Intro

Bad luck, Rats in Stacks is walking towards your inbox at a menacingly slow yet relentless pace (because it's Friday the 13th, yeah?). You may be thinking, “wow, it’s been a few months since the last one of these”. To which I say: I am ungovernable and do what I want (I was busy).

Spring is slowly making itself known which means we’re creeping towards conference season. Conferences can often be expensive, so I’ll do my best to share free events and bursaries over the next few months. If you 'e running or know of any events I should include, get in touch!

Events/Training

​18th March - Libraries Connected - Local Government Reorganisation - online​

Free webinar on the practical issues libraries might face when preparing for local government reorganisation.

​14th April - Fresno State Library - Critical Cataloguing and Librarianship Today: Ethics, Power, and Possibility - online​

Free webinar discussing the critical cataloguing/critical librarianship movement, with Emily Drabinski, Violet Fox, Dr Karen Snow, and Billey Albina.

​17th June - Academic Libraries North - Data Showcase - online​

Free, online event open to all, showcasing what libraries are doing with data collection, handling, analysis, and more. They’re also still looking for some lightning talks and short sessions - details in the link above, along with the registration form.

Resources/Articles

​Library conferences on BlueSky​

If you can’t get to all the different conferences this year, Alice Cann has compiled an updated list of library conferences on BlueSky, including the relevant hashtags, so you can keep up with the conversation online.

​IFLA Journal Special Issue: Indigenous Knowledge​

Open access special edition of the IFLA Journal focussing on indigenous knowledge in libraries, archives, and museums.

​Librarianth - Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. Part 1 – Purchasing E-Books​

Part of a series of blog posts by Anthony Sinnott on buying and managing e-books. Follow up posts include information about schemes and packages, and statistics and promotion.

​International Journal of Inclusive Education - Decolonising the ivory tower: confronting systemic barriers and epistemic injustice in academia by Caroline Ball​

Open access article on “... the systemic and epistemic barriers that impede the decolonisation of Western universities; focusing on the lingering effects of colonial legacies in knowledge production, authority, and inclusion.”

​The Scholarly Kitchen - AI Fatigue and Vocational Awe in Academic Libraries by Greyson Pasiak​

Interesting post looking at the impact of generative AI on burnout in academic libraries through the lens of vocational awe (the idea that libraries are “...inherently good, sacred notions, and therefore beyond critique.”)

On a related note, Fobazi Ettarh, creator of the concept of vocational awe and well known and appreciated in the library sphere, sadly passed away earlier this year. Her family are currently fundraising funeral and related costs.

Bursaries

​CILIP North West bursaries​

CILIP North West are open for bursaries on a rolling basis, whether it’s a conference, event, online course, or any other cost that would be a barrier.

Misc

​Call for contributions: NLISN Conference​

The first Neurodiverse Library and Information Staff Network (NLISN) Conference is in July, and they currently have a call for contributions out. Closing 2nd April.

Thank you for reading! If you have any suggestions for the next issue, feel free to email me on rowan@ratsinstacks.co.uk or contact me on Bluesky @scatterbones.bsky.social. You can read this and past issues at ratsinstacks.co.uk.