Program

Topics in this year's agenda included: AI in libraries, browser changes and how to leverage OpenAthens Reporting API for strategic library planning.

Lady choosing a book from the library

Program

Program subject to change

  1. Monday 26 February

    14:00 – 14:05 GMT / 09:00 – 09:05 EST
    Welcome and introduction
    Jon Bentley, commercial director, OpenAthens

    14:05 – 14:30 GMT / 09:05 – 09:30 EST
    Opening keynote: AI and Libraries: Friends or Enemies?
    Luba Pirgova-Morgan, research fellow, University of Leeds

    14:35 – 15:05 GMT / 09:35 – 10:05 EST
    Browser changes: the impact on authentication for library users
    Speakers:
    – Phil Smart, senior software engineer – trust and identity, Jisc
    – Heather Flanagan, REFEDS
    – Adam Snook, technical consultant, OpenAthens

    15:10 – 15:30 GMT / 10:10 – 10:30 EST
    GALILEO: 5 Years On
    Russell Palmer, assistant director, GALILEO Support Services

    15:30 – 15:50 GMT / 10:30 – 10:50 EST
    Break
    Networking and coffee break

    15:50 – 16:50 GMT / 10:50 – 11:50 EST
    Community survey: What we found and how you can get involved
    Jane Charlton, senior marketing manager – community and content, OpenAthens

    How to leverage OpenAthens Reporting API for strategic library planning
    Richard French, product manager, OpenAthens

    How we work with publishers to evolve the needs of the library
    Sylwia Zientek, customer success team leader, OpenAthens and Kieran Prince, business development manager, OpenAthens

    How OpenAthens balances privacy and personalization
    Adam Snook, technical consultant, OpenAthens

    16:55 – 17:05 GMT / 11:55 – 12:05 EST
    UX Awards 2024
    Jane Charlton, senior marketing manager – community and content

    17:10 – 17:55 GMT / 12:10 – 12:55 EST
    Panel debate: Balancing AI innovation and library ethics
    Chair: Emma Wilson-Shaw, e-resources manager, OpenAthens
    Speakers:

    • Peter Findlay, subject matter expert – digital scholarship, Jisc
    • Luba Pirgova-Morgan, research fellow, University of Leeds
    • Matthew Weldon, library patron consultant, Technology from Sage

    17:55- 18:00 GMT / 12:55 – 13:00 EST
    Highlights and thanks
    Jon Bentley, commercial director, OpenAthens

  1. Tuesday 27 February

    12:00 – 12:05 AEDT
    Welcome and introduction
    Jon Bentley, commercial director, OpenAthens

    12:05 – 12:30 AEDT 
    Keynote: Beyond the books: Librarians as key partners in the AI-enhanced research and education
    Bella Ratmelia, data services librarian, Singapore Management University library

    12:35 – 12:50 AEDT
    Elevating patron access: Our journey with OpenAthens and Libkey Nomad at Swinburne
    Kathryn Duncan, resource management librarian, and Anton Proppe, manager of library discovery, Swinburne University of Technology

    12:50 – 13:05 AEDT 
    Navigating OpenAthens configurations: From simple to more challenging scenarios
    Chris Chan, Hong Kong Baptist University and Jeff Arsenault, SaaS sales manager, EBSCO

    13:05 – 13:25 AEDT
    Break
    Networking and coffee break

    13:25 – 13:40 AEDT
    Community survey: What we found and how you can get involved
    Jane Charlton, senior marketing manager – community and content, OpenAthens

    13:45 – 14:25 AEDT
    Panel discussion: Balancing AI innovation and library ethics
    Chair: Emma Wilson-Shaw, e-resources manager, OpenAthens
    Speakers:

    • Rosalia da Garcia, managing director, Sage Publishing APAC & CIS
    • Bella Ratmelia, data services librarian, Singapore Management University libraries

    14:25 – 14:30 AEDT
    Highlights of day 2 and thanks
    Jon Bentley, commercial director, OpenAthens

On-demand sessions

Book some time in to view our on-demand sessions.
Click the links below to view.

