How Maynooth University Library is thinking beyond the Dewey Decimal System to help students

This guest post is by Ashley Burke who is a Library Assistant based in Engagement and Information Services in Maynooth University Library.

A staff member shelving books in Maynooth University Library. Picture credit: Alan Lawrence, 2020.

For many students, library shelves are just another backdrop to study sessions and essay marathons. But beneath the quiet hum of activity at Maynooth University Library, something quietly radical is happening. Maynooth’s librarians are finding creative, student-focused ways to work around its most outdated aspects - ensuring that knowledge is not only categorised but made genuinely accessible, inclusive, and relevant to today’s academic and cultural landscape.

The Dewey Decimal System, established in 1876, was never designed with today’s diverse student body in mind. Its Western, Christian-centric structure often marginalises non-dominant worldviews—tucking entire cultures, religions, and fields of study into oversimplified or inappropriate categories.

At Maynooth University Library, the response has been to strategically subvert its limitations. Librarians are implementing tools and practices that help students navigate beyond Dewey’s blind spots, offering a more equitable and intuitive user experience.

Curated Displays and Thematic Collections

One of Maynooth’s most visible interventions is its commitment to curated collections both online and displays within the Library that bring underrepresented voices to the fore. The library regularly features thematic displays on topics such as LGBTQ+, the Black and African diaspora, and the Traveller Communities - highlighting works that might otherwise be buried in Dewey’s less-than-intuitive categories.

Oftentimes books that I think should be together are shelved by Dewey number in separate areas which makes them hard to find by general browsing. Geography is one example of this. Geography is mainly kept in the 900s but if you wanted physical Geography e.g. Geomorphology you would need to look in the 500s, while human Geography is in the 300s. By pulling these materials together in dedicated displays and collections, Maynooth ensures that students encounter diverse perspectives without always needing to decipher a complex classification code.

Evolving Dewey and reshelving

Dewey isn’t as static as it may seem from the outside. We are constantly shifting and evolving our use of it. One example I was part of recently was the Musical Score reclassification where the scores were reclassified and relabelled to ensure composers' works were shelved together. This made browsing works by one composer easier for the user. This has been met with positive feedback. 

Another project the Library is undertaking soon will be the relabelling and classification of certain Irish law books to the base number 346. At the moment some of the Irish law books are shelved with the UK law books - this will mean a lot of shifting in the law section but will give a better user experience when browsing.

Maynooth University Library is also at the forefront of efforts to reclaim Irish identity within library catalogues. Where Dewey might lump Irish Travellers, Irish history, and literature into broader Nomad, British or Celtic categories, Maynooth University’s librarians are actively tagging and reclassifying content to reflect Irish political, linguistic, and cultural autonomy.

This academic year’s addition of the Faculty of Nursing has seen our Natural Sciences collection grow to accommodate these new Nursing books. For me as a reshelver, it has meant making room to add these books and ensure they are accessible to new students.

While reshelving I can see disparities in legacy cataloguing practices, for example the Anglo-Irish books. As we improve classification processes, as new books come in, these disparities are being ironed out and materials are made more accessible. This in turn means books are being grouped together in a better way ensuring that they can be more easily browsed by Library users.

Teaching Students to better use the System

Crucially, Maynooth isn’t just working around Dewey - it’s empowering students to understand it and leverage its positive aspects. The library offers workshops and orientation sessions that explore how classification systems like Dewey can be best used in their own academic work and how best to navigate the Library. Teaching and Learning Librarians use various LIST sessions to promote the Library and what it can do for students at the beginning of each semester. The Library also offers Finish Strong initiatives in the lead up to exams and semester deadlines.

Staff at the Information desk ensure that they are there to help students access the knowledge they need both online and physically. The front desk staff hours have recently been adjusted to better align with the students’ needs and presence on campus. Social media tools are being heavily utilised to better engage with the student population and help equip students with the knowledge they need to succeed. Covering the desk allows me to keep an ear to the ground to see what students are struggling with and positions me to curate content for social media to assist them. It is always a pleasure bringing students on their Library discovery journey and seeing them go from not knowing how to look up a book, to successfully navigating and using the Library’s many services.

While reshelving the books upstairs I often get questions from students. It is rewarding helping someone learn how the Library is laid out and where to find what they are looking for. It also helps me identify missing or lost books and get them back to the shelves as quickly as we can.

