We're delighted to see entries for the A&SL Blog Post Competition arriving in already. Make sure you get your submission to us by 31st August to be in with a chance to win €100, €75 or €50 and to get your blog post published in @libfocus.bsky.social

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 2w ago

6 weeks left to the deadline of the A&SL Blog Post Competition! Library folk in Ireland - submit your blog posts on the theme 'The representation of librarianship, libraries & information work in media and popular culture' by 31 August to be in to win €100, €75 or €50! aslibraries.ie/asl-blog-pos...

Summer is well underway. Our July link-out has some interesting LIS news! Manu Kapur argues that employers will need those who can reason – not only with AI but, more importantly, against it. There's more. Check it out over at www.libfocus.com

If retirement is on your horizon, give this guest post by Helen Fallon a read. Written for librarians, but the advice applies to anyone thinking about life beyond work. Thoughtful, practical and timely. 🔗 www.libfocus.com/2026/07/beyo... #Retirement #LifeTransitions #PlanningAhead

Read our response to the House of Commons Education Cttee’s Reading for Pleasure report. It’s clear: school and public libraries run by trained library staff are essential to build a reading nation. CILIP is ready to work with Govt to turn these recommendations into action. https://ow.ly/Bpif50ZpWx9

The Odyssey: a story shaped to be retold 📜📖✨ Meet experts from The University of Manchester and John Rylands Library to explore the oldest known surviving copy of Homer’s Odyssey in book form on parchment and find out why the story has resonated with so many through the centuries.

Don't miss the chance to wax lyrical about how library work and workers have been portrayed on TV, in films, in books, in video games and more. As well as the not so shabby prizes, you'll also get to see your article published on the libfocus blog - so break out that laptop and get writing!

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 2w ago

6 weeks left to the deadline of the A&SL Blog Post Competition! Library folk in Ireland - submit your blog posts on the theme 'The representation of librarianship, libraries & information work in media and popular culture' by 31 August to be in to win €100, €75 or €50! aslibraries.ie/asl-blog-pos...

In our latest guest post Nadina Yedid shares how a “library without walls” is creating a community-led lending service for Argentina’s diaspora in Ireland. She tells a story of innovation, flexibility and putting people before systems. www.libfocus.com/2026/07/buil...

Building a Library Without Walls: Rethinking Library Systems Through an Argentine Community Library in Ireland

This guest post is by Nadina Yedid , Assistant Librarian with Children's Health Ireland . There’s a saying that goes, “They didn’t know it w...

libfocus.com

In this guest post, Margaret Irons, Librarian at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies explores why Research Data Management (RDM) is becoming essential for library professionals, sharing her takeaways from a recent micro-credential in #RDM & #DataStewardship. www.libfocus.com/2026/06/deve...

Developing RDM expertise: A Librarian’s review of the Introduction to Data Stewardship Micro-credential

This guest post is by Margaret Irons, Librarian, School of Celtic Studies,  Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. https://orcid.org/0000-00...

libfocus.com

New Libfocus post by Cathal Madigan, Library Assistant @tudublin.bsky.social, reviewing the @lirheanet.bsky.social LIR Annual Seminar 2026, which explored Supporting Emerging Literacies: how do libraries design and deliver new literacy programmes? www.libfocus.com/2026/06/lite...

Literacy for the future: Review of the LIR Annual Seminar 2026

This guest post is by Cathal Madigan, Library Assistant at TU Dublin. On Wednesday May 13th, 2026, I had the privilege to attend the LIR Ann...

libfocus.com

To mark #Bloomsday, Alana Mahon O'Neill writes about the Ulysses Book Club in DCU. Over a year two local Joyce enthusiasts led a group of DCU staff and community members through the influential novel where they discovered its vulgarity, silliness and intricacies www.libfocus.com

Our latest guest post is from the HSLJ editorial team who highlight the latest issue of the journal and put out a call for submissions for their Winter issue. Congratulations to libfocus team member @eilisoneill.bsky.social whose co-written article features this month! More at www.libfocus.com

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the A&SL and HSLG Summer Networking Evening in @ria.ie yesterday. We enjoyed a talk by the inspiring Jane Burns about how librarians can use their skills to thrive across different sectors. We hope you got your murderous librarian badge!

We're delighted to share that the Communications Undergraduate Journal (in collaboration with DCU School of Communications) was among entries that received a Highly Commended distinction in the Jennifer Burke Award for Innovation in Teaching and Learning! #EdTech2026 @dublincityuni.bsky.social

Many thanks to everyone who joined #JanewayOA26 online and in person, and to all the speakers, for two wonderful days at Dublin City University discussing Janeway, open infrastructure, and community-led scholarly publishing.

I think this is probably the first place other than @openlibhums.org annual report that mentions @plos.org are contributing to @janewayolh.bsky.social and will be utilising it as part of their workflow. It’s pretty incredible that a project I started with @eve.gd has come so far.

