Oh, and just a small thing that happened over the last few days ...... at #UKSG2026, I led my first international conference breakout session where 50+ people signed up to come and hear what I had to say about the work @uwtsd.bsky.social @uwtsdlib.bsky.social is doing with AI, including ...

As #UKSG2026 draws to a close, I wanted to reflect on a superb few days. Starting off with the most beautiful tribute to the late Elaine Sykes from Andrew Barker and Tom Morley, it seemed appropriate for so many of the values they shared about her were all themes that ran through the whole event ...

So I can officially call myself a "big conference" speaker after today. My 1st solo breakout session was at #UKSG2026 where this room was full of amazing people listening to what I had to say. It still doesn't feel real - but the joy inside is just the best thing ever. Round 2 tomorrow!!

First breakout session of #UKSG2026 supporting fellow first time "big conference" speaker Sarah Humphreys and the wonderful @tmorley24.bsky.social, learning more about hosting, publishing and the power of open access. Straight after this, just the small matter of my first solo breakout session 🙈🙈

Thank you to Andrew Barker for making this dynamic explicit from the stage! And advocating articulately for more idealism. #uksg2026

Could it be more effective - given the financial situation - to rebrand “experimental” publishing as “affordable, innovative ” publishing? @uksg.bsky.social #uksg2026

Kira Hopkins from COPIM pushes back at any conflation of “community led” publishing and “university press” publishing (not just publishing but infrastructures too). @uksg.bsky.social #uksg2026

Important context from @scholtom.bsky.social which we need to bear in mind throughout the conference #UKSG2026

Plenary session - a fox in the henhouse? University presses, corporate takeovers, and implications for the future of scholarly books #UKSG2026

I wrote the blog post behind our new Robin Hood @openlibhums.org poster! In it, I reflect on why divesting scholarly publishing from commercial interests and redirecting library budgets into #diamondOA is so urgent. Read it (and grab the poster!) here: www.openlibhums.org/news/932/ #UKSG2026

Beautiful opening to #UKSG2026 from Andrew Barker and Tom Morley talking Open Access in memory of Elaine Sykes. I never knew her but the way Andrew and Tom spoke of her today, I really wish I had.

#UKSG2026 Lets go!!

I'm constantly fascinated and impressed by the work that Olivia @missoliviareads.bsky.social and Taran are doing at UWTSD - librarianship on the frontline, making an important difference to their local community, with passion, empathy and humour. Have a read in the latest @uksg.bsky.social Insights👇

It was yet again an honour to speak at my second UKSG Forum earlier this week alongside my wonderful colleague Taran Johal on behalf of Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant / University of Wales Trinity Saint David Our presentation "UWTSD Birmingham and Generative AI: We're All In This Together"...

So that's #UKSGForum2025 over for another year and yet again I am leaving overflowing with ideas and inspiration. Thank you for the wonderful feedback on our presentation and it was also great to see so many fabulous familiar faces throughout the day too....

I must also mention the AMAZING team from UCA for the presentation on their Legacy project with the iconic Zandra Rhodes too! #UKSGForum2025

Not only does she produce stunningly creative presentations, @littlebutfierce.bsky.social produced a brilliant summary of our talk, as well as many others! One for you @samscoulding.bsky.social @uwtsdlib.bsky.social

Presentation of the day #UKSGForum2025 has to go to @littlebutfierce.bsky.social for her phenomenal film noir tinged take on systematic reviews. I have a new standard to aspire to in my future presentations now - look at these slides 😍😍😍😍

What does good look like in AI adoption for a university? Great overview at #UKSGForum2025 from @mark-h-cymru.bsky.social

Post coffee break and a very sugary but delicious cake, the next talk is @kirahopkins.bsky.social from @copim.bsky.social Building an info hub around open access books. It was massively overwhelming, so decided to create a hub of the existing resources #UKSGForum2025

One of my favourite presentations of the day - the most amazing project!!

Interesting perspective about changing keywords and metadata for public rather than research use. In a fashion digital collection nothing came up when you looked for blue 😂 #UKSGFORUM2025

Library get this downstream "our lecturer says we can use AI, how do we do it?" Library get to translate this into suitable tools that the University subscribes to. #UKSGForum2025

Students are often coming to uni only wanting to use their phone - laptops are new to them. So AI is big and scary to them. UWTSD are encouraging the use of genAI rather than having lecturers saying you can't use it at all and making sure it's clear in the assessment. #UKSGForum2025

After coffee we've got UWTSD talking about AI : we're all in this together (Disney refernce - High School Musical?) #UKSGForum2025

Interesting to see how @uwtsdlib.bsky.social is engaging and supporting their student #community's adaptation to and using AI. @missoliviareads.bsky.social and her colleague, Tara Johal shares some inspirational processes deployed while remaining mindful of the evolving landscape. 👍🏾 #UKSGForum2025

@missoliviareads.bsky.social and Taran Johal from U Wales TSD Birmingham at #UKSGForum2025 Wider role of the library in information literacy and digital literacy now extending to AI literacy - keeping up with the fast-moving baseline that is helping students progress into the world of work.

