Other Ways for Vendors to Connect with the Wisconsin Library Community

Thank you for your partnership with WiLS! We are very excited to connect your valuable products to the libraries in our member community, and to help their patrons get the information they need.

While there are many benefits to partnering with WiLS, including increased exposure of your products, there are a variety of other ways to engage with the Wisconsin library community. Library staff greatly appreciate seeing vendors present at their professional development events through sponsorships and exhibits, and by participating in the informal events that happen at those conferences.

Throughout the year, WiLS coordinates and offers professional development opportunities to members that vendors can sponsor to raise the community awareness about your brand and products, including through our WiLSWorld Shorts series. If you are interested in sponsoring the series, or other events managed by WiLS, connect with us at coop@wils.org.

We also encourage you to take part in our Taco Tuesdays, bite-sized opportunities to introduce WiLS members to your valuable products and services. These live and recorded virtual webinars have been built around needs that members have expressed to us – that any demonstrations be short and available anytime so they can watch on their own schedules. If you’d like to participate in an upcoming Taco Tuesday, reach out to us at coop@wils.org.

WiLS also helps to coordinate the annual meeting of the Southwest Wisconsin Assocation of Libraries (SWAL). This program is possible because of sponsorships and the attendees of the conference are grateful for the support from our vendor partners. If you are interested in sponsoring SWAL, contact Andi Coffin at acoffin@wils.org.

The Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) holds two large events that are well-attended by the community and are ideal opportunities to increase your brand recognition and product reach.

• WLA Annual Conference: The largest state library conference, this event is typically attended by over 900 librarians from across the state and beyond. The conference offers a multitude of great programs, excellent speakers, awards, tours, and fun social events, all in an environment meant to engage everyone attending. There are several great exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities to place your organization front and center of the Wisconsin library community. For more information about sponsoring or exhibiting the WLA Annual Conference, contact wla@wisconsinlibraries.org.
• Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries (WAPL) Annual Conference and the Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians (WAAL) Annual Conference: These conferences, held yearly in the spring, bring together librarians from across the state to engage in new ideas and collaborations, and connect with one another over shared goals for their communities, and vendor sponsorship is welcome! For more information about sponsoring or exhibiting at WAPL or WAAL, contact wla@wisconsinlibraries.org.

School Leaders Advancing Technology in Education (SLATE) Conference. This conference is a comprehensive educational technology convention designed by several leading education associations to meet the needs of all schools and districts. This convention is designed for a broad spectrum of educators, including teachers, principals, associate principals, district administrators, Library Media Specialists, IT coordinators, Directors of Curriculum and Instruction, and other school leaders. Vendors can participate in this well-attended conference through exhibiting and sponsorship. For more information about sponsoring or exhibiting at SLATE, use the online contact form.

Wisconsin Educational Media & Technology Association (WEMTA) Annual Conference: This conference is attended by K12 Library Media Specialists, IT Coordinators, Teachers, and Administrators as an opportunity to improve education through collaborating and sharing best practices. Vendors can participate in this well-attended conference through exhibiting and sponsorship. For more information about sponsoring or exhibiting at WEMTA, contact exhibitors@wemta.org.

Another way to engage the library community is by inviting them to participate in advisory boards and product development. If you are interested in creating a collaborative project with our member libraries, WiLS can help you get your message out and manage projects of multiple member participants. For more information, contact information@wils.org.