Connecting and Preserving Communities

The CILIPS Annual Conference 2025

Book now (full package sold out – day places only)

CILIP Scotland truly is the best conference! Such a brilliant bunch of people, always a great vibe, thought provoking topics/content and the hospitality is phenomenal!

The largest conference in Scotland for library and information professionals, led by CILIPS President Dr. David McMenemy, will bring together colleagues from across the nation and beyond to share knowledge, network and engage in professional development as we collectively champion our profession’s essential role in connecting and preserving communities.

Taking place on Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd June 2025 at the Dundee Apex Hotel, our Annual Conference will feature inspiring keynote speeches, impactful parallel sessions, a range of networking opportunities and much more.

Each day will be approx 10.15am-4.45pm (registration opens 9.30am)

I thought it was the best conference that I have been to. Everyone was so helpful and
friendly, an excellent programme was on offer which I think made everyone leave feeling enthused with new ideas. The hotel was lovely and everything ran like clockwork. Well done CILIPS!

CILIPS25 Keynote Speakers

Great opportunity to hear a range of speakers both international and closer to home and across a range of sectors. The chance to network and meet other professionals in your field is worth its weight in gold. Thank you to the CILIPS team for a really inspirational two days.

Rosalyn Landor and David Jackson Young – “Telling Tales – Audiobooks (everything you never wanted to know)”

Rosalyn Landor is an English-born television, theatre, and multiple-award-winning audiobook narrator. Her television credits include Love in a Cold Climate, Rumpole of the Bailey, Sherlock Holmes, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has won numerous Audie awards and AudioFile magazine Earphones awards.

As a BBC Radio Drama producer for some twenty years, David was responsible for a range of plays and readings by the likes of Ali Smith, Dylan Moran, Michel Faber, Shirley Hughes and many others.  His production of Geoffrey Household’s Rogue Male, read by Michael Jayston, is a perennial favourite on Radio 4 Extra.  Recent audiobooks he has directed include Rory Stewart’s Politics on the Edge, Darren McGarvey’s Poverty Safari, and audio award-winners Summerwater by Sarah Moss and All Creatures Great and Small – read by Nicholas Ralph, the new “James Herriot.”

Rosalyn and David are appearing in conversation on Day One of the conference

Professor Paul Gooding

Paul Gooding is Professor of Library Studies and Digital Scholarship at the University of Glasgow. His research focuses on evaluating the impact of digital library collections on institutions and users, and how library and archival collections can be harnessed for innovative reuse in the Digital Humanities. He has most recently led an AHRC-funded project to explore the development of inclusive requirements elicitation for AI tools that may seek to use Indigenous knowledges held in libraries. He has a track record of publications that span Digital Humanities and Library and Information Studies, including forthcoming edited books on Artificial Intelligence in libraries (UCL Press, 2025), and the use of library catalogue data in research (Facet Publishing, 2025).

Paul is speaking on Day One of the conference on the topic of “Just Chill!”: Developing ‘Slow Artificial Intelligence’ principles to support community self-determination in libraries.

Alison Nolan

Alison Nolan is Chief Executive of the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC). Alison is a senior leader with 25 years of experience delivering cultural, learning and library services across public, education and specialist libraries, both in Ireland and Scotland. In 2024, she was awarded Scotland’s Library and Information Professional of the Year.

Alison is speaking on Day One of the conference about the difference Scotland’s libraries are making.

Louis Coiffait-Gunn

Louis Coiffait-Gunn is the CEO of CILIP. Louis’ 20-year career has been guided by his interest in evidence-informed policy, especially in education, R&D, AI, copyright and intellectual policy. His most recent role as the Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Publishers Association involved direct engagement with governments, politicians and sector organisations to advocate for diverse members’ interests, including on issues such as literacy, school libraries, and public libraries. Louis has experience in a range of settings including government bodies, think tanks, professional associations, universities, and the media.