Conclusion: More Than Just Shelves

Maynooth University Library’s approach offers a powerful model for other institutions grappling with legacy systems. By layering inclusive practices, digital innovation, and critical engagement on top of Dewey’s existing framework, the library is building something much more valuable than a traditional classification system: a dynamic, student-first knowledge environment. 

At Maynooth University, the library isn’t just a place to find books—it’s a place to rethink how knowledge is organised, accessed, and valued. By finding creative ways around Dewey’s limitations, the library is helping students not just locate information, but understand the systems behind it, and challenge those systems when they fall short.

In doing so, Maynooth is showing that the future of libraries isn’t about rigid categories—it’s about curiosity, inclusivity, and empowerment.

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Hibernia College updates and expands its Digital Literacy OER

This guest post is by Irene O’Dowd, Ann Byrne and Emberly Davey from the Digital Learning Department in Hibernia College. 

Screenshots from the Digital Literacy OER (Image: Hibernia College, 2025)

The Digital Literacy OER development team at Hibernia College are delighted to announce the re-launch of their Digital Literacy OER with additional content. The OER was initially launched in late 2023, with three lessons:

• Information literacy
• Digital wellness and identity
• Communication and collaboration

The updated version includes an additional four lessons:

• Digital technology proficiency
• Solving common digital problems
• Creating digital content with AI support
• Digital learning and development

During both phases of development, the OER development team consulted several well-recognised digital literacy frameworks, including DigComp 2.2 (2022), Jisc’s Digital Capabilities Framework (2017), and the CAUL Digital Dexterity Framework (2020). These frameworks informed the content of the various lessons, which were also shaped by recent trends such as the increasing pervasiveness of GenAI tools.

The team are delighted to offer the course as a freely available OER, supporting several of the Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2015) and encouraging digital citizenship (Council of Europe, 2023) at Hibernia College and beyond.

How to access the OER

The OER was developed using Articulate Rise and is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International. It is free to reuse and adapt with attribution. It is freely available on Hibernia College’s digital repository, IASC. The course is uploaded to IASC as a zipped folder which includes usage instructions. It can be accessed on IASC or using the QR code below:

QR code to access the Digital Literacy OER (Hibernia College, 2025)

The resource is also listed on OER Commons: https://oercommons.org/courses/digital-literacy-oer

References

CAUL (2020) CAUL Digital dexterity framework. Available at: https://www.caul.edu.au/digital-dexterity-framework (Accessed: 10 November 2025).

Council of Europe (2023) The concept. Available at: https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/the-concept#:~:text=Digital%20citizens%20can%20be%20described,step%20with%20evolutions%20in%20society (Accessed: 10 November 2025).

JISC (2017) Building digital capabilities: The six elements defined. Available at: https://digitalcapability.jisc.ac.uk/what-is-digital-capability/individual-digital-capabilities/ (Accessed: 10 November 2025).

Vuorikari, R., Kluzer, S. and Punie,Y. (2022) DigComp 2.2. The digital competence framework for citizens. Available at: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/50c53c01-abeb-11ec-83e1-01aa75ed71a1/language-en (Accessed: 10 November 2025).

United Nations (UN) (2015) Transforming our world: the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/publications/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf (Accessed: 10 November 2025).

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Libfocus Link-out for November 2025

Welcome to the November edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of library-related things we have found informative, educational, thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.

Images from the articles featured in this month's linkout

Manuscript submissions are up! That’s good, right?
Tim Vines on The Scholarly Kitchen argues that journals focusing on increasing article submissions are doing themselves a disservice. From the article: "When ‘number of manuscripts submitted’ is treated as a key performance indicator, any initiative that might deter authors from submitting is deemed too risky."

Fraud, AI slop and huge profits: is science publishing broken?
This Guardian Science Weekly podcast summarises the challenges in academic publishing and of the Open Access movement. Ian Sample tells Madeleine Finlay what has gone so wrong, and Dr Mark Hanson of the University of Exeter proposes some potential solutions.

Internet Archive reaches new 1-trillion page landmark almost 30 years after it started backing up the WWW.
Wayne Williams reports in Techradar that the Internet Archive reaches a new 1-trillion page landmark almost 30 years after it started backing up the web. An astonishing 100,000TB of data, or around 21.3 million DVDs, is available through its Wayback Machine.

The Future of Libraries – 2035.
Thomas Frey looks at what the library of 2035 might be like in this article for Futurist Speaker.

