This week we welcomed over 50 of our customers from libraries across the UK and beyond to London for a packed day of #opensource library updates, shared learning and networking. Every year the event makes us so proud of the library community we get to be a part of with our customers!

Lauren (@purton.bsky.social) and Helen are kicking off Green Libraries Week at the CILIP Green Libraries Conference 🌱 A fantastic event filled with insightful talks and practical workshops for positive change. @cilip.bsky.social

Check out Jonathan Field's CILIP (@cilip.bsky.social) article 'AI Wars - The Libraries Fight Back' for an update on our battle with AI bots, insights into why library catalogues are so highly targeted, and the role of open source and open data in an #AI future. www.cilip.org.uk/news/news.as...

We had an amazing time in Nashville for AspenCon 2025! There are many things to take away from the conference, but the power of Aspen Discovery as a tool to promote your library, extending the in-person #library experience into online environments, is one that cannot be emphasised enough!

Next month we'll be participating in a HELibTech webinar with Ken Chad on the topic 'Open by default: The role of open source software in building flexible, future-ready higher education libraries'. Join Jonathan, Sam and Andrew on Monday 13th October, 14:00-15:00 www.helibtech.com/helibtech-we...

Check out the Open Fifth team's film, book and TV reviews for September! This month's edition features sharks, aliens, nonnas and a sales-beetle, with an unintended but very strong sci-fi theme 🪲 openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...

📢 Calling all Open Fifth customers! Registration is open for Customer Day 2025. We invite our customers to join us for a day of networking, sharing practices, workshops and talks. 📍 Friends House, London, NW1 2BJ 🗓️ 5 November 2025 🕙 10:15 – 16:30 openfifth.co.uk/event/open-f...

Fiona @fionaborthwick.bsky.social and Lauren @purton.bsky.social had a great time last week at the London Libraries Conference in the beautiful Guildhall building. We spoke with libraries from across London about open source, Koha, Aspen Discovery - and how our notebooks and stickers are the best 📔

The London Libraries Conference is next Friday, 19 September! Catch up with Fiona (@fionaborthwick.bsky.social) and Lauren (@purton.bsky.social) at the Open Fifth stand 👋

The Fantastic Four, a Royal Family weekend, Belgian beer and well written women in horror… It's time to find out what's on the shelves* of the Open Fifth team this August. Read our film, game, and event reviews from the month. *or screens, bar tabs, schedules... openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...

"As someone who’s spent years working within the Koha community, I can tell you that being a #Koha library means you’re part of something truly special – a vibrant global community that genuinely shapes the future of library management systems." openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...

The CILIP LGBTQ+ Network is seeking a new Chair! This key role is your chance to lead, coordinate, connect and represent. Details & how to apply: informationprofessionaljobs.com/jobs/chair-u... Any questions or fancy an informal chat? Reach out to Dr Beth @drbeth.bsky.social - email in link

AspenCon25 is landing in Nashville this October! Join in-person or virtually for a packed schedule of presentations, talks and workshops all about Aspen Discovery, the #opensource #library discovery layer. Registration closes 15/Sept. community.aspendiscovery.org/AspenCon2025 #AspenCon25

We are celebrating the team behind Open Fifth for their generous giving: Your continued support makes a real and lasting difference to countless good causes 💚 Their generosity has been recognised by Charities Trust with the Gold APGO Payroll Giving Quality Mark - openfifth.co.uk/news/payroll...

Subscribe to the Open Fifth mailing list to stay up to date with us and our #opensource #library news and how-tos! Our next newsletter will land in subscriber inboxes on 19/August 🗞️ openfifth.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

📢 Archives - this one’s for you. Join us on 21 August for an intro to AtoM webinar. AToM (Access to Memory) is an open source, web-based app which allows institutions to provide and manage public access to their archival holdings. 21 August | 12:30 - 13:00 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-in...

Did you spot us in the most recent CILIP newsletter? 👀 Check out our article on how public #libraries and library vendors can work together to get the most out of their relationship, with tips and advice through procurement and beyond. www.cilip.org.uk/news/news.as...

Library Open Source Software Shared Practice and Experience Forum 🗓️ Thursday 7 August 2025 | 14:00-16:30 📍 Friends House, 173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ Are you looking for new library software or to learn more about open source? Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/1401230571...

This month we have free webinars on accessibility for Koha LMS and Aspen Discovery, as well an overview of how you can customise your library's Koha OPAC. Register via Eventbrite to attend. www.eventbrite.com/cc/open-fift...

Agenda and guest speakers announced for the Open Fifth 'Library Open Source Software Shared Practice and Experience Forum' on 7 August! Learn from the community about what open source library software can do for your library - openfifth.co.uk/event/7-augu...

We're so thrilled to welcome @heythroplib.bsky.social to the Koha community as an Open Fifth customer after their LMS launched last week. Check out their article about using Koha to modernise the management of their collection and improve access for users.

The Open Fifth team have reviewed the books, TV shows, games and events that have been keeping us busy throughout June. This month's special 'What's on our shelves' edition is packed with works focused on LGBTQ+ creators, narratives and events - and much more openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...

Pride has arrived in Koha this month through a new plugin, the Homosaurus 🌈🦕 The Homosaurus is an inclusive vocabulary for describing LGBTQ+ resources in the collections of libraries, archives, museums, and other institutions. Read more about the dev & how to access: openfifth.co.uk/news/homosau...

AI bots crawling websites are slowing down sites with unprecedented traffic, consuming resources, and affecting user experience. We have seen an increase in the amount of bots crawling our library sites, catalogues present an attractive source due to rich metadata openfifth.co.uk/fighting-the...