Louis is speaking on Day One of the conference about how Libraries Change Lives.

Amina Shah

Amina Shah FRSE is the National Librarian and Chief Executive of the National Library of Scotland. She has more than 25 years’ experience across the library and cultural sector, including both public and academic libraries. She was a previous CEO of the Scottish Library and Information Council and Director of Programme at the Scottish Book Trust and is a former President of CILIP in Scotland. Amina has a strong interest in the role libraries, education, literature and culture play in empowering individuals and communities and how organisations can work collaboratively and creatively to maximise their impact and reach.

Amina is speaking on Day Two of the conference in conversation with Denise Mina and Len Pennie, to mark the National Library of Scotland’s Centenary.

Denise Mina

Denise Mina is an award-winning Scottish crime writer and playwright. She has written the Garnethill trilogy and another three novels featuring the character Patricia “Paddy” Meehan, a Glasgow journalist. Described as an author of Tartan Noir, she has also written for comic books, including 13 issues of Hellblazer. In 2014, Denise was inducted into the Crime Writers’ Association Hall of Fame.

Denise is appearing on Day Two of the conference in conversation with Amina Shah.

Len Pennie

Len Pennie is a poet who writes predominantly in the Scots language. She writes passionately about the promotion of minority languages, survivors of domestic abuse, and the destigmatisation of mental illness.

Len is appearing on Day Two of the conference in conversation with Amina Shah.

Dr Elizabeth Williams

Elizabeth is the Associate Director of Library Academic Support at The University of Edinburgh leading a team of academic support librarians who provide academic learning, teaching and research support to the staff and students across the Colleges of Science and Engineering, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Elizabeth also coordinates the activities of Royal Literary Fund Fellows based at the University. With over twenty years of experience in higher education, Elizabeth has worked in public libraries and as a school librarian. Elizabeth taught history at various institutions and is the author of The Politics of Race in Britain and South Africa (IB Taurus-Bloomsbury 2017), Black Britain and Nelson Mandela: Pulling the Branch of a Tree (Bloomsbury 2025) Co editor-in-chief of a History journal Black Histories: Dialogues (Taylor and Francis).

Elizabeth is speaking on Day Two of the conference on the topic ‘Don’t feel scared I am a Librarian! How to make friends and influence…connecting with people and preserving communities.’

Professor Steven Buchanan

Steven Buchanan is a Professor of Human Information Behaviour at the University of Stirling. Prior to this he was at the University of Strathclyde where he taught on the MSc Information and Library Studies programme for almost two decades.

Steven’s information behaviour work explores how and why people interact with information (or not), and effective sources of information and support, and influencing factors. He explores complex access and behavioural factors, the former influenced by technology and media and information literacy issues, the latter by socioeconomic structures and norms. His work provides insight into what information to provide, to whom, and how. Much recent work has examined information behaviours within marginalised and/or disadvantaged groups and is published in the leading international journals for library and information studies.

Steven is speaking on Day Two of the conference on the topic of Information Poverty.

Christopher MacArthur-Boyd

In 2024, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd released his debut stand-up comedy special Oh No! with 800 Pound Gorilla Media and launch the hugely popular-chart topping comedy podcast Here Comes The Guillotine with Frankie Boyle and Susie McCabe. After a sell-out run at the Fringe, Christopher will tour the UK and Ireland with his hit-show Scary Times this Autumn, culminating with his biggest show to date at the 1500 seater Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow. Star of Comedy Central Live, Christopher has also co-starred in two series of BBC Scotland’s Up For It, hosted BBC Scotland’s stand-up vehicle, The Comedy Underground, appeared on Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC Two) and has made multiple appearances on the Scotland Made Me series.

Christopher will speak after dinner on Day One of the conference.

