Oh, and just a small thing that happened over the last few days ...... at #UKSG2026, I led my first international conference breakout session where 50+ people signed up to come and hear what I had to say about the work @uwtsd.bsky.social @uwtsdlib.bsky.social is doing with AI, including ...

As #UKSG2026 draws to a close, I wanted to reflect on a superb few days. Starting off with the most beautiful tribute to the late Elaine Sykes from Andrew Barker and Tom Morley, it seemed appropriate for so many of the values they shared about her were all themes that ran through the whole event ...

So I can officially call myself a "big conference" speaker after today. My 1st solo breakout session was at #UKSG2026 where this room was full of amazing people listening to what I had to say. It still doesn't feel real - but the joy inside is just the best thing ever. Round 2 tomorrow!!

First breakout session of #UKSG2026 supporting fellow first time "big conference" speaker Sarah Humphreys and the wonderful @tmorley24.bsky.social, learning more about hosting, publishing and the power of open access. Straight after this, just the small matter of my first solo breakout session 🙈🙈

Thank you to Andrew Barker for making this dynamic explicit from the stage! And advocating articulately for more idealism. #uksg2026

Alicia Wise@wisealic.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Is anyone else also struggling with the unspoken tension between perhaps more idealistic and more pragmatic views juxtaposed in quite this way? We need both to advance and this seems a false and frustrating dichotomy. @uksg.bsky.social #uksg2026

Could it be more effective - given the financial situation - to rebrand “experimental” publishing as “affordable, innovative ” publishing? @uksg.bsky.social #uksg2026

Kira Hopkins from COPIM pushes back at any conflation of “community led” publishing and “university press” publishing (not just publishing but infrastructures too). @uksg.bsky.social #uksg2026

Important context from @scholtom.bsky.social which we need to bear in mind throughout the conference #UKSG2026

Plenary session - a fox in the henhouse? University presses, corporate takeovers, and implications for the future of scholarly books #UKSG2026

I wrote the blog post behind our new Robin Hood @openlibhums.org poster! In it, I reflect on why divesting scholarly publishing from commercial interests and redirecting library budgets into #diamondOA is so urgent. Read it (and grab the poster!) here: www.openlibhums.org/news/932/ #UKSG2026

Beautiful opening to #UKSG2026 from Andrew Barker and Tom Morley talking Open Access in memory of Elaine Sykes. I never knew her but the way Andrew and Tom spoke of her today, I really wish I had.

#UKSG2026 Lets go!!

I'm constantly fascinated and impressed by the work that Olivia @missoliviareads.bsky.social and Taran are doing at UWTSD - librarianship on the frontline, making an important difference to their local community, with passion, empathy and humour. Have a read in the latest @uksg.bsky.social Insights👇

UKSG@uksg.bsky.social · 5mo ago

The latest from #UKSGInsights: Olivia Edmonds and Taran Johal @uwtsd.bsky.social "The digital library: redefining access and engagement at University of Wales Trinity St David, Birmingham campus" dub.sh/xomcW9U

It was yet again an honour to speak at my second UKSG Forum earlier this week alongside my wonderful colleague Taran Johal on behalf of Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant / University of Wales Trinity Saint David Our presentation "UWTSD Birmingham and Generative AI: We're All In This Together"...

So that's #UKSGForum2025 over for another year and yet again I am leaving overflowing with ideas and inspiration. Thank you for the wonderful feedback on our presentation and it was also great to see so many fabulous familiar faces throughout the day too....

I must also mention the AMAZING team from UCA for the presentation on their Legacy project with the iconic Zandra Rhodes too! #UKSGForum2025

Not only does she produce stunningly creative presentations, @littlebutfierce.bsky.social produced a brilliant summary of our talk, as well as many others! One for you @samscoulding.bsky.social @uwtsdlib.bsky.social

Liesl R@littlebutfierce.bsky.social · 8mo ago

UWTSD Birmingham and Generative AI: We're all in this together #uksgforum25

Presentation of the day #UKSGForum2025 has to go to @littlebutfierce.bsky.social for her phenomenal film noir tinged take on systematic reviews. I have a new standard to aspire to in my future presentations now - look at these slides 😍😍😍😍

What does good look like in AI adoption for a university? Great overview at #UKSGForum2025 from @mark-h-cymru.bsky.social

Post coffee break and a very sugary but delicious cake, the next talk is @kirahopkins.bsky.social from @copim.bsky.social Building an info hub around open access books. It was massively overwhelming, so decided to create a hub of the existing resources #UKSGForum2025

One of my favourite presentations of the day - the most amazing project!!

Godwyns Onwuchekwa@godwyns.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Marie Hitchcock & Ellie Brown from the University of the Creative Arts shares real positive grassroots #community #engagement. Brings to life my👌🏾 talk on "Discovering the Hidden Insight Between Data Points". Pleasd to see this in action with all the right factors: feedback loops, etc. #UKSGForum2025

Interesting perspective about changing keywords and metadata for public rather than research use. In a fashion digital collection nothing came up when you looked for blue 😂 #UKSGFORUM2025

two women standing next to each other with one saying " but what you don t know is that that sweater is not just blue

Alt: Gif from Devil wears Prada "but what you don't know is that that sweater is not just blue, it's not turquoise, it's not lapis; it's actually cerulean"

media.tenor.com

Library get this downstream "our lecturer says we can use AI, how do we do it?" Library get to translate this into suitable tools that the University subscribes to. #UKSGForum2025

Students are often coming to uni only wanting to use their phone - laptops are new to them. So AI is big and scary to them. UWTSD are encouraging the use of genAI rather than having lecturers saying you can't use it at all and making sure it's clear in the assessment. #UKSGForum2025

After coffee we've got UWTSD talking about AI : we're all in this together (Disney refernce - High School Musical?) #UKSGForum2025

Interesting to see how @uwtsdlib.bsky.social is engaging and supporting their student #community's adaptation to and using AI. @missoliviareads.bsky.social and her colleague, Tara Johal shares some inspirational processes deployed while remaining mindful of the evolving landscape. 👍🏾 #UKSGForum2025

@missoliviareads.bsky.social and Taran Johal from U Wales TSD Birmingham at #UKSGForum2025 Wider role of the library in information literacy and digital literacy now extending to AI literacy - keeping up with the fast-moving baseline that is helping students progress into the world of work.

#UKSGForum2025 Steph Gibson from the University of Suffolk brought home the realities of supporting staff and students effectively while dealing with budget cuts, staff freezes and a mid year building move. I was blown away -what an awe-inspiring talk! A huge round of applause for the whole team 👏🏼

Big laugh of recognition and empathy at #UKSGForum2025 for Steph Gibson talking about limited systems and resources at U Suffolk. "No reading list management system - have a combination of Word docs and Sharepoint. We have to make decisions based on "usage data and vibes"." 😅

#UKSGForum2025 How community engagement can make an impact and the power of "the bigger picture" not just what the data says. The library as a "community centre of knowledge" - what a mesmerising keynote from @godwyns.bsky.social to start this day!