Sponsorship
Sponsorship & Exhibitor Opportunities
Sponsorship Prospectus
Partner with CLIR at the 2026 Virtual DLF Forum — the Digital Library Federation's signature annual event connecting practitioners across digital libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage. Your brand reaches a highly targeted, decision-making audience that's difficult to reach anywhere else.
695
attendees at our 2024 virtual event
~800
attendees projected for 2026
Oct 14–15
two-day virtual event, 2026
Attendees range from project managers, technologists, and developers to administrators, archivists, and service providers — representing universities, government agencies, cultural institutions, and non-profits worldwide.
Sponsorship Deadline
The deadline to sponsor our 2026 virtual event is Friday, July 31, 2026. Questions? Email forum@diglib.org — we'd love to partner with you.
Benefits At-A-Glance
| Benefit | Platinum $4,500 | Gold $2,500 | Silver $1,000 | Bronze $500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logo on conference website | ||||
| Listed on the virtual event hub (event landing page) | ||||
| Acknowledgement during plenaries and logo on slides | ||||
| One public mention / thank-you on LinkedIn | ||||
| Logo in a banner on emails to registered attendees | ||||
| Additional Benefits | ||||
| Link and 100-word organization description (along with logo) on conference website | — | |||
| Complimentary virtual conference registrations (a $75+ value per ticket) | 6 | 4 | 2 | — |
| One additional public mention / thank-you on LinkedIn | — | |||
| Pre-registration attendee list for attendees who opt in (distributed by September 1, 2026) | — | — | ||
| Final attendee list of all attendees who opt in (provided electronically after the conference) | — | — | ||
| One 500-word Featured Sponsor blog post on the DLF website | — | — | ||
| One 500-word "From Our Partner" email, sent by DLF directly to all registered attendees | — | — | — | |
| One live 45-minute partner session in the virtual conference program (2 available; first come, first served) | — | — | — | |
| One live 5-minute lightning talk in the virtual conference program (2 available; first come, first served) | — | — | — | |
Benefits by Category
Standard Benefits
- Logo on conference website
- Listed on the virtual event hub (event landing page)
- Acknowledgement during plenaries and logo on slides
- One public mention / thank-you on LinkedIn
- Logo in a banner on emails to registered attendees
Platinum Sponsorship
Top Tier$4,500
All standard benefits, plus:
- Link and 100-word organization description (along with logo) on conference website
- Six (6) complimentary virtual conference registrations (a $75+ value per ticket)
- One additional public mention / thank-you on LinkedIn
- Pre-registration attendee list for opt-in attendees (by September 1, 2026)
- Final attendee list for opt-in attendees (provided after the conference)
- One 500-word Featured Sponsor blog post on the DLF website
- One 500-word “From Our Partner” email to all registered attendees
- One live 45-minute partner session in the conference program (2 available; first come, first served) — learn more
Gold Sponsorship
$2,500
All standard benefits, plus:
- Link and 100-word organization description (along with logo) on conference website
- Four (4) complimentary virtual conference registrations (a $75+ value per ticket)
- One additional public mention / thank-you on LinkedIn
- Pre-registration attendee list for opt-in attendees (by September 1, 2026)
- Final attendee list for opt-in attendees (provided after the conference)
- One 500-word Featured Sponsor blog post on the DLF website
- One live 5-minute lightning talk in the conference program (2 available; first come, first served)
Silver Sponsorship
$1,000
All standard benefits, plus:
- Link and 100-word organization description (along with logo) on conference website
- Two (2) complimentary virtual conference registrations (a $75+ value per ticket)
- One additional public mention / thank-you on LinkedIn
Bronze Sponsorship
$500
All standard benefits:
- Logo on conference website
- Listed on the virtual event hub (event landing page)
- Acknowledgement during plenaries and logo on slides
- One public mention / thank-you on LinkedIn
- Logo in a banner on emails to registered attendees
Add-Ons
Break Sponsorship
$3004 available
Energize our virtual conference break! Sponsor one of our breaks focused on wellness and entertainment. Break sponsors are recognized throughout the session and in the program — great exposure to a targeted, engaged audience.
Email Boost — “From Our Partner”
$250–$750Extend your “From Our Partner” email to the DLF Forum Newsletter List (3,000+ subscribers). Platinum sponsors can boost for $250; all other levels pay $750. Content due September 1, 2026. Learn about the email program →
About Partner Sessions
This year, we're offering two high-level sponsors the opportunity to host an engaging and insightful 45-minute session at our virtual event where end-users have the opportunity to share real-world applications of their products. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about cutting-edge solutions and discover how they are being utilized across various organizations.
The session should include a panel of customers and delve into the practical aspects of product implementation, highlighting success stories, challenges faced, and lessons learned along the way. Whether the discussion is about software solutions that revolutionize workflow efficiency or hardware innovations enhancing productivity, this session should offer invaluable insights for attendees seeking to leverage the latest technologies in their own organizations. Traditional “sponsor pitches” do not tend to land well with the DLF audience.
Sponsors should prepare to:
- Organize an engaging panel of end-users, which includes consistent communication with panelists
- Determine who would be best in the role of session moderator
- Provide prompts for panelists
- Provide live demonstrations of their product(s)
Key topics that could be explored include:
- Overview of innovative products and their key features
- Real-world use cases and success stories across diverse industries
- Best practices for effective implementation and integration
- Strategies for maximizing ROI and overcoming challenges
- Future trends and advancements shaping the industry landscape
As part of this opportunity, DLF is happy to meet with you to discuss ideas and offer pointers for a successful session, if desired.
About “From Our Partner” Emails
We invite high-level sponsors to connect with registered attendees by sharing a message about their products and services through our From Our Partner email program. As a valued sponsor, you’ll gain exclusive access to our attendee base through direct email sent by DLF. We understand the importance of reaching your target audience effectively, and our email marketing benefit is designed to maximize your visibility and engagement.
Key Highlights:
- Dedicated email: Stand out in the inbox with a dedicated email sent to our attendees (or to our DLF Forum Newsletter List with an upgrade). Craft a personalized message tailored to your goals, whether it’s promoting your latest products, announcing special offers, or inviting attendees to visit your in-person table or virtual booth.
- Customized content: Our team will work closely with you to ensure that the content of the email aligns with your messaging objectives. From compelling subject lines to persuasive calls-to-action, we’ll help you craft a message that resonates with our diverse audience. Your email will feature your company logo and may include hyperlinks.
- Post-event follow-up: Platinum and Gold sponsors will receive email addresses from attendees who have opted in to share them, as part of your benefits package. Extend the lifespan of your sponsorship beyond the event dates by sending a follow-up email to attendees who visited your exhibit table or virtual booth or those who expressed interest in your offerings.
Email Guidelines:
- Copy should be no more than 500 words.
- Copy should be delivered to DLF at forum@diglib.org by September 1.
- Team DLF will work directly with you to ensure you approve of the draft before sending.
- Your email will be sent on a mutually agreed upon date between before or after the Virtual DLF Forum and between September 15 and November 1, 2026.
Become a Sponsor
Ready to partner with DLF?
Connect your brand with 800+ digital library professionals across academia, government, and cultural heritage. Slots are limited — reach out before the deadline.