22 March 2019
Andrew Barker, UKSG Chair
I’m really looking forward to seeing you in Telford for this year’s UKSG Conference. Telford is a new venue for us, so we would love to know what you think of the venue and the conference itself. If you haven’t booked yet, don’t worry, there is still time to book.
We’re doing a few things differently in our 42nd year. For starters, we’ve teamed up with a local charity that works with young homeless people and will be donating all unused lunch bags or unwanted items from the lunch bags to them every day after service. In this way, we not only reduce our footprint and help the local community in a small way, but we also are reducing waste. (We’re also asking for donations of your hotel toiletries or for dried food.)
Along the same theme, you will see many more recycling points and hydration stations around the exhibit hall for you to recycle unwanted paper etc. This has meant that we have done away with the conference bag – a controversial move for those of you who have collected them over the years, but so many were left in rubbish bins last year we decided to test life without them.
The conference is a lively, vibrant, full-on event – an atmosphere that is a big draw for lots of people. Not for everyone all of the time though, so we have set aside a room on the ground floor which is designated a quiet room – no phones, noise or meetings allowed. Please take full advantage of it if you need to!
We at UKSG are committed to being an inclusive organisation, so ahead of this year’s conference we have introduced our Code of Conduct to ensure we provide a stimulating and constructive environment. Ensuring that we work together across the sector to understand each other is what makes UKSG special – our Code of Conduct makes explicit this commitment.
This year’s programme is packed with relevant discussions relating to our present and to our future. Although I’m loathe to name just one session, I am particularly looking forward to the Tuesday morning sessions, particularly Femi Otitoju’s session on unconscious bias and Nicola Wright’s session on what is holding us back from enjoying the future. Getting the future right is our shared responsibility, and I hope UKSG will play its own part in ensuring we do get it right.
Comments from the committee:
“Can’t wait to hear more about green open access in practice – can it really be managed so everyone benefits?”
“I have attended UKSG every year since 2002, and always taken home useful new knowledge or crucially relevant information concerning this rapidly changing world of scholarly communication that we inhabit. Really looking forward to 2019 vintage!”
“I am looking forward to hearing my amazing colleague, Irene Barbers, give her clear explanation of COUNTER Release 5. Metrics made simple!”
“I am most looking forward to hearing the Decolonising Research Methods session from Sara Ewing Goldsmiths, University of London as this is an issue of critical importance to universities and their pedagogical role in our society.”
“I’m not actually able to attend UKSG this year, and I’m SO disappointed, because I had already started my list of unmissable sessions! I’ll be trying to livestream whatever I can – starting with Jessica Gardner’s “sleepwalking into the future” session, Femi Otitoju and Nicola Wright on unconscious bias and change, and Adam Blackwell on fake news. Enjoy the riches of another fabulous programme!”
”For me it has to be the Plan S session – a chance to hear experts from across our sector debate what must be the hottest topic in scholarly comms at the moment.”
and
”I‘m looking forward to learning more about the impact Plan S might have on all aspects of scholarly communications, particularly how libraries can understand and capitalise on the opportunities presented by Plan S, rather than hanging back daunted.”
We look forward to meeting some of you in Telford. Follow us on twitter #UKSG2019.