2026 ILA Annual Conference
Organized by Illinois Library Association
The 2026 ILA Annual Conference, themed 'Fired Up & Ready to Go: For All Illinois Libraries!', is a premier gathering designed to unite library professionals from large ur...
- Dates
- Oct 6-8, 2026
- Location
- Peoria, IL
- Deadline
- Sep 17, 2026
- Attendees
- 2,000
- Vendors
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About this conference
The 2026 ILA Annual Conference, themed 'Fired Up & Ready to Go: For All Illinois Libraries!', is a premier gathering designed to unite library professionals from large urban, small rural, academic, school, and special libraries across Illinois. The conference emphasizes fostering community connections, ensuring equitable access to resources, demonstrating libraries' relevance and impact within their communities, and solidifying their role as vital community resource hubs. Attendees will experience a dynamic program featuring over 200 speakers and 95 sessions, including innovative lightning talks, all crafted to stimulate meaningful conversations, facilitate idea exchange, and promote professional growth. Key speakers include Shamichael Hallman, who will discuss libraries as civic infrastructure, and Mayda del Valle, Chicago's Poet Laureate. The event also features dedicated programming for library trustees, focusing on governance, advocacy, and leadership, alongside sessions addressing diversity and intellectual freedom within the library sector.
Sponsorship options
Sponsorships for the Illinois Library Association Annual Conference provide an exceptional opportunity to enhance a company's marketing plan while supporting Illinois libraries. These contributions enable ILA to deliver high-quality professional development and networking to library workers and trustees. Sponsorship benefits include complimentary registrations (two at Gold level, one at Silver level; Leadership partners and Platinum sponsors exhibiting receive six complimentary registrations). Exclusive opportunities include sponsoring the President's Event ($5000), Accessibility ($2,000), Headshot Photo Studio ($2,500), Help Desk ($2,000), Wi-Fi ($3,000), and the Conference Mobile App ($3,000). All sponsors receive recognition with their logo on the conference webpage, program book, mobile app, pre-conference emails, ILA Alert, recognition by the emcee, post-conference email, social media posts, priority booth selection for 2026, badge ribbons, and exhibit table recognition.
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