EDGE Conference Programme
Stay up to date - @edinedge
EDGE Conference Programme
Stay up to date – @edinedge
EDGE2025 Conference Programme
@edinedge #EDGE2025
www.edgeconference.co.uk
DAY ONE Thursday 13th March 2025
8.00 – 9.00 Coffee and Registration in the Canongate Room, Radisson Blu, Royal Mile, EH1 1TH.
Wi-Fi is free throughout the hotel, under Radisson Guest, no password required.
9.00 – 9.15 Welcome – Councillor Jane Meagher, Leader of Edinburgh City Council
Libraries – The Building Blocks
Chair: Councillor Val Walker, Convener for Culture and Communities
9.15 – 9.40 Councillor Walker
Announcement of finalists in Digital Category, Edge Awards
Introduction to two Exhibitors
9.40 – 10.05 Leslie Burger, Interim Executive Director, American Library Association.
The Transformational Effect of Libraries and Librarians
Libraries of all types are being transformed as technology, digital learning and content, and new ways of working and collaborating become part of our everyday lives. What does that mean for the future of libraries and librarians?
Learn more about librarians who are leading the way in reimagining library services for this and future
generations of readers, learners, and leaders and how library associations can support these efforts.
10.05 – 10.30 Shamichael Hallman, Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity, Urban, Libraries Council.
Reimagining Libraries: A Vision for Civic Renewal and Social Belonging
In an era marked by social isolation, polarisation, and a growing distrust in institutions, public libraries stand as a beacon of hope and possibility. Shamichael Hallman, author of Meet Me at the Library: A Place to Foster Social Connection and Promote Democracy, offers an inspiring and thought-provoking
exploration of how libraries are uniquely positioned to bridge divides, foster belonging, and strengthen democracy.
10.30 – 10.45 Café Conversation
10.45 Chair closes Café Conversation
10.45 – 11.15 Refreshment Break
11.15 – 11.35 Councillor Walker
Introduction to two Exhibitors
11.35 – 12.00 Stephen Slevin, Library Development Coordinator, Renfrewshire Libraries
Great Expectations: Paisley Central Library, 12 months later…
Almost exactly one year after winning the EDGE2024 Physical Award, this talk will attempt to provide some insight into the ups and downs of Paisley Central Library ‘s journey from 19th Century edifice to modular building, to a 4-storey living room on the High Street. We’ll look at the experiences of our visitors, how staff members have adapted to the new environment, the opportunities, and challenges of being a completely renovated community building in a town centre and the impact that this new facility has had on our other 12 Libraries.
12.00 – 12.15 David Elley and Katerina Bolinova, – Sunflower Dreams Project
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, millions have been displaced. Among those helping are two artists: Nataliia Pavliuk and her daughter, Yustyna. They bring the healing power of art to traumatised children in hospitals, orphanages, and bomb shelters, offering moments of peace amid the horror. The Sunflower Dreams Project is a volunteer-led initiative to host exhibitions of these children’s art, across Europe, the UK, and North America, so as to raise awareness and support for these young artists. Visitors to our exhibitions are often moved by the children’s talent, resilience, and hope as well
as their stories. Learn about us and ways the UK’s libraries can participate in the healing process.
12.15 – 12.30 Café Conversation
12.30 – Chair closes Café Conversation with round up.
12.30 – 1.30 Lunch in Canongate Room
Libraries – Serving Our Communities
Chair: Mark Freeman MBE, Former President, Libraries Connected
1.30 – 1.55 Chair Mark Freeman
Introduction to three Exhibitors
Announcement of finalists in Physical Category, Edge Awards
1.55 – 2.30 Ned Potter, Faculty Engagement Manager: Community & UX, University of York
Public Library Social Media in a Post-Twitter World
As more and more organisations become ex-X, the social media landscape can feel increasingly complicated for libraries. This session is designed to help library staff work out what to prioritise in 2025, covering Twitter alternatives; the ongoing value of Facebook and Instagram; and the new possibilities offered by TikTok and Bluesky.
2.30 – 2.55 Jen Boyle, Strategic Library Manager, Leeds Libraries and Rachel Ingle-Teare, Senior Librarian, Leeds Libraries
Leeds are making innovative use of spaces within their libraries and community hubs to serve new audiences and purposes. Jen explores impactful recent projects, including establishing wellbeing pods in libraries for NHS midwifery consultations and launching a new artist-led children’s play space at Leeds Central Library. This session will include an outline of the steps taken to secure funding, connections made with key city and council agendas, influencing and involving stakeholders and changemakers, and how they evaluate impact for library users.
2.55 – 3.10 Café Conversation
3.10 – Chair closes Café Conversation with round up.
3.15 – 3.45 Refreshment Break
3.45 – 3.50 Mark Freeman
Announcement of Finalists in Social Category, Edge Awards
3.50 – 4.15 Evelyn Kilmurry, Head of Libraries, Sport and Wellbeing and Cleo Jones, Libraries Development Manager, Edinburgh Libraries
Edinburgh Libraries recently engaged over 18,000 people in the development of their Future Libraries Strategy of which almost 60% were children or young people. How did they manage to involve so many young people in having their say on service delivery and what does that mean for the service in the
future? Evelyn and Cleo will provide an overview on the planning, methods and delivery of their youth engagement exercise and the importance of hearing the voices of a group not always included in consultation and decision-making processes.
