In an ever-changing environment, the LIANZA 2025 theme comes from the whakatauki, ‘I am the environment and the environment is me’. Through a Te Ao Māori lens, the connection to land and sea is genealogical and relational. Our sector acknowledges the need to adapt to the changes and respond to the needs of our communities in Aotearoa New Zealand in sustainable ways.

At LIANZA 2025, we want to create opportunities to share the innovative ways and reinforce the great practices of our sector. The intention is to support our kaimahi and wider communities. How we plan, prepare and respond to these changes is our key theme.

Consider one of the following five threads for where your proposal might fit:

Toitū te Taiao, Toitū Te Tiriti.
Upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in an ever-changing environment. How can library, information, culture and heritage services ensure they uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi?

He kete matatau, he kete matatini – Libraries and literacies
Libraries are essential to connecting people with literature and information and to facilitate reading for pleasure. What can you share that has made a difference in this area?

Te kuneroa – The future
What does the future hold for our sector? How can we support our communities to respond to climate change? How do we approach the continual shift to digital?

He puna kōrero horopū – Information today
Libraries ensure that people have access to the information they need when they need it. How can we ensure our communities and users have access to trusted information resources in times of challenges and change?

Kia whai wāhi te hapori kia whanake – Community engagement and transformation
Libraries work to promote community engagement and transformation. What are the innovations, strategies and actions we can take to ensure connectivity, community transformation and inter-generational activity and learning?

This is big kaupapa that matters! LIANZA 2025 provides the opportunity to acknowledge, share, and understand these changes.

If your proposal does not fit clearly into one of these areas, please still send it in we want to hear from you.

Lightning talk (10 mins incl Q&A).
Presented in person.

Paper (30 mins incl Q&A).
Presented in person.

Panel (60 mins incl Q&A).
Presented in person.

Workshop (60 or 90 mins).
Presented in person.

Kōrero (30 or 60 mins).
A less formal opportunity for people to come together to discuss an area of interest. Presented in person with the proposer facilitating the discussion.

Other
Have a great idea for another presentation type? Tell us your idea.

All submissions are to be entered through the online proposal portal.

You will be asked to set up a ‘new account’ in the portal before you can submit. Once your account has been set up you can enter the portal as often as you need to.

Prepare your proposal submission:

• Consider the theme and presentation format that applies to your proposal (you will be required to select these in the portal)
• Proposals should be typed into the proposal template provided in the portal. Save it on your computer and upload the final version into the portal.
• The filename of the proposal template should be the first five words of your proposal title.
• The proposal should be typed in Arial font, size 11.
• The full proposal should be limited to 150 words.
• Do not include author details on the proposal document. You will enter these into the online form.

Your submission should answer these questions:

• What are the issues the proposal highlights/addresses/raises?
• How do these issues relate to the conference theme?
• Is this new and original information?
• What are the key messages attendees get from your presentation?
• How can you demonstrate a strong connection from your own mahi to one or more of the conference themes?

Proposals will be evaluated by the LIANZA 2025 Conference Committee and volunteer reviewers against the following criteria:

• Appropriateness and significance of the topic to the conference theme
• Originality and significance (is this a new and original contribution?)

Do not include information in your proposal that will not be included in your presentation. All proposals will be double-blind reviewed.

• A presenter may participate in a maximum of two presentations.
• Proposals may be accepted in a different presentation format subject to review and availability.
• Please ensure that your proposal has been proofread before submitting and does not contain any personal or contact details that you do not wish to be published.
• Presenters must register and pay to attend LIANZA 2025 in order for their presentations to be confirmed in the programme. Registrations must be received no later than June 28 to be confirmed in the programme.
• Presenters are required to organise their own travel and accommodation arrangements if required.