November 10, 2020 – Mt. Laurel, NJ – SSP’s 43rd Annual Meeting is planned for the last week of May, 2021. We invite you to submit your proposals for educational sessions now through December 4. All educational sessions will be presented virtually.
We are also accepting proposals for posters again this year. Poster presentations will provide an opportunity for information to be displayed and available to all attendees, and for poster authors to be able to discuss their poster’s content with interested parties. Poster proposals are being accepted through January 29, 2021.
More information on sponsored sessions will be available in the meeting prospectus.
We are delighted to announce the theme of the 2021 SSP Annual Meeting:
Charting a New Course from Chaos to Innovation
Without dwelling on the tumultuous events of the past year, we recognize their impact, igniting—and sometimes forcing—innovation to meet changing demands. We will explore the many new paths that materialize if we are willing to embrace the unexpected. The structure of the meeting will reflect our changed world. What new insights and strategies have been discovered and implemented? What are the possibilities that have yet to be realized? As we move from reacting to adapting, how will our responses change the future of scholarly communications? And how should our responsibility to the larger academic ecosystem during this extraordinary time shape those responses?
Adopting some of the lessons learned, the meeting will be “virtual first” and include the ability for attendees to fully participate from their homes or offices. However, the option of in-person coordinated events is being evaluated, if both safe and practical, to complement the online educational sessions.
Join the vibrant community of publishers, librarians, academics, service providers, funders, technologists, and others with a stake in how research is shared as we chart a new course, and embrace the chaos to ignite innovation.
Suggested Subject Areas for Submission
One significant difference that a virtual approach will have from previous years’ meetings is that educational sessions will be categorized by subject area rather than grouped in tracks. When you submit your session proposal you’ll be asked to select up to five possible subject areas into which it would fit.
Suggested subject areas include: accessibility; AI/machine learning; change management; metrics, data, & metadata; discoverability; diversity, equity, & inclusion; ethics; external pressures; globalization; marketing & sales; professional development; publishing, editorial, & production; response & responsibility; business strategies & models; tools & technology.
Submission Process for 2021
SSP is now using Ex Ordo for abstract submissions. A big and sincere THANK YOU to Ex Ordo for their sponsorship of SSP’s proposal submission system!
Note that there are three possible types of session proposals. Submitters must select their session type at the beginning of the submission process for each proposal. You are permitted to submit more than one proposal of one or more types.
- Educational sessions: Educational sessions are designed for multiple speakers to present a specific topic that will benefit SSP attendees. Successful proposals will include concrete plans for interactivity, the inclusion of new voices, a diverse panel (with respect to gender, race, background, organization type, subject area), and clear learning objectives for the audience. Educational session slots will be 60 minutes in length. Educational session proposals are being accepted through December 4, 2020.
- Posters: Poster presentations will provide an opportunity for information to be displayed and available to all attendees, and for poster authors to be able to discuss their poster’s content with interested parties. Poster proposals are being accepted through January 29, 2021.
- 5-minute Preview sessions: Brief, back-to-back presentations showcasing new products, platforms, and/or content from publishers and vendors. Preview session proposals are being accepted through February 26, 2021.
Tips for Submitting a Compelling Proposal
- Your submission should appeal to a broad range of attendees in an engaging way. SSP Annual Meeting attendees value networking opportunities, insight into new developments, and practical applications they can use to advance their careers. Attendees include executives, editors, salespersons, marketing and product managers, librarians, technologists, vendors, academics, and more.
- While a virtual first meeting may change the way attendees interact, we still value educational session proposals that creatively promote audience engagement, ideally throughout the session.
- We will NOT consider educational session submissions that are focused on a single solution, a single organization, or material that is commercial in nature. Such content is more appropriate for the 5-minute previews session or for sponsored sessions.
- SSP deeply values the provision of a variety of viewpoints from an inclusive pool of speakers. Session speakers must reflect diversity of geography, race, and cultural background as much as possible. We strongly consider gender balance in particular. Single-speaker educational sessions will NOT be accepted.
- The strongest proposals will include the voices of key stakeholders (researchers/academics, librarians, students), will cross formats (books, journals, etc.), and will include perspectives across STEM, social sciences, and humanities.
- For educational sessions, your submission must be in by the December 4 deadline. Our committee will begin reviewing proposals immediately after this deadline, so we regret that we cannot accept late submissions. Please see the submission guidelines for all the important deadlines.
- Please be sure to reach out to us at tracy.mitchell@conferencedirect.com if you have any questions while submitting a session proposal.
Click here for a more detailed set of submission guidelines.
After reviewing these guidelines, please proceed to the SSP abstract submission site to submit your proposal. Everyone who submits a proposal for educational sessions will be notified of the final decision in December, at which time the organizers of the sessions selected for the final program will be able to confirm their participation. Notifications for the five-minute previews sessions and posters will follow. Please see the submission guidelines for other important deadlines.
Thank you very much for your interest in participating in the 2021 SSP Annual Meeting. We look forward to your submissions! Again, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email tracy.mitchell@conferencedirect.com.
Sincerely,
Cason Lynley and Yael Fitzpatrick
Annual Meeting Program Committee Co-Chairs
The use of Ex Ordo Review is made possible
via a generous sponsorship by Ex Ordo.
Sponsorship Opportunities
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities at the Annual Meeting, visit the SSP website or contact Christina DeRose.
Earn CAE Credit
The Society for Scholarly Publishing is a CAE Approved Provider. SSP programs designated with the CAE Approved icon meet the requirements for fulfilling the professional development requirements to earn or maintain the Certified Association Executive credential. Every program that we offer which qualifies for CAE credit will clearly identify the number of CAE credits granted for full participation, and we will maintain records of your participation in accord with CAE policies. For more information about the CAE credential or Approved Provider program, please visit www.whatiscae.org.
About the Society for Scholarly Publishing The Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP), founded in 1978, is a nonprofit organization formed to promote and advance communication among all sectors of the scholarly publication community through networking, information dissemination, and facilitation of new developments in the field. SSP members represent all aspects of scholarly publishing—including publishers, printers, e-products developers, technical service providers, librarians, and editors. SSP members come from a wide range of large and small commercial and nonprofit organizations. They meet at SSP’s annual meetings, educational seminars, and regional events to hear the latest trends from respected colleagues and discuss common and mutual (and sometimes divergent) goals and viewpoints.
Contact Melanie Dolechek, Executive Director | info@sspnet.org | 303-422-3914
Join the Conversation
You must be logged in to post a comment.