Parallel Sessions Day One:

• Evidencing the social impact of public libraries
• Taylor Swift and the Joy of Legal Deposit
• Prison libraries and their communities
• Connected Learning: Merging the power of school and public libraries
• Articulating the value of HE libraries: A panel discussion
• Information literacy, information activism: Wikimedia in the post-truth age
• Reading and Wellbeing: Exploring the evidence base and deepening understanding
• Enhancing learning: in-person and digital training approaches in health libraries
• Generative artificial intelligence skills in schools

Parallel Sessions Day Two:

• Libraries as launchpads: Empowering students and strengthening communities
• From down under to the Outer Hebrides: A global journey in library leadership
• Alternative formats at the University of Glasgow library
• Tackling misinformation and disinformation for Scottish school librarians
• Community walking and the NLS
• Lending Voices with South Lanarkshire Libraries
• Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month – The part libraries can play
• Scottish Book Trust: Impact of public libraries findings
• Scottish legal resources toolkit for librarians, for free!
• Growing library-led environmental action: Our 2024 Green Libraries Grant Fund recipients
• Zine-making in libraries creative corner
• Changing sectors: Two experiences of becoming government librarians mid-career

The conference will also include the presentation of our 2025 CILIPS Student Medals and our annual CILIPS awards including Scotland’s Library and Information Professional of the Year.

Prices – Earlybird rate until Thursday 17th April

After our fastest selling-out yet, we now only have day places available for CILIPS25. If you require accommodation, please book directly with either the Dundee Apex Hotel or another local hotel. 

Day place only

• CILIP Member (including employer partner) – £120
• Non-Member – £160
• Student place (limited number available) – £70

Full package: includes two day conference, awards dinner and one night accommodation – SOLD OUT

• CILIP Member (including employer partner) – £370
• Non Member – £470

Additional options (if not booked via full package) –  SOLD OUT

• Awards dinner on Monday 2nd June – £80
• Additional night’s accommodation on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday – £120

Book now

Any issues accessing the above form? Please email us at admin@cilips.org.uk with CILIPS25 in the subject line.

Funding Opportunities

Funding opportunities for CILIPS25 have now closed.

Sponsors and Exhibitors

Meet the sponsors and exhibitors who will be sharing their expertise with our delegates at CILIPS25.

Newbie Networking

If you are a first-time attendee to our conference, or a returning delegate unsure of the schedule or eager to connect with sector colleagues in advance, then please sign up for our Newbie Networking event! Taking place the week before the conference, it’s a chance to have a run-through of both days, meet the CILIPS team and learn how to make the most of your time with us. Click here to find out more and book.

Sustainability at CILIPS25

Since our #CILIPSGoGreen campaign took root in 2021 to mark the arrival of COP26 in Glasgow, CILIPS have focused on ensuring that events like our Annual Conference are as sustainable as they are inspirational. This year’s eco-endeavours include:

• NEW An exciting announcement about the future of the Green Libraries Scotland Grant Fund.
• NEW The return of our coffee cup competition with exciting new eco-prizes – every delegate who brings their reusable cup will be in with a chance to win a Facet book title, a coffee voucher, or a free place at our Carbon Literacy for Libraries training this Green Libraries Week (w/c Monday 27th October 2025). Plus, receive an exclusive CILIPS25 Green Team pin badge as a thank you for playing along!
• NEW 10% off tickets to the V&A Dundee Garden Futures: Designing with Nature exhibition in your digital conference programme, keeping delegates up-to-date whilst shaving off 20 kilograms of CO2e from our event carbon footprint.
• NEW Cut down on plastic and refill your reusable bottle at the hotel’s water fountain (located on the mezzanine between the Art Gallery and the Melbourne Room).
• Another all-vegetarian, locally produced food and drink menu, courtesy of the Dundee Apex Hotel.
• The return of our car sharing scheme for delegates, including signposting to electric car charging points.
• A fun new range of our sustainable ‘swag bag’ goodies, including eco-jotters and pens, carbon captured name badges and our iconic library garden wildflower seeds.