Author: Joan Murphy

Research Libraries UK 2027 Conference call now open

RLUK27 Conference | Belfast | 10-12 March 2027

The Living Library, Shaped by People

💠 The RLUK27 Conference call for papers is now open. The deadline for submissions is 17:00 (GMT) on Monday 26 October 2026

🔗 Read the full CFP at https://rlukconference.com/

RLUK27 is an international conference that is open to all. We welcome submissions from all colleagues who share our commitment to reshape scholarship and the role of the research library. We look forward to hearing from a range of voices that will challenge, disrupt and inspire us.

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Research libraries are dynamic, living infrastructures of knowledge, exchange, and collective progress. A library’s life is expressed through continual evolution – in the way that they sense, respond, and evolve to the complexities of the communities and institutions that they serve.

💠 RLUK27 will explore how this ‘life’ is shaped in the research library and how this helps to sustain the foundations of a healthier, more humane society. 

The main conference themes will include, but are not limited to, the following: 

The stories we tell: How research libraries define themselves, and how they are understood by others, raises important questions about our relevance, value, and visibility. With continual social, economic, and technological shifts, is this now an opportune moment for us to tell stronger narratives around the breadth of the work that we do? Can we update outmoded perceptions, both within and outside the academy, of the purpose and value of the library as a passive support system for scholarship and research? How do we evidence our role as dynamic, strategic partners in the creation, organisation, and circulation of knowledge? And how do we show that we are an active force for economic development, cultural vitality, and social resilience?

The bridges we build: Our collections are profoundly human. In the multiplicity of the histories, voices, and perspectives they document, our collections reflect an infinite complexity of individual lives lived and collective experiences had. The library is perhaps one of the few spaces where it is possible to soberly reflect on difficult and contentious pasts, through exhibitions, oral histories, events and other programming, and through this provide a shared ground for dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation. We wish to explore the unique role research libraries can bring as stewards of knowledge and how this can contribute towards collective healing and social cohesion.

The futures we create: We are operating in a time of increasingly severe financial constraints, which can have a detrimental impact not just on our budgets, but also the morale, performance, and potential of our people too. If traditional funding structures become further constricted, is this now the time for research libraries to look to alternative sources of funds to make an increasing contribution towards financial stability? How can partnerships with external organisations and donors remain mutually beneficial whilst ensuring that libraries stay true to their core mission and values? How can philanthropic activities help libraries further innovative and specialist programmes that may sit outside our core spend? Is there a risk that non-standard funding could reshape our libraries and services in unintended ways? How can we assess and mitigate against such risks?

The technology we shape: In an era defined by rapid technological change, particularly the rise of AI and other emerging technologies, how can libraries help to shape flexible, interoperable, and future-facing knowledge infrastructures, whilst keeping human needs, values, and relationships at the centre of any infrastructural change?

The meaning we bring: Research libraries are increasingly recognised not only as centres of scholarship, but also as civic institutions that create public value and strengthen community connections. We seek to explore their evolving civic role: how they meaningfully engage communities beyond the university, support community building, and expand the reach and relevance of special and heritage collections beyond the campus. How is a growing emphasis on civic priorities reshaping library collections, spaces, and professional practices?