PLOS@plos.org · 2mo ago

Today PLOS publishes Redefining Publishing: Practical pathways to open science, the public report from our 18-month research and design project. The report asks how publishing can better support open science. Explore the report: plos.io/4o3bsun #OpenScience

Summer is well on its way. Our May link-out has some interesting LIS news! James O'Sullivan talks about the qualified nonsense and dangers of AI detection. Barry Andrews writes about publishers ripping off public libraries (no surprise there). There's more. Check it out over at www.libfocus.com

New Libfocus post by @stephaniechen.bsky.social @ucclibrary.bsky.social, based on delegate input at @aslibraries.bsky.social conference reflecting on what librarianship means today & for those in the profession: evolving roles, skills, and focus on access and users. www.libfocus.com/2026/05/what...

What does Librarianship mean to A&SL Conference attendees? A summary of thoughts

Guest post Stephanie Chen , Learning and Teaching Librarian, Academic Services, UCC Library For the A&SL 2026 conference, I facilitated a se...

libfocus.com

Lauren Sneyd's guest post looks at the key messages delivered at the HSLG conference 2026 on the theme 'Finding Strength in Difference'. The presenters offered timely insights into how libraries can navigate rapid technological change. Find out more at www.libfocus.com

Our latest guest post, by Dina Gorelik (MLIS student, @ucdischool.bsky.social) is now live A reflective review of the Academic & Special Libraries Conference 2026, exploring open scholarship, data-driven decision-making & the future of librarianship. www.libfocus.com/2026/05/revi...

Review of The Academic & Special Libraries Conference 2026

Guest post by Dina Gorelik. Dina is an MLIS Student at University College Dublin At the end of March, I had the pleasure of attending the   ...

libfocus.com

Get your roundup of library and information news from this month's link-out! Learn about DigitalArc and Opaque Publisher, airport libraries, library promotional strategies and much more over at libfocus.com.

Our latest guest post, by Alexander Kouker, explores the history of the scholarly journal (a brief spiel). Check it out over at www.libfocus.com/2026/04/trac...

Tracing and locating the scholarly journal

I produced a brief history of the journal as an artefact and looked into its essential function(s). This work does not address the economic,...

libfocus.com

It's almost April already. This month's link-out has all the library and information news you need! Amber Dance makes the case that every scientist needs a librarian. Check it out and more over at www.libfocus.com

Submissions are now open for the LIR Annual Seminar 2026. Focusing on supporting emerging literacies, it takes place in person at the Asiera offices, Dublin 1, on 13th May. Submit your abstract by 31st March! www.libfocus.com/2026/03/call... #LIRAnnualSeminar2026

This month's link-out has all the library and information news you need! Carlo Iacono convincingly argues that our "inability to focus isn’t a failing. It’s a design problem. Check it out and more over at www.libfocus.com

Don't miss the chance to attend #ASL2026 for FREE! LIS students and library sector workers - apply for 1 of 2 bursaries by 24th February to join us in @ria.ie on 24th March AND have your conference review published in @libfocus.bsky.social or An Leabharlann! More info: aslibraries.ie/asl-2026-bur...

Our latest guest post, by Michelle O’Donovan of @ucclibrary.bsky.social explores how Conversation Cafés are building meaningful connections between students, and are bringing them together over a cup of coffee and a chat (while introducing them to the library) www.libfocus.com/2026/02/the-...

The Power of Connection; Conversation Cafe

Guest Post by Michelle O'Donovan. Michelle is a Library Assistant with the Client Services Team at UCC Library Last  summer ,  UCC  Library ...

libfocus.com

This month's link-out has all the library and information news you need! A University library closure prompts outrage, the importance of librarians sharing what they do, AI, academic journals, the @warmwelcomeuk.bsky.social, mental health for library workers and more over at www.libfocus.com

Don't miss the chance to go to the always brilliant #ASL2026 for free, network with library sector colleagues and have your conference review published online. Apply by 24th February!

A&SL@aslibraries.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Want to attend #ASL2026 for FREE? There are 2 bursaries available - one for a LIS student and another for a library sector worker. The winners' conference reviews will also be published online. Apply by 24th February to join us in @ria.ie on 24th March. More details at aslibraries.ie/asl-2026-bur...

If you’re looking to ground yourself in a topic with fact-based research, librarians are still your best friends. “There’s information,” the librarian said to me, “and then there’s the right information.” nautil.us/viva-la-libr... #libraries #skybrarians #publibs

Viva la Library!

Rebel against The Algorithm. Get a library card.

nautil.us

Researchers dismayed as NASA's largest research library closes in Maryland 📜📚 www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/r...

Researchers dismayed as NASA's largest research library closes in Maryland

The large research library NASA has at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, was an incredibly important resource for space mission data and research. That resource is now closed.

nbcwashington.com