Events

Events are generally organised by the Mercian's Special Interest Subgroups, with the Staff Development Group having a particular remit to deliver an annual programme of development events for member library’s staff.

Event Suggestions

We always welcome suggestions for themes or topics for future events. If you’ve got an idea or request for a particular theme or event you’d like to see, please contact us and tell us your thoughts.

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: Most events continue to be online only, unless otherwise noted.

Code of Conduct

All attendees should conduct themselves as they would in a professional, workplace environment. Session hosts are empowered to mute or remove any participants breaching these expectations during the event. Please see our Online Events Etiquette guidance for more details.

Upcoming Events

Title Date Location Description
Mercian Conference 2024 Speaker Briefing Session 2 1 May 2024 - 10:00am to 11:00am Online event Come and find out more about how to become a speaker at this year's Mercian Collaboration Conference. The 2024 conference will take place in Leicester on 11th September, and an open call for speakers will be annouced shortly. We are running online speaker briefing events to support you in submitting your proposal: •     Thursday 18th April (afternoon) •     Wednesday 1st May (morning) These events are open to anyone considering submitting a proposal, including advice for first-time presenters, support for presenting and public speaking, and guidance about what goes into submitting a great proposal. Our Conference Group members will unpack the event theme, suggesting ways to relate it back to your own library experiences. Attendees will be encouraged to ask questions, share ideas or raise any concerns they might have in becoming a speaker at the Collaboration’s Conference. Please contact mercianconference@gmail.com with any questions. Both sessions will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. They will not be recorded.  
Putting AI to work: how might libraries leverage artificial intelligence? 14 May 2024 - 1:30pm to 3:00pm Online event Description:   The adoption of AI-augmented services by universities is likely to affect how HE libraries teams operate. The incorporation of AI in third-party information services and online search engines provided by the library will alter the way that students and academics carry out research. Libraries will also want to develop new services of their own which take advantage of the growing potential of AI. As libraries try to navigate the fast-evolving AI landscape, what approaches might they usefully adopt, and what pitfalls should they avoid? This online session will introduce some guidelines and principles to consider, and provide space for you to share your own hopes and doubts about the possible future of AI in the library.    Presenter: Richard Cross (Head of Discovery and Digital Futures – Nottingham Trent University) As the Head of Discovery and Digital Futures within Libraries and Learning Resources at Nottingham Trent University, Richard Cross has a growing preoccupation with the challenges and opportunities posed by the continued rapid development of AI. Richard is the technical lead for all online library services at NTU, managing the implementation and rollout of numerous systems and platforms, and also developing and deploying a wide range of library applications and web utilities. He also has many years of experience as an active member of different user communities in the HE library space, and has regularly presented and run workshops on emergent library technologies. Over the past two years, he has provided regular updates to teams and colleagues at all levels within LLR on the evolving conundrum of artificial intelligence. Audience:  Principally aimed at team leaders and managers at all levels, in both front and back of house library services, but anyone with an interest in AI and libraries is welcome. If you have any questions or further enquiries, then please contact amy.jackson@dmu.ac.uk or ruth.stubbings@dmu.ac.uk