Call for speakers: Internet Librarian International

The organisers of Internet Librarian International are calling for speakers for the 20th anniversary of the event.

ILI is described as Europe's friendliest forum for librarians and info pros to exchange ideas, learn new skills, hear about new tools and tech, make unexpected connections, and explore new and interesting approaches to our jobs. It will be held at the Olympia Conference centre on 16 and 17 October.

Presentations can fit into any of the following broad topics, but organisers are also keen to hear of 'wildcard' suggestions:

• Tech and tool trends – libraries have a great track record when it comes to harnessing new tech to help create new products, reach audiences and deliver real impact. We’d like to hear about interesting applications for any and all tech, for example artificial intelligence (AI); blockchain; algorithms; hacks; hackathons; augmented and virtual reality;
• Information in society – share your ideas and thoughts about influencing at a global or local level; developing digital skills in the wide population; false, fake and facts; information driven activism; advocacy for libraries; libraries as change agents; information ethics; privacy and GDPR; the Open movement; library outreach;
• Users and user experience – collaborating with users; understanding user behaviour; designing new services and products and reaching new audiences; marketing the library; new library spaces – virtual and real spaces;
• Strategising the future – future scanning; strategic service and role design; visions for future libraries;
• The changing role of information professionals – new skills sets, new roles, new team structures; the flexible professional (journalism; data mining; programming; AI; the data librarian); embedded librarians;
• New learning and the digital scholar – scholarly communications; new publishing models; educational video and other formats; ethical scholarship; datafied scholarship; connected learning; Open everything;
• Search tools and techniques – voice activated search tools; search engine updates; discovery systems; text and data mining; and
• Collections and content – digital collections; new formats; new audiences; data everywhere.

The submission deadline is 13 April.

Running in parallel to the event will be Taxonomy Boot Camp London, a conference dedicated to exploring and debating the growing use of taxonomies to drive data, content, information processes. This event is also currently calling for speakers.

The event will feature:

• Everything you need to get started if you're brand new to taxonomies;
• Essential tips you can start applying right away to managing your taxonomy;
• New approaches to dealing with common issues such as getting business buy-in, and governance;
• Latest applications of taxonomies including NLP, semantics and machine learning; and
• How to make the most of cutting-edge technologies and industry-leading software.