4.15 – 4.45 Dr Peter Mackay, Scotland’s Makar – The National Poet for Scotland.
What it means to be Scotland’s Makar, an insight into Peter’s own experiences and his love of libraries.
4.45 – 5.00 Close of Day One by Evelyn Kilmurry, Head of Libraries, Sport and Wellbeing, City of Edinburgh Council.
The Gala Dinner
7.00 Drinks reception in The Great Scots Hall
7.45 Call to Dinner in the Dunedin Suite
Dress – smart, casual.
The EDGE 2025 Awards ceremony, celebrating excellence in Physical,
Social and Digital categories.
DAY TWO Friday 14th March 2025
9.00 – 9.30 Arrival and coffee in Canongate Room
Libraries – Digital Future
Chair: Chair Mark Freeman MBE, Former President, Libraries Connected
9.30 – 9.40 Mark Freeman
Chair congratulates winners of EDGE Awards in Physical, Social and Digital categories.
9.40 – 10.10 Anthony White, Director of Innovation and Technology, Arapahoe Libraries, Colorado + Oli Sanidas, Executive Director, Arapahoe Libraries, Colorado
Embracing Innovation: Leading Organisational Culture Transformation in Libraries
Libraries are at a pivotal moment, facing rapid technological advancements in AI and evolving community needs. In this session, Oli and Anthony from Arapahoe Libraries in Colorado share their journey of transforming organisational culture to foster innovation, adaptability, and resilience. Oli will explore the leadership strategies and frameworks that have enabled Arapahoe Libraries to
embrace a mindset of experimentation, risk-taking, and learning from failure. Drawing from real-world examples, he will demonstrate how clear vision, trust-building, and continuous feedback have been central to this transformation.
In the second half, Anthony will delve into actionable insights and tools that staff at all levels can use to embrace a culture of innovation. This includes practical ways to normalise failure, foster cross team collaboration, and ensure the community’s voice remains at the heart of decision-making.
Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to create a culture that empowers teams to not only adapt to change but to drive it forward for the betterment of the communities they serve.
10.10 – 10.30 Khalid Albaih, Political cartoonist, writer and Founder of Sudan art and Design Library
Khalid will be joining us online, talking about The Sudan Art & Design Library.
Leading up to the revolution in Sudan in 2019, the vision for the library was to create a centre for all ages—a place to learn, gather, and connect. The project’s primary objective was to establish an open resource for art and design. However, with Sudan plunging into war and becoming one of the world’s most horrific yet ignored crises, the library and all its books have been lost. Despite this loss, we
remain hopeful and committed to continuing our mission.
10.30 – 10.45 Café Conversation
10.45 Chair closes Café Conversation
10.45 – 11.15 Refreshment Break
11.15 – 11.20 Mark Freeman
11.20 – 11.40 Patrick Hart and Dora Petherbridge, Curators, National Library of Scotland
Fitba Research Club: Andrew Watson’s Legacies
This talk will explore some of the challenges for research libraries undertaking co-curated and coproduced community research projects by way of a discussion of Fitba Research Club: Andrew Watson’s Legacies. This project, which ran at the National Library of Scotland in 2023/24, brought together a team of young adult community curators from minoritised communities to explore the story of Andrew Watson, Scotland’s – and the world’s – first Black international football captain, to develop research skills and information literacy, and to research and celebrate the rich history of sporting achievement by Black people and people of colour in Scotland.
11.40 – 12.05 Dave Lloyd, Service Development Manager, Coventry Libraries & Information Services
Coventry Libraries launched the Digital Spaces project as part of Coventry’s award of City of Culture in 2020. The project, funded by Arts Council England and the British Film Institute, aimed to test the premise that Public Libraries as a trusted location and with extensive reach into communities could offer a new home for digital cultural experiences and attract audiences who would not normally be able to access these services.
The talk will detail the project, delivered in partnership with The Space, from initial concept to delivery of virtual reality experiences, immersive audio, creative workshops and staff upskilling to key lessons learnt for both funders and Public Libraries. An update will also be provided on a second Digital
Spaces project delivered by nine Library Services which was launched in January 25.
12.05 – 12.20 Café Conversation
12.20 Chair closes Café Conversation
12.20 – 12.30 Close of EDGE2025, Evelyn Kilmurry, Head of Libraries, Sport and Wellbeing, City of Edinburgh Council
From 12.30pm Lunch, Canongate Room.
EDGE2025
Due to the generosity of our exhibitors, we are able to bring a line–up of
excellent Speakers to EDGE each year, and for EDGE2025 we have also
been able to continue filming all the Speakers’ presentations.
All Speaker presentations will be available to view on the EDGE website
week commencing 30th March 2025
