The 2026 CHLA/ABSC Conference Planning Committee invites submissions for the annual conference that will be held in Québec City, Québec, June 2 to 5, 2026 at the Hotel Le Concorde.
Please note: Presenters are responsible for their own cost of registration and will have to register for the conference in order to present. There will be no hybrid or online option to present.
The call for proposals is open from September 25 to November 7 (23:59 EST) 2025. CHLA/ABSC 2026 submissions will be managed using Pretalx
Use this link to submit a proposal with Pretalx
We welcome and encourage submissions in English and French from all information professionals, including students, library technicians and librarians.
The theme of the conference is Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future: 50 Years of Health Expertise. This is a special edition of the conference where we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the association.
Some topics submissions may cover, but are not limited to, include:
We are excited to receive submissions covering any and all ideas of interest to those who work in health sciences libraries.
More: Important Dates - Submission Instructions - Submission Formats - Code of Conduct - Submission FAQs
The call for proposals is open from September 25 to November 7 (23:59 EST) 2025. CHLA/ABSC 2026 submissions will be managed using Pretalx
Individuals submitting a proposal must provide the following information:
Note: At least one member of your group must attend the conference in person to present.
All presenters are encouraged to create a Pretalx account and complete their bio and add a picture for inclusion in the Online Interactive Conference Schedule.
Research project abstracts or program descriptions must adhere to the Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association Author Guidelines.
Accepted abstracts will be published in the Pretalx Online Interactive Conference Schedule, the Conference Program, and published in JCHLA.
Option 1) Paper, Poster & Lightning Talk Submissions
Submitters selecting this type of proposal must also indicate their preferred format for presenting their work: Paper (20 minutes), Poster or Lightning Talk (one presenter, 5 minutes).
The abstract must not exceed 250 words (excluding section headings, which should appear in bold). The abstract should follow the guidelines of the Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association. References should not be included unless necessary, in which case full bibliographic citations must be provided.
You may submit either:
or
Note: If research results and conclusions are not yet available, they may be added to the abstract at the end of the peer review process, provided the abstract does not exceed 250 words.
Option 2) Interactive Workshop Submissions
Interactive workshops are in-depth, participatory sessions designed to promote learning through action. Workshops must focus on a specific topic and be 90 minutes in length, including time for a break if needed.
The abstract for a workshop must not exceed 250 words (excluding section headings, which should appear in bold). The abstract should include the topic, target audience, objectives, and a description of the interactive activities.
Additional space is available on page 2 of the submission form to include three (3) learning objectives, a detailed description of the planned interactive activities, and logistical requirements (room setup, technology).
Option 3) Panel Submissions
A panel discussion is 60 minutes long and may include up to four (4) panellists, in addition to a moderator. Panellists are invited to share differing perspectives through brief oral presentations, in order to explore a specific theme or topic. Presentations are followed by a Q&A period, allowing participants to interact directly with the panellists.
The abstract for a panel must not exceed 250 words (excluding section headings, which should appear in bold). The abstract should include a description of the topic/theme to be covered, as well as a brief overview of each panellist’s presentation.
Additional space is available on page 2 of the submission form to include the biography of each panellist and the moderator.
CHLA/ABSC's Code of Conduct applies to all presenters and attendees.
We ask that all presenters review the JCHLA Publication Ethics Policy and the ICJME recommendations for guidance on appropriate reporting of scholarly work.
I already have a Pretalx account, can I use this same one?
Yes, you are encouraged to use an existing Pretalx account if you have one. If you do not, you will need to create an account. You will have the option to include a bio and a photo.
May I enter my results/outcomes and discussion when I submit my abstract?
Yes, you may enter your results/outcomes and discussion when you submit your abstract. All parts of the abstract (introduction, methods/description, results/outcomes, and discussion sections combined) may not exceed 250 words. Authors MAY postpone entering results and conclusions until after the peer-review process is completed. Authors selected for inclusion in the program will need to add the results and conclusions sections by the beginning of January 2026 if they did not already do so in the initial abstract submission. Note that the word limit for the abstract cannot exceed 250 words. Original abstract submissions may need to be modified to meet the 250-word limit.
May I include tables, figures, or citations in my abstract?
No, structured abstracts should NOT contain tables, figures, or bibliographic references.
How do I know if my proposal was successfully submitted?
Everyone who submits a proposal will receive an automatic email from Pretalx confirming receipt. If you haven’t received a confirmation email within 24 hours of submitting your proposal, please check your spam and trash folders.
How can I withdraw a submitted proposal?
Everyone who submits a proposal can withdraw a proposal before the call for proposals closes by logging into your Pretalx account and navigating to 'My proposals', click on the proposal title and use the withdraw button at the bottom of the page. To withdraw a proposal after the call for proposals has closed, please contact Nigèle Langlois nigele.langlois[at]uottawa[dot]ca
How will I know if my proposal has been accepted?
Everyone who submits a proposal will receive an email notification from Pretalx regarding the outcome of their abstract submission by December 15, 2025, if you haven’t received a notification email by mid-December, please check your spam and trash folders.
