SDG Events

Typically the Mercian SDG offers three kinds of member exclusive events.

All the Same, But Different
These events provide an opportunity to visit and tour of one of the diverse and exciting institutional libraries that make up the Mercian Collaboration. They represent an excellent chance for staff members from other institutions to learn about a wide range of operations, systems and experiences within different organisational settings. Staff will have the chance to observe both front of house and behind the scenes procedures and processes. Hopefully, through informally productive chats with local staff, attendees will learn from the similarities and differences between the different sites.

Learning Exchanges
These facilitated and interactive events represent opportunities for staff working within similar roles across the Collaboration to come together for an exchange of experience. Rather than sitting and listening, these events present an excellent chance to air common challenges, problems as well as solutions to the issues within specific areas of library operations.

Workshops
These focussed half-day events generally provide the chance to hear from a number of speakers on particular themes or topics. Drawing on expertise from within and outside of the Collaboration region, workshops represent an excellent opportunities to update knowledge and awareness across a wide range of library related arenas.

Eligibility

Physically hosted events are normally only open to attendance by library staff coming from Collaboration member organisations. Exceptions to this rule are made at the hosting venue’s Library Director’s (or equivalent) discretion or on application to the Steering Group in their absence. 

While online events are also primarily hosted for and marketing to library staff from Collaboration member organisations, academic library staff from institutions outside of the region may be admitted at the event organiser’s discretion.

Attendees from commercial organisations are not normally eligible to attend Collaboration events, unless specifically invited as speakers by the host or as the result of conference sponsorship arrangements.

Note: Due to the Covid-19 public health crisis, physical events are currently postponed.

See the Events section for more details on forthcoming and past events.