Call for Proposals Now Open #TCDL2026
We are thrilled to announce the theme for the 2026 Texas Conference on Digital Libraries (TCDL): Finding Joy! Playful Innovation and Community in Action. This year, we invite you to explore how infusing a playful mindset into our daily work can transform our projects, spark new collaborations, and, most importantly, help us find joy while serving our communities.
For us, “play” isn’t just a diversion. It is an active approach to fostering creativity, exploring new ideas, and building strong, supportive connections within our community. The collaborative spirit of play brings us together and helps develop a resilient mindset, offering opportunities to experience success and learn from setbacks. This mindset drives innovation in how we manage, preserve, and provide equitable access to digital content.
TCDL is a gathering place to explore how we can infuse this playful mindset into our daily work. We are interested in hearing about your experiences with playful innovation (like experimentation with open source tech or creative problem-solving) and community in action (how collaboration turns individual creativity into collective solutions).
For the full theme description, please visit the Call for Proposals page.
New: Present Your Research as a Peer-Reviewed Short Paper (Beta)
For TCDL 2026, we are piloting a new Short Paper option for presenters. Based on your presentation, you can opt to submit a paper (approx. 2,500 words) that will be peer-reviewed and published in the TCDL 2026 Conference Proceedings. Submitting a paper is not required for any presentation type.
- February 2, 2026: Abstract due with your TCDL proposal.
- April 24, 2026: Full papers due for peer review.
Submit Your Proposal
We look forward to seeing your imaginative, inspiring, and innovative proposals. Join us as we explore how playful approaches can transform our work and help us find joy in serving our communities.
Deadline to submit proposals: February 2, 2026
