Call for Proposals ThriveLib 2026
Reimagining Library Culture Together August 11–13, 2026 | Virtual
Proposal Deadline April 10
We’re excited to invite proposals for ThriveLib 2026! ThriveLib: Reclaiming Joy, Balance, and Boundaries in Libraries is a virtual conference for librarians, library managers, and library workers who want more sustainable, humane library workplaces. Library workers are navigating burnout, moral injury, and growing strain. ThriveLib exists to create space for honest conversation, shared learning, and practical strategies that center the well-being of the people who sustain our libraries every day.
We’re also doing something a little different: all selected speakers receive free conference registration and an honorarium, because we believe sharing your labor, experience, and insight should be supported.
This Moment
We are convening ThriveLib 2026 during a time of instability for many in our communities. For many library workers, these realities shape safety, capacity, and the ability to show up at work at all. Not everyone is carrying the same weight right now. Some are navigating far greater risk, grief, exhaustion, and fear. ThriveLib does not ask participants to set this aside. We invite proposals that acknowledge these conditions honestly and explore how library culture and systems can either compound harm, or help reduce it.
2026 Theme: Reimagining Library Culture Together
Our 2026 theme is grounded in the belief that joy and sustainability require safety, dignity, community, and care.
We’re especially interested in proposals that reflect collective care, capacity awareness, and real-world constraints, without placing the burden on individuals.
You do not need polished answers or perfect success stories. We welcome proposals that are exploratory, honest about limits and uncertainty, and grounded in care and lived experience.
Our Commitment
ThriveLib is committed to a program that:
Does not reward productivity theater
Values lived experience alongside professional expertise
Makes space for people navigating real and unequal harm
Visit our CFP page to review the proposal questions, selection rubric, and speaker agreement.