#UKSGForum2025 Steph Gibson from the University of Suffolk brought home the realities of supporting staff and students effectively while dealing with budget cuts, staff freezes and a mid year building move. I was blown away -what an awe-inspiring talk! A huge round of applause for the whole team 👏🏼

Big laugh of recognition and empathy at #UKSGForum2025 for Steph Gibson talking about limited systems and resources at U Suffolk. "No reading list management system - have a combination of Word docs and Sharepoint. We have to make decisions based on "usage data and vibes"." 😅

#UKSGForum2025 How community engagement can make an impact and the power of "the bigger picture" not just what the data says. The library as a "community centre of knowledge" - what a mesmerising keynote from @godwyns.bsky.social to start this day!

#UKSGForum2025 @godwyns.bsky.social starting us off talking about the "hidden points" between data - what is left unsaid, and the power of community. As an ex secondary school teacher, this brings me back to so many of the students who achieved so well personally, but by data made little progress 👏🏼👏🏼

#UKSGForum2025 Here we go - the start of another amazing day. @charlierapple.bsky.social starting us off - myself and #TarandeepJohal will be talking all things @uwtsd.bsky.social @uwtsdlib.bsky.social and Generative AI at 11:35.

After a very long process of planning, creating and editing, the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Special Edition of @uksla TSL is out today - and I am honoured to call myself the EDITOR of it! I never imagined in a million years I would have such a unique and special opportunity and ...

Happy new term everyone! I will be sharing my latest reads from picture books to adult in my next Lit Link Up webinar on the 12th September. I have some fab giveaways for attendees on the night too 😊 You can see the previous webinar and sign up for this one here: www.bevhumphrey.com/lit-link-up....

This was a fantastic webinar today led by the sensational @brynolf.bsky.social and chaired by the incomparable @drbeth.bsky.social for the @ciliplgbtq.bsky.social yesterday. It's essential to be the best ally you can be especially in current times - I learnt so much in such a short time!

New YA books by for Summer term 2025 with titles by Tasneem Abdur-Rashid, Nathanael Lessore, Elle McNicoll, Geraldine McCaughrean, Kenechi Udogu, Alexia Casale, Alex Wheatle, Leah Osakwe, Calum McSwiggan & Josh Silver. #KidLit #TeachersofX schoolreadinglist.co.uk/new-book-rel...

schoolreadinglist.co.uk/new-book-rel... New children’s poetry and drama for Summer term 2025 with titles by Michael Rosen, James Carter, Dom Conlon, John Agard, Matt Goodfellow, Benjamin Zephaniah, A.F. Harrold, Gaby Morgan, Grainne O’Brien & more. #KidLit #TeachersofX

It was a huge honour to be involved in two stellar events yesterday. Firstly, I got the opportunity to showcase how our University, specifically the Library + Digital Skills Teams at UWTSD Birmingham are supporting students + staff with AI as part of the @whelfed.bsky.social Summer Webinar series.

THIS! But may I add ... It's not just kids who we should help find books they love - it's every age!! Even if you work with older learners, reading for pleasure is for everyone and cannot only bring joy but truly open doors and help break down barriers. #readingforpleasure #lifelonglearning

My 1st ever #LILAC25 was all kinds of extraordinary Met some amazing people (@annahhackett.bsky.social, Gillian, Charity, Amelia, Nuala, Jess). Attended some phenomenal talks - stands out being Punk Pedagogy, The Great Puzzle Quest, supporting international students and autism in the workplace ...

@lilacconf.bsky.social Keynote 1: Academics have feelings too. Keynote 2: Dr Feelgood AKA @jsecker.bsky.social heroically flies the #InformationLiteracy flag. Keynote 3: At the end of the world, it’s #Librarians who will help you feel fine, from @elinorcarmi.bsky.social #LILAC25 #DataLiteracy

And so the quest begins to see if I can get to Sheffield in about 12 months time! #imgoingonanadventure

What a fascinating presentation to end #LILAC25 with. The Libfest idea and stretching beyond the typical boundaries of the Library is one I am so keen to explore, especially as we don't have a Library space at our campus. I also loved the cross collaboration with the Student Union too.

I've had the utter joy of getting to know Gillian over the last few days, and to see what a fantastic speaker she is just left me in awe. The parallels between our university campuses were also scarily similar and I'm really looking forward to talking more about this research's potential. #LILAC25

Love the idea of networks of literacies - Elinor Carmi - working with the communities around you to show there are other ways of thinking - micro changes are important #lilac25

Elinor recommending the work of the Data Rescue Project @datarescueproject.org - leaving this here as a reminder to myself to check them out! #lilac25

The power of data security in context is so strong when it is brought to the masses in formats like TV series - mentions for the Post Office scandal and Netflix's Adolescence. #LILAC25

What mobilises people to go against big tech openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/31... #lilac25

Such a powerful visual - it's not often you see all of these national and local newspapers come together in this way. #LILAC25