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Outlines of Conference Presentations

Presentations at M25 Consortium’s Annual Conference 2025: Shaping the Future

This page provides brief outlines of the Presentations and sessions. After Conference, M25 Consortium members will be able to view and download some of the Presenters’ PowerPoints in the Members’ Area of this website.

Keynote Presentation

The Wolves are at the Door: An argument for a trophic cascade in libraries
Donna Lanclos and Laurie Phipps

Much has been written about how technology needs to disrupt and transform libraries and library work, mostly by vendors or those who are writing or working with vendors. But what if it already happened, and it happened incrementally and over a period of 30 years so that we didn’t notice it? What if, in fact, most of us advocated for it?  

A lot of people working in library and education technology want us to think of such tech as an ecosystem in and of itself. This gives technology a distinct power of its own, and makes it easier for vendors to sell, to “disrupt”.  We argue that a library tech or edtech ecosystem does not exist, so much as there is an Education Ecosystem that technology exists in. What happens when we push back against the idea of technology being the ecosystem and think of education, or even the public sphere as the ecosystem? What are the implications for libraries and library workers? 

Speaker Presentations

(in programme timing order)

Shaping the future and making an impact: EDI strategic action planning
Banji Adewumi, Presentation One

  • The framework and factors guiding our practice in the UK
  • Influencers and enablers of strategic action planning and sustainable implementation.
  • The future of work and studying is changing, how prepared are we? 

Building a Digital Sustainability Action Plan
Jon Ray, Presentation Two

The University of Oxford’s GLAM institutions—comprising four world-class museums, 26 libraries, a botanic garden, and an arboretum—are hubs of knowledge, culture, and discovery. The Bodleian Libraries, the largest academic library service in the UK, stand at the heart of this network, supporting research, teaching, and public engagement on a global scale. 

With a bold vision for the future, GLAM is committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions and increasing biodiversity by 2035. A dedicated carbon net zero roadmap is already in motion, and work is underway to develop a biodiversity action plan to protect and restore our natural environment. 

But sustainability isn’t just about physical space and activity —it’s also about the digital world. From streaming services and academic repositories to cloud storage and research data, our digital footprint is growing rapidly. In fact, the data industry is projected to surpass the automotive, aviation, and energy sectors in carbon emissions. 

This presentation will dive into GLAM’s efforts to measure and reduce our digital carbon footprint. We’ll explore how we’re building a digital sustainability action plan. 

The future is sustainable: exploring the role of library and information services
Chris Foreman & Eloise Carpenter, Parallel Session Three

A discussion led by M25 Consortium’s Sustainability Group and facilitated by Chris Foreman and Eloise Carpenter. A presentation and discussion session that will invite thoughts and contributions on the environmental and sustainability challenges facing our libraries and information services departments. Highlighting the formation of the M25 Sustainability Group, it will explore activities and priorities for the group and for our member Libraries.

Wellbeing in Libraries: Steps to Creating Kind, safe workplaces
Helen Rimmer, Parallel Session Four

In this engaging and practical session, Helen Rimmer, founder of The Kind Brave Leader, will explore how kindness can be a transformative force in creating safe and supportive library workplaces. Recognising that kindness is not simply being ‘nice,’ Helen will discuss how genuine kindness encompasses empathy, authenticity, and the courage to address difficult situations with compassion. 

Through a combination of presentation, small group work, and open discussion, participants will consider: 

  • What kindness looks like in practice — to oneself, within teams, and with library users.
  • Practical steps to embed kindness as a core workplace value, building resilience and enhancing wellbeing.
  • Strategies for fostering environments where both staff and users feel supported, valued, and empowered to thrive.

Participants will also have the opportunity to share experiences and insights, engaging in reflective exercises designed to highlight the impact of kindness in the workplace. Join Helen for an inspiring conversation about how libraries can lead the way in promoting kindness, wellbeing, and psychologically safe environments.  www.thekindbraveleader.co.uk  

Your Space or Mine?  Working collaboratively with Estates & Facilities on future space development
Regina Everett and Tim Wales, Parallel Session Five

Library teams have an important role to play in the development of university spaces even beyond library walls. In this session, the facilitators will set the scene for discussions about effective collaboration with Estates & Facilities drawing on themes from Privileged Spaces:  Academic Libraries in University Estates Strategy, such as relationship management, negotiating space, building a business case, and selling the university.

Through the exploration of space implications due to trends in UK HEIs, shared spaces, and innovation, participants will leave the session with inspiration for space development and/or ways to enhance relationships with E&F colleagues. Participants are encouraged to bring their mobile devices to participant in live polls.

The Library as a Catalyst for AI Literacy: Strengthening Communities of Practice in Higher Education
Karen Jackson, Parallel Session Six

This session will involve a brief presentation, exploring how Warwick University Library has taken a central role in addressing the challenges posed by generative AI tools by fostering collaboration between staff and students, building a community of practice.  By pooling both our expertise and our ignorance, we have co-created guidance and support that promotes the ethical use of AI in education. This collaborative approach has resulted in the development of a comprehensive online course and a broader institutional understanding of AI, demonstrating thought leadership in navigating the evolving landscape of AI in HE.

The presentation will be followed by an open discussion regarding the Library’s role in AI literacy and how we can leverage our expertise in this context.

Poster Summaries

Enhancing Library Accessibility through Sensory Mapping
Arun Gummer and Lorna Rosbottom, University of Westminster

The Library Operations team is developing Sensory Maps for the University of Westminster’s three libraries. These maps identify sensory extremes, helping users with sensitivities navigate spaces more comfortably by highlighting bright lights, loud noises, cold temperatures, and accessible pathways. The project, initiated last November, has involved site surveys, student feedback, and, most recently, further consultation to find the correct balance between providing information helpful to our library users and the security of that information, particularly in the context of the recent Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. 

Teaching students to utilise AI tools to improve their literature searching skills
Tim Spring, Academic Services Librarian, Birkbeck College, University of London

With the proliferation of AI and LLMs, more and more students are using these easily accessible tools to support their studies, with up to 92% of students saying they are now using AI in some form (HEPI, 2025). While there are concerns about the misuse of these tools in an academic setting, a practical and effective option is to use them in support of literature searching.

This poster explores how I am using AI tools to support students with their literature searching by identifying keywords/synonyms and creating search strategies. It also looks at some of the AI-assisted platforms currently available such as Litmaps and Consensus and how these can be used as well.