UN Open Source Week 2025 continues! On theme - our webinar today by @fionaborthwick.bsky.social was all about how you can get involved in the #opensource library community, as much or as little as you like. A recording and resources are available here: openfifth.co.uk/how-to-get-i...

Like libraries, #opensource is for everyone. The software is developed by communities for free use by all. Our flash film 'Open source software: Developed with libraries, for libraries' aired last week @librariesconnected.bsky.social. Learn more about our development process youtu.be/u781mTamXWk?...

It's UN Open Source Week 2025! Why are the UN focusing on open source? "By definition, open source development is collaborative, inclusive and revolutionary when compared to traditional software and businesses built on proprietary and closed practices." - UN, 2025. openfifth.co.uk/open-source-...

🗓️🚨 Save the date! Open Fifth invites non-customers across all library sectors to join us for an afternoon of learning and exchange at our Library Open Source Software Forum on 7 August, 14:00-16:30, London. Register on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/library-op...

Next week Fiona & Andrew will be attending the Libraries Connected Annual Seminar @librariesconnected.bsky.social This year's theme is 'Resilience in an Age of Uncertainty'. Attending? Catch up with the team and check out our flash film 'Open Source Software: Developed with libraries, for libraries'

This week (02-08 June) is CILIP's (@cilip.bsky.social) 'Libraries Change Lives' week. The theme for 2025 is how library services sustain economic growth within their communities, through education, access to public services, supporting entry to work, and much more.

This week the annual LibPMC (@libpmc.bsky.social) Conference is being held in Liverpool. The conference is a fantastic learning, sharing and networking event suitable for all library sectors, collections and archives. Will you be attending? Check in with Sam at the Open Fifth stand!

May is @github.com's annual #MaintainerMonth, shining a light on the role of maintainers in #opensource software 🔦 We support OS library software, but did you know that we also contribute back, coding, testing and maintaining through community roles? Find out more: openfifth.co.uk/maintainer-m...

What have the Open Fifth team been reading, watching and playing this month? Read our May 'What's on our shelves' post where the team (including @valskelton.bsky.social, @samgoldbird.bsky.social & @purton.bsky.social) share their reviews for all manner of amusements! openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...

It's nearly two months since we changed name from PTFS Europe to Open Fifth! We've received fantastic feedback from the community. Watch company directors Andrew and Jonathan reflect on the name change and process - youtu.be/GjI-oPf1yn4?...

Read all about it! 🗞️ Our latest newsletter has just been published, covering what Open Fifth have been up to lately, Koha and Aspen Discovery community updates, upcoming events, our top posts, a guide to connecting with us online, and more. Read in browser - mailchi.mp/142d3f87ed7e...

Learn how to create a beautiful custom #Koha OPAC painlessly in this week's 'What's on our mind' video from Jake D. A reimagining of the Koha OPAC through the SENUX plugin, with flexible styling options and a greater colour palette 🎨 youtu.be/OkIQirqy0YY?...

Do you know how you can manage data protection in Koha LMS and Aspen Discovery? 📂 We will be providing an overview in our free webinar tomorrow, 12:30-13:00 (BST). Register to attend via Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/1259744843...

This week's 'What's on our mind' post is a blog piece titled 'Exploring AI in open source library software: Balancing innovation and openness in Koha' openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...

Fiona, Helen and @purton.bsky.social had a fantastic time at the @cilip.bsky.social Supplier Showcase in London, speaking with library representatives throughout the UK and beyond, catching up with former colleagues, and admiring the beautiful The Law Society Hall. Thank you for another great event!

Every month the Open Fifth team share reviews on what they've been reading, watching and attending during the month. Here's April's! openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...

Here's your pathway to find Fiona, Helen & Lauren (@purton.bsky.social) at the @cilip.bsky.social Supplier Showcase today in London! We're at stand 12, showing off the fantastic open source library software we implement and support, and services we provide to libraries throughout the UK and beyond.

Early start for my first @cilip.bsky.social event as a late-joiner to the library sector! Looking forward to today’s Supplier Showcase with the @openfifth.bsky.social team 😊

Sadly not available for streaming in the UK, but looking forward to seeing reviews and write-ups of this new @pbs.org documentary ‘Free for all: The public library’ which premiered today, available here www.pbs.org/independentl... If you have access to stream it, share your thoughts 💭

We hope to see you this Wednesday (30 April) at the CILIP Supplier Showcase. The Open Fifth team will be there showing off Koha LMS, Aspen Discovery, Metabase analytics, and our new name! There's still time to book a 1:1 appointment, or simply pop over to our stand on the day. @cilip.bsky.social

Rio de Janeiro is the @unesco.org World Book Capital for 2025. Looking for inspiration for your next read? Check your local library for Brazilian authors 🇧🇷

It’s World Book and Copyright Day (@unesco.org) today. How will you be marking the occasion? 📚 Lauren (@purton.bsky.social) at Open Fifth is feeding two birds with one scone via ‘Who owns this sentence? A history of copyrights and wrongs’ by Bellos and Montagu (2024)

Here’s a different kind of library discovery than we usually work with - a search feature for local events at UK public libraries from #LibraryOn, currently in beta testing. A fantastic resource, we look forward to following its development.

Catch the Open Fifth team at #LILAC25 @lilacconf.bsky.social! Sam and Helen are having fun sharing what we do and our new name with academic library staff from the UK and beyond. Come and say hi, we're here until Wednesday 👋

We're looking forward to visiting Cardiff next week for the fantastic @lilacconf.bsky.social #LILAC25, The Information Literacy Conference 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Visit Sam and Helen to learn more about what we do, the products we support, new features and integrations, or for a catch up!