50 minutes), panels (multiple speakers on a common topic, approx. 50 minutes), workshops (hands-on opportunity for participants to learn about a specific topic pertinent to IRs, approx. 2 hours), lightning talks (approx. 5 minutes), and posters. 

 

We welcome proposals from all institutions that either have an IR, regardless of platform, or that are interested in pursuing an IR for their campus. Topics for proposals may include (but are not limited to): 

• Choosing an IR platform 

• Promoting an IR on campus 

• IR staffing models 

• New and emerging IR platforms 

• Accessibility for IRs 

• Getting faculty participation in IR initiatives 

• IRs and student scholarship 

• Supporting underrepresented minority researchers through IRs 

• Electronic theses and dissertations 

• Library-led publishing through the IR 

• Open educational resources and IRs 

• Data management and IRs 

• Open access and IRs 

• Supporting DEI initiatives through the IR 

• Author rights 

• Metrics and tools for evaluating IRs 

• Migrating from one IR platform to another 

The deadline for submitting proposals is December 18, 2020. Acceptance emails will be sent no later than February 1, 2021. Registration is free for all attendees, and will open in January. Proposals may be submitted at https://www.lib.usm.edu/smirc/proposals.html.  Please contact joshua.cromwell@usm.edu for any questions about proposals or about SMIRC. 

Submitted by: 
Josh Cromwell 
Scholarly Communications Manager 
University of Southern Mississippi