  1. Session recordings

    How OpenAthens helps protect content from misuse
    Neil Scully, trust and identity CTO, Jisc. James Westhoff, service manager, OpenAthens

    What is federated single sign-on?
    Christos Skoutas, senior business development manager, OpenAthens

    Making the business case. Why librarians are choosing federated single sign-on
    Chair: Emma Wilson-Shaw, e-resources manager, OpenAthens
    Speakers:
    – Thomas Dowling, director of technologies, Wake Forest University, US and chair of ALA Federated Authentication Committee
    – Jason Griffey, director of strategic initiatives, NISO and co-chair of the SeamlessAccess outreach committee
    – Kelechi Okere, identity customer market segment director, health markets at Elsevier
    – Hong Ma, head of library systems and interim associate dean of user services, Loyola University Chicago

    Security and user privacy
    Kieran Prince, business development manager, OpenAthens

    Striving for a painless route to online content
    – Richard French, Product Manager at OpenAthens
    – Matthew Weldon, Library Patron Consultant at Technology from Sage
    – Ian Snowley, Dean of Learning Skills and University Librarian, University of Lincoln
    – Two final year BA Hons History students from the University of Lincoln

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.

Bella Ratmelia

Bella Ratmelia is a Data Services Librarian in the Research and Data Services Team of Singapore Management University (SMU) Libraries. In her current capacity, Bella supports the SMU community by providing library services that facilitates the use of AI tools and other computational methods of data analysis in academic research for their teaching, research and learning needs.

Bella is also active in Singapore’s library scene and has served as a council member in Library Association Singapore (LAS) as the Chair of the LAS IT Committee from 2019 to 2023.

Luba Pirgova-Morgan

Luba Pirgova-Morgan

Luba Pirgova-Morgan, PhD, is a Research Fellow at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. She has a particular research interest in the study of images and individual and group perceptions, in particular how the study of images and signs, culture and communication affect people and the environment. She specialises in applying innovative theoretical and analytical frameworks to empirical materials and has experience with ethnography, cultural, social and political studies, multimodal approaches, critical discourse analysis, and semiotics.

Russell Palmer

Russell Palmer is an assistant director at GALILEO, where he is in charge of the support services team. He and his team work on the development of GALILEO, new integrations (such as OpenAthens), and system report requests. Prior to GALILEO, Palmer worked at LYRASIS for 14 years in various positions. He received his master’s degree in library and information science from Florida State University.

Matthew Weldon

Matthew Weldon is Library Patron Consultant at Technology from Sage, having previously worked an several jobs within the HE sector. Focusing on the intersection between educational technology and pedagogy, Matthew works with librarians and library patrons to help shape the academic library experience. Matthew has written two reports on Librarian Futures, exploring both patron perceptions of the undergraduate workflow and the librarian skills landscape.

Chris Chan

Mr. Christopher Chan is the University Librarian at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU). He has served HKBU Library for over fifteen years in several roles, including Head of

Information Services and Deputy University Librarian. In his current position he is responsible for developing and implementing strategic initiatives to further enhance the services and collections of HKBU Library, and ensuring they are aligned with the University’s mission and vision.

Rosalia de Garcia

As the Managing Director of SAGE Publishing Asia-Pacific and Central Asia, Rosalia is responsible for the strategic direction of textbook and library sales, as well as development and marketing within the Asian Pacific & Central Asian region. Her role also involves cooperating with our partners and about the future of big data and publishing including Open Access.

Jane Charlton, international marketing manager, OpenAthens

Jane Charlton

Jane is international marketing manager at OpenAthens. She is responsible for the strategic marketing of products of interest to libraries and publishers worldwide. Jane works closely with partners, membership organizations and industry bodies to communicate the benefits of federated single sign-on for simple, seamless access to online content.

Jane previously worked at Jisc in various marketing, events and outreach roles and was involved in a program to transition publishers serving the UK education and research community to federated single sign-on. As part of this initiative, Jane worked collaboratively with other identity federations around the world.

Emma Wilson-Shaw, e-resources manager, OpenAthens

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.”

Access Lab 2022 attendee