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#ARSL2022 begins in...

When: September 14-17, 2022
Where:
 Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga, TN

Advance registration for in-person attendance is now closed. On-site registration will be available for any in-person attendees who missed the advance registration deadline.

Hybrid/virtual attendees can register online using the registration form through Saturday, September 17.

#ARSL2022 is THE conference for rural and small libraries. Our conference planners and presenters understand the constraints of shoestring budgets, small spaces, and limited staffing within small and rural libraries, as well as the unique opportunities for innovation and collaboration. Our conference is packed full of information you can take right back to your library—no scaling down required.

Conference Highlights

  • Networking opportunities to encourage you to make meaningful, lasting connections, including Dine-Arounds, receptions, the Crossroads Lunch, topic-specific meetups, and the app with an attendee social network.
  • 80+ sessions from experts and innovators in small and rural libraries across the country.
  • Virtual content available to all attendees to watch on demand through mid-December.
  • Preconference Workshops to give a deeper dive into topics of grant writing, social wellbeing, tough conversations, building projects, and advocacy.
  • Extracurricular activities to get you out exploring Chattanooga with new friends.
  • User-friendly app to help you navigate the conference with ease, build your schedule, find new connections, participate in community discussions, enter challenges to win prizes, and so much more.
  • Keynote events featuring a panel on book challenges and more exciting speakers to be announced soon!
  • Five meals included in your registration, plus refreshment breaks and receptions.
  • Exhibit Hall packed full of library-related vendors offering giveaways, discounts, and exclusive opportunities to conference attendees.

Our conference theme is "Connecting at the Crossroads: On Track to Real Change." Our paths will converge this fall in Chattanooga, a city situated at the crossroads of highways, historic railroads, and the Tennessee River. Looking back at where we’ve come from, we will lay tracks toward where we want to be. We’ll ask ourselves who we are, what we value, and what changes small and large we can bring back to our libraries. Together, we can work toward change that is real, sustainable, and equitable.

 Quote: "If rural and small libraries are the beating hearts of their communities, ARSL is the circulatory system." - Meredith J. Fletcher, Community Library Sunbury, OH

COVID-19 Safety Precautions

The ARSL Board of Directors is actively monitoring developments regarding COVID-19 in an effort to provide a safe conference experience for all attendees. We will adapt our COVID precautions as needed based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and requirements of federal, state, and local regulations.

Attendees will be required to present one of the following to attend the ARSL conference:

  • Proof of vaccination, with the final dose administered at least 14 days prior to the event.
  • Negative COVID-19 PCR or Rapid test administered within 72 hours of check-in at the conference registration desk. Testing reports must come from an official medical facility, clinic, pharmacy, or other lab-processed testing site. Self at-home tests will not be accepted.

Masks will be strongly encouraged at all ARSL events including, but not limited to, meetings in the hotels, conference rooms, and on the exhibit floor, with the exception of those actively consuming food or drinks. This guidance is subject to change based on local, state, and federal health safety guidelines at the time of the event.

ARSL will be offering a virtual attendance option for those attendees who can’t join us in person in Chattanooga this year. We will have livestreams of our keynote addresses and select sessions, as well as a variety of on-demand virtual sessions you can watch on your own schedule.


Conference Store

The 2022 conference store is open for business! Order before August 31, 2022 to ensure delivery before the conference.

New for 2022! The ARSL Store features conference-branded drinkware, accessories, and stationery in addition to the classic tees, sweatshirts, and hoodies. You'll also find plenty of ARSL-branded merchandise to show your ARSL spirit all year long.

Shop the Conference Store

Sponsors & Exhibitors

The Sponsor & Exhibitor Prospectus for the 2022 ARSL Conference is now live! We look forward to seeing you all in our exhibit hall in Chattanooga!

View the Prospectus
Register as a Sponsor, Exhibitor, or Advertiser

Whova Conference App & 2022 Virtual Conference

The 2022 ARSL Conference is now accessible through Whova. Attendees will receive detailed instructions via email when the app is live!

You can access Whova from your web browser or via the mobile app. You can switch back and forth between the web version and the app while you’re at work, at home, or on the go. Please make sure you can access Whova before the start of the conference.

  • Web Version: Open Whova using your web browser. Click “Sign up here” and create an account using the email address associated with your registration. If you’ve already created your account or you have used Whova before, sign in. You will be taken straight to the conference site.
  • Mobile App: Open this page in your smartphone’s web browser, or search “Whova” in your app store. Download the app, and search for the “2022 Association for Rural & Small Libraries Conference.” On the sign-in page, click “Sign up here” and create an account using the email address associated with your registration. If you’ve already created your account or you have used Whova before, sign in. You will be taken straight to the conference site.

Forgot your password? Click the "forgot password" link under the password entry field to receive a password reset email.

If Whova is asking you for a code, double check that you’re using the email address associated with your registration. If you’re still having trouble, email [email protected] or call (206) 453-3579 to make sure you’re registered correctly.

Quote: "Turns out not only are small and rural libraries the best, but so is their annual conference! Our service areas may be smaller, but not our hearts, talents, work-ethics, and professionalism. This is the #1 conference to attend, for any size library." - Elektra Greer, Nederland Community Library, CO