Collaboration Conference Builds Bridges into a Challenging Future

The Collaboration makes it three in a row, with its third successful conference hosted at the University of Nottingham.

Today at the University of Nottingham almost 100 delegates gathered for the third annual Collaboration conference. Held each year since 2017, the conference brings together library staff from every level or section to share experiences and hear about projects and activities the region over. After last year’s highly engaging New to You, this year the focus has been all about creating and maintaining bridges of every configuration or service. Something very much at the heart of the Collaboration’s mission.

The conference, organised through the support of the member libraries and the generous contribution of our sponsors [1], is open to library staff from all 23 institutions who form the Collaboration.

This year delegates heard a keynote from Worcester’s ground breaking public and academic libraries partnership, before having the opportunity to learn about everything from sound archives to well-being to student partnership and zombie-themed escape rooms. In short, a microcosm of just some of the exciting and innovative work happening across the region.

Over a sumptuous lunch, alongside catching up with colleagues and friends old and new, delegates were also able to meet representatives of many of the special interest groups who conduct the bulk of the Collaborations activities within the region. From Marketing and Communications, through Disability and Staff Development, there was a lot to hear about.

This year, following the event, delegates will be challenged to consider the shape of future in their feedback. This is because as after three successful years, subsequent Collaboration conferences are looking to evolve in form, format and content. In this way, the Collaboration’s key annual event can continue to meet the evolving delegate developmental needs and learning desires.

Slides and outputs from the conference will be mounted on the Conference’s website over the coming weeks. A call for volunteers to join the conference organisation committee will also appear towards the end of the year, or contact the Collaboration Development officer (mercianlibrariescollaboration@gmail.com) for more details.

[1] Our thanks to Anybook.biz, Browns Books, CUP, Constant Security Services and Talis