Program
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Access Lab EMEA program
AM
08:30 – 09:15 – Doors open & registration
09:15 – 09:25 – Attendees into main theatre
09:30 – 09:35 – Welcome to Access Lab 2026
Jon Bentley Commercial director, OpenAthens
09:35 – 09:40 – Welcome from the host
Wiebke Thormahlen
09:40 – 10:10 – Opening session
Liam Earney, MD – Higher education and research, Jisc
10:10 – 10:40 – UX session
Through the keyhole: Product insights and changes in 2025
- Sam Doyle, Lead UX researcher, OpenAthens
- Sarah Underwood, UX designer, OpenAthens
10:40 – 11:05 – Break
11:05 – 11:10 – Move back to theatre
11:10 – 11:40 – Case study
Exploring AI and OpenAthens for Library Interventions
David Leffler, Discover & access librarian, Liberty University
11:40 – 12:15 – Library advocacy panel
Details to follow
12:15 – 12:45 – Lightning talks
TDNet customer
More details to follow
12:45 – 13:40 – Lunch break
PM
13:40 – 13:45 – Move to breakout sessions
13:45 – 14:25 – Breakout sessions
UX workshop; Breakout 1 – Put it to the test
- Sam Doyle, Lead UX researcher, OpenAthens
- Sarah Underwood, UX designer, OpenAthens
14:30 – 15:00 – Breakout sessions continued
TBC
15:00 – 15:15 – Comfort Break
15:15 – 15:20 – Move to theatre
15:20 – 15:50 – Case study
Balancing openness and privacy: Managing sensitive content in the UJ institutional repository
- Mutali Lithole – Manager: Institutional repository, University of Johannesburg
15:50 – 16:30 – Panel discussion
Ask our Athenians
Session chair: Jon Bentley
Speakers:
- David Leffler
- Jonathan Eaton
- TBC on additional speakers
16:30 – 16:40– Closing remarks
16:40 – 18:00 – Drinks reception
Access Lab UK & EMEA speakers
Jon Bentley
Jon is commercial director at OpenAthens, he has worked in publishing for over 20 years with a variety of commercial and business publishers. His career has spanned the transformation from print to digital as companies have reacted and adapted to new technology. But his belief remains that the fundamental purpose of a publisher hasn’t changed. Accessibility to accurate, intelligent, insightful information has never been more important. Trust is paramount and Jon is delighted that OpenAthens participates in establishing that trust between the publishers, libraries and the end users.
David Leffler
David began his role as the Discovery and Access Librarian in November of 2021. He earned his Master’s in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2021 and a B.A. in Philosophy and Theology from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2018. In 2024 he served as a Fulbright Specialist to a library in Uzbekistan to help modernize their library system.
Emma Wilson-Shaw
Emma Wilson-Shaw worked in UK academic libraries for over 20 years, primarily in higher education but also in further education and archives & special collections. She is the e-Resource Manager for OpenAthens, working with libraries, publishers and service providers to make the user journey to content as smooth as possible. Her background includes e-resources, systems and authentication support/management, web editing, enquiry service management, and information skills training.
“My institution is implementing OpenAthens and it is helpful to learn about the organization's values and plans for the future.”