Information in Repair: The 54th Annual Conference of the Canadian Association for Information Science

Call for papers

The Canadian Association for Information Science (CAIS/ACSI) invites submissions for its 54th annual conference, June 22-26, 2026. The conference will be free and open to all, online, hosted by conference organizers at the University of British Columbia School of Information.

This year’s theme, “Information in Repair,” centers the maintenance and reparative work that is always required, but rarely lauded, across information systems. Scholarly attention and resources are often directed towards the new and novel, the conceptualization and design of innovative systems and interventions. This tendency risks ignoring opportunities to learn from the vast amount of knowledge, practice and technical expertise that goes into monitoring, adjusting, and navigating changes within critical, long-term components of longer-term/ongoing/continuing information systems. We are particularly interested in information science perspectives on practices of disposability or reuse, of reparative work, and theories of repair. We invite creative and expansive views of what is being repaired and maintained, as well as exploration of repair itself as information work. As CAIS seeks to be a home for information science across Canada, our yearly conference routinely develops and supports scholarship in:

  • Information seeking and behaviour
  • Information literacy and education
  • Knowledge management and organization
  • Information technologies and systems
  • Social media
  • Bibliometrics and scholarly communication
  • Information policy and ethics
  • Cultural heritage and preservation
  • Health information management
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion in information science
    Diverse and innovative perspectives (theoretical and applied) and methodologies are welcome.

Types of proposals

CAIS/ACSI welcomes proposals for papers, lightning talks, or panels focused on empirical, theoretical, and practice-based research. Proposals may be submitted in English or French. All proposals will undergo peer review. Paper and lightning talks should be anonymized for submission; panel submissions will include identifying information.

  • Papers: 20-minute oral presentations of completed or well-developed projects on topics suitable for publication in scholarly journals. Proposals reporting on completed or ongoing research will be given preference. Diverse and innovative perspectives (theoretical and applied) and methodologies are welcome. Proposals should be in the form of an extended abstract (approximately 1000-1500 words excluding references).
  • Lightning Talks: 5-minute oral presentations covering a single element of a work in progress, or a new idea. Lightning talk proposals aiming to cover an entire research project will not be accepted. The purpose of a lightning talk is to start a discussion, receive input on an idea, or find collaborators. Proposals should be in the form of a 250-word abstract (excluding references).
  • Panels: 90-minute oral presentations from three or more authors on emerging domains, trends, or contrasting viewpoints, including time for questions or discussion. Panels are an opportunity to engage in discussion of shared concerns, including those not available in completed research or yet adequately recognized. Proposals should not be simply a set of related paper presentations; we encourage proposals that offer creative and unique opportunities for engagement and discussion with the audience as part of the panel session. We recommend three to five panelists plus a moderator; there will be an opportunity to modify the list of panelists after acceptance. Proposals should be in the form of an extended abstract (approximately 1000-1500 words excluding references), that identifies the topic to be discussed, provides an overview of the structure of the panel, and includes relevant qualifications and contributions of each participating panelist.

Submissions

Please use the submission template (in English) to prepare your submission. Then submit through our OJS portal.

Student research forum

We are pleased to invite master’s and doctoral students at any stage of their program to CAIS’s Student Research Forum. The Forum aims to allow graduate students to discuss their research projects, get feedback, and connect with other students. Please be prepared to present informally on an aspect of your research for 5-10 minutes. More information about participating in the forum will be provided when registration opens in March.

Important dates

  • Submissions due: January 31
  • Peer reviews due: March 1
  • Notifications to authors: March 23
  • Final submissions due: May 11