Call for Papers: MELA/MELCOM International Joint Annual Conference

The American University in Cairo

25-27 January 2026

Reflecting on Our Past, Charting Our Future: Middle East Librarianship in Transition

We invite proposals for papers, panels, and presentations from librarians, archivists, scholars, and information professionals working with Middle Eastern and North African collections and resources.

Please review the conference themes and submission guidelines before submitting your abstract by clicking the button below. We look forward to a stimulating exchange of ideas at the conference.

Conference Themes:

• Historical perspectives on Middle East librarianship
• Evolution of collection development practices
• Digital humanities and Middle Eastern studies
• Preservation of rare materials and manuscripts
• Challenges in cataloging and metadata for multilingual collections
• Impact of political events on collecting and access
• Collaborative initiatives across institutions and borders
• Emerging technologies and their application in Middle Eastern collections
• Training the next generation of Middle East librarians
• Community engagement and outreach

Submission Guidelines:

• Abstracts should be 250-300 words
• Submissions accepted in English, Arabic, or French
• Presentations will be 20 minutes in length, followed by 10 minutes for questions
• Proposals for full panels (3-4 papers) are also welcome

Important Dates:

• Submission deadline: 26 September 2025
• Notification of acceptance: 10 October 2025
• Conference dates: 25-27 January 2026
• Location: The American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt

Bursaries for Participants:

As in previous years MELCom International is pleased to offer a limited number of modest grants to support colleagues — whether new to the association or unable to secure financial assistance from their institutions — in attending the annual conference. If you wish to apply, please forward your request to melcomintl.secretary@gmail.com no later than 26 September 2025. All requests will be reviewed by an independent Grants Committee. Grant recipients are requested to present a paper at the conference. Please submit your paper proposal through the online form.

For questions or additional information, please contact:

Mark Muehlhaeusler (AUC), melibraries@aucegypt.edu

Submit a Proposal