When is the Conference?
- September 21 – 24, 2026
- Monday, September 21 – Summits
- Tuesday, September 22 – Preconference Tours and Workshops
- Wednesday, September 23 – 24 – Conference Days
Where is the Conference?
- Spokane Convention Center, Spokane, Washington
- Learn more about this property and other local attractions on the Local Attractions webpage.
Where should I stay during the Conference?
- ATALM recommends that attendees reserve lodging at the either The Davenport Grand Hotel or the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel.
- Learn more about these properties and access discounted rates available on the Hotels webpage.
Are there special events and/or programs during the Conference?
- Tickets to Preconference Tours and Workshops (Tuesday) as well as Evening Events (Tuesday-Thursday) are available for additional fees. Pre-registration for these events is required.
- Special Programming, such as the Opening Ceremony and Awards Luncheon are held during the breakfast and lunches on Wednesday-Thursday. These events are free to conference attendees.
- Other special events, such as networking meet-ups, may be available and announced at later dates.
Is financial support available to attend the Conference?
- Thanks to funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Scholarship Awards are available to eligible attendees.
- Awards may include full or partial assistance with conference registration and/or lodging. Travel support is not provided.
- Learn more about eligibility requirements and submit an application through the ATALM Scholarships webpage.
- Presenter Support is limited and prioritized for Native presenters and those presenting multiple sessions. For full details, please review the ATALM Presenter Support Policy.
Are meals covered by the registration fee?
- Breakfasts and lunches are available for attendees on Wednesday and Thursday at no additional charge.
- Due to the high volume of meals provided, options are limited to Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, or Vegetarian.
- Indicate preferences and dietary requests when completing the Registration Form.
What types of sessions are offered at the Conference?
- Summits (Monday, September 21)
- ATALM is planning immersive Strategy Summits for Monday, September 21 in the following subject areas:
- Artificial Intelligence, Data Sovereignty, and Indigenous Knowledge Summit
- Indigenous Knowledge Centers: A Master Plan for Tribal Libraries Summit
- Shared Stewardship, Voluntary Returns, and Reclaiming Oral Histories Summit
- Strengthening Institutional Support for Native Artists Summit
- Participation in the Summits is by invitation only. Learn more about the Summits and Request an Invitation.
- ATALM is planning immersive Strategy Summits for Monday, September 21 in the following subject areas:
- Educational Field Trips (Tuesday, September 22)
- Field Trips are half-day or full-day visits to local cultural sites with short educational components. Requires pre-registration and additional fee to participate, which covers transportation and lunch for full-day tours.
- Pre-Conference Workshops (Tuesday)
- Workshops are half-day (3 hours) or full-day (6 hours) that provide hands-on learning opportunities. Requires pre-registration and additional fee to attend the workshop to receive in-depth treatment of the topics and handouts to use for future reference.
- Concurrent Sessions (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Concurrent Sessions are 60-minutes and typically feature three or more presenters who share ideas, viewpoints, and experiences on key topics and issues. Questions and comments from the audience are encouraged.
- Forums/Listening Sessions (Wednesday – Thursday)
- These sessions are 60-minutes in length and are designed to allow for sustained interactions for participants and organizers around a particular topic. Forums are intended for organizers to get early feedback, facilitate a conversation around critical issues, or begin to frame new directions or approaches in a particular area.
- Quick or Extended Skill Building Labs (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Skill Building Labs are either quick 60-minute sessions or extended three hour workshops designed to provide hands-on activities that enable participants to learn new skills and techniques in a variety of areas, although most are related to collections care.
- Inspire Talks (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Inspire Talks are 30-minute presentations on timely, innovative, or challenging topics.
- Flash Talks (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Flash Talks are 10- to 15-minute, high-impact sessions that enable presenters to present key information in a concise format. Talks are grouped into a 60-minute session by area of interest, i.e., archives, libraries, museums, historic preservation, etc.
- Posters (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Posters combine the visual display of materials with the opportunity for informal discussion and stay up for the duration of the conference.
- Roundtable Discussions (Wednesday – Thursday)
- Roundtable Discussions provide a brief opportunity to spark discussions and bring together people with similar interests on specific topics. Audiovisual is not provided for these sessions.
More Questions?
Email us at conference@atalm.org.