For Presenters

Thank you for presenting a program at the Joint Conference of Librarians of Color 2012! In an attempt to ensure high quality presentations that can be enjoyed by all conference attendees, we offer the following suggestions:

General Information

  • Know the date, time and location of your session.
  • Arrive at the assigned room as early as possible and set up quickly to allow the session to start on time.
  • End your session on time – exceeding time makes it harder for the next set of presenters to prepare for their session, and causes your attendees to arrive late to their next session.
  • If you are unable to make your presentation, contact your Program Organizer. Try to find a colleague to share your materials or ask the Organizer if they can locate another speaker.

Speaking Tips

  • When presenting, talk at a normal speaking rate, loudly enough for those in the back of the room to hear. Vary your speech patterns to avoid a monotone presentation.
  • Become familiar enough with your prepared presentation and materials to present without reading for extended periods. Make every effort to look at your audience and engage them in your presentation. Let your engagement in the topic and excitement about your work show in your presentation and you will do a better job of engaging the audience.
  • Cover what the description of your session promises to deliver. Participants are extremely disappointed when they feel that they were not given what the abstract of the session promised.
  • Practice and time your session. Do not exceed your time – doing so negatively impacts the others in the session. Practice your presentation prior to the conference to ensure that you are able to cover desired material in the allotted time.
  • If a translator is present in your session, work with the assisted attendee(s), translator and moderator to provide seating in a location that supports the needs of all parties.
  • If engaging in experiential activities make sure you have planned for the inclusion of all, regardless of physical abilities.
  • Make sure you have a strong opening and closing to your talk, and have identified a portion of your material that can be eliminated should you find yourself short on time. Do not sacrifice your conclusion/closing since this is the summative information about your work. Plan your time wisely, taking into consideration the number of panelists and the desire for post-presentation discussion.

Use of Visual Aids and Handouts

  • Audio-visual equipment will be assigned to rooms and sessions based on requests submitted via the online Proposal Submission form. It is the presenter’s responsibility to know how to use the equipment they have requested.
  • If using handouts, bring sufficient copies to highlight major points and provide supplementary data from your presentation. In addition, if using paper handouts, prepare some large print copies and/or make it possible for attendees to obtain an electronic version that allows for type size adjustments or use of text readers (creating audio from written text).

    IMPORTANT: JCLC will not make paper copies of any materials for a session presentation. Providing handouts is the presenters responsibility.

  • If utilizing overheads or other projected visuals, select a large font and limit text to key information. Select colors that are visible in both high and low light. Keep charts, graphs and tables simple. If utilizing video, enable closed captioning if available.
  • If using computers, projectors, or other similar items, make sure to work with the moderator and other presenters to ensure that the flow of the session is planned in a manner that allows a quick transition from speaker to speaker regardless of equipment used.
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