Orbis Cascade Alliance

06/02/2026

Thank you to the speakers and participants of Online Northwest 2026 for an invigorating and memorable conference day! The feedback on the event was enormously positive, with 98% rating their experience either Excellent (81%) or Good (17%). Responses were especially complimentary of the wonderful keynote speaker, Dr. Sandy Littletree of the University of Washington Information School, and of the delicious food from Elephants Catering & Events.

Also thank you to our sponsors: Clarivate, Ebsco, and Lyrasis! Your donations helped us make this event a success.

The next Online Northwest conference will take place in April 2028.

05/19/2026

Our spring 2026 letter highlights NWCCU and regional accreditation, Alliance resources for accessibility, Online Northwest 2026, and plans for ICOLC Americas 2027!

The spring 2026 letter includes a letter from Isaac Gilman about Alliance support for NWCCU and regional accreditation, a list of resources for accessibility, a wrap-up of Online Northwest 2026, and an announcement that ICOLC Americas 2027 will be hosted by the Alliance in Portland.

03/05/2026

Did you know students get 50% off to attend Online Northwest at UO Portland? Student registration is $55, with free breakfast and lunch included! Sign up by March 18 for the conference on April 10.

Online Northwest 2026 Re: Community – Reimagining Connections, Reframing Communications, & Redefining Collaboration April 10, 2026 University of Oregon, Portland Campus2800 NE Liberty St. Portland OR 97211View on Google Maps Please visit our program page for the full schedule with presenters.....

03/03/2026

Registration for Online Northwest is open through March 18! We have an exciting program lined up, starting with a keynote by Dr. Sandy Littletree on relationality and indigenous librarianship. Plus, a delicious continental breakfast and lunch is included!

Online Northwest 2026 Re: Community – Reimagining Connections, Reframing Communications, & Redefining Collaboration April 10, 2026 University of Oregon, Portland Campus2800 NE Liberty St. Portland OR 97211View on Google Maps Please visit our program page for the full schedule with presenters.....

03/02/2026

Join us for "STEM Accessibility—Accessible Design for Complex Digital Resources" March 10 and March 24 at 10 a.m. PT! This two-session Zoom series will be presented by Michele Joy Bromley, a digital accessibility and inclusivity specialist at Portland State University. Registration is free and open to the public.

This two-part series will provide an overview of best practices, considerations, and tools for generating accessible digital resources that feature math, music, and science content. The webinars will be recorded and videos will be shared on this event page.

01/15/2026

Join NWHeat for our next free webinar, "Using AI to Evaluate VPATS," February 17, 10 a.m. PDT!

This session will introduce the UCF VPAT Evaluator, a tool developed by the University of Central Florida’s Center for Distributed Learning that transforms complex Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) reports into clear, actionable insights. Participants will learn how to use the tool to generate structured, easy-to-read accessibility summaries that support more confident decision-making in procurement, design, and compliance efforts.

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: NWHeat Webinar: Using AI to Evaluate VPATs. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.