The M25 Consortium, a collaborative organisation that represents the interests of academic and research libraries within the M25 region and more widely across the East and Southeast, held its virtual annual conference on Tuesday, the 30th March. The title and theme of the conference was: The Future of Libraries. BDS was a silver sponsor.
The conference topic, The Future of Libraries, sought“to help colleagues in M25 libraries better prepare operationally and strategically for the future of the sector” says the M25 Consortium website (www.m25lib.ac.uk). The conference was open to members and non-members.
“BDS is committed to assisting libraries and organisations representing libraries,” says Sarah Armitage, Director of Library Sales. “It is more important than ever that we, as a profession, continue to meet and discuss, challenge and develop ideas from our lockdown locations. BDS is delighted to be a sponsor.”
The conference was held via Zoom and the day bagn with a session led by gold sponsor, AM Digital (see our feature, BDSLife, Spring 2018) on Primary Sources for Teaching and Research. The keynote was given by Professor Shân Wareing of the University of Northampton who asked the question: ‘The Future of Libraries: what can we learn from Star Wars?’
The day comprised seven further papers presented by representatives of institutions as diverse as the University of the Arts London, the Royal College of Nursing, Kingston University and Birkbeck, University of London. Each presentation lasted about half an hour and addressed topics relating to the future of libraries, finishing on ‘Funding our Future! Public Engagement and Grant Income for Libraries’.
The Consortium has 54 member institutions, comprising higher education, national, museum and other scholarly libraries. Its aim is to provide services and resources for the benefit of library staff, learners and researchers. Its vision is “to enhance collaborative expertise in and around the M25 to inspire our members to deliver transformational change in order to offer the best possible services supporting academic and scholarly endeavour.”
“I’m really enjoyed this day of information and discussion,” says Heather Sherman, BDS Director of Library Operations who attended the virtual conference along with Sarah Armitage. “As BDS launches it new Academic Library Licence, the future of academic and research libraries is of profound importance to all of us at BDS and I am sure that the issues discussed will inform BDS services as we go forward.”
People wishing to find out more can do so at www.m25lib.ac.uk