Shaping the Library’s Future.
This Liber Quarterly article by Cécile Swiatek Cassafières and Marion Brunetti focuses on how academic & research libraries should clearly articulate their identity, vision and engage stakeholders.

In praise of librarians in dangerous times.
Lithub has published an excerpt from Sarah Weinman's keynote address at the American Librarian’s Association annual convention. She discusses librarians' roles as keepers of truth and defenders of their patrons' rights to privacy and to uncensored information. 

The Children's Booker Prize.
The Booker Prize Foundation has announced that the first Children's Booker Prize will be awarded in February 2027. The shortlist for the award, which celebrates the best contemporary fiction for children aged eight to twelve, will be announced in November 2026.

Honour the university library as a creative space with an artist residency.
Darlene Maxwell, Corinne Noble and Alexandra Genova from the Royal College of Art Library, London, discuss the RCA Library's artist residency project. They look at its potential and impact on their collections and space.

‘People have had to move house’: Inside the British Library, two years on from devastating cyber attack.
Staff tell Athena Stavrou of the Independent they’ve faced abuse because of ongoing issues at the library, where dozens of services remain unavailable, and why they have taken strike action.

Agentic AI: Nine essential questions.
In this MIT Sloan Management Review article Laurianne McLaughlin provides answers to key questions about agentic AI. The term “agentic” refers to an AI models with agency, that have the capacity to act independently and purposefully when accomplishing goals.

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Join the Library Association of Ireland, Career Development Group Committee.

Guest post by LAI CDG Group

Are you a library or information professional looking to connect with others, build your network, and help shape professional development opportunities in our field? The Career Development Group (CDG) is welcoming new members this December, and we would love to have you on board. 

The CDG is a friendly and welcoming committee made up of enthusiastic professionals from across the LIS sector. Committee members from all over Ireland meet once a month via Zoom to plan activities, share ideas, and collaborate on initiatives that support career growth and community building. 

By joining the CDG, you will have the opportunity to: 

• Network with colleagues from a variety of roles and backgrounds. 
• Co-organise relevant events and workshops that benefit the wider LIS community. 
• Gain experience in committee work in a supportive, low-pressure environment. 
• Contribute your voice and ideas to our ongoing projects and planning. 

Whether you are early in your career, an MLIS student, or a tenured LIS professional looking to get more involved, CDG is a great place to connect, learn and grow, while having fun doing it! 
Interested in joining? Please fill in our New Members Form and attend our online AGM on December 9th when we form our committee. There are three officer positions: Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. There are also roles in our Communications team which supports the CDG’s outreach and promotions.

 
We look forward to hearing from you. 

Your voice matters. No prior experience required, just enthusiasm.

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Librarians learning together to enhance their evidence synthesis expertise

Guest post by Siobhan Bowman, Paul Breen, Stephanie Chen, Breeda Herlihy, Ronan Madden, Ben Williamson of UCC Library. 

Introduction 
Evidence synthesis or knowledge synthesis are terms used to describe a research methodology where information from multiple sources is brought together to answer a specific question and provide a comprehensive and reliable summary of available evidence.  The humble literature review or narrative review is a type of evidence synthesis along with many other types including systematic reviews, scoping reviews, qualitative evidence synthesis, integrative reviews and umbrella reviews.  Searching the literature for a review is a fundamental part of undertaking evidence synthesis and this is where librarians can support and enable research. 

A number of UCC Library colleagues, including the Library’s Learning & Teaching Team, decided to set up a Community of Practice on evidence synthesis earlier this year. The aim was to build on some existing experience and to develop the expertise to help meet the demand for support from UCC staff and students. One part of this involved undertaking some collaborative learning in the form of a free online course developed by the Evidence Synthesis Institute and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) from the US. The course “Evidence Synthesis for Librarians and Information Specialists” (Kocher, M., Riegelman, A., Kibbee, M., Young, S., Bostrom, M., Marsalis, S., Premji, Z.)  is a 15-module course developed by evidence synthesis librarians and subject librarians from various American and Canadian university libraries.  Over a period of a few months in a quieter part of the year, we set out a timetable for working through a group of modules on our own and followed each group of modules with a meeting to share insights, clarify complex topics, and relate the course material to our own experiences.

The outline of the course shows how relevant it is to librarians and information specialists and each of us gives an account further below of how we found the process of learning about evidence synthesis together. 

Module 1: Introduction to evidence synthesis
Module 2: Exploring different review methodologies
Module 3: Reproducibility: the importance of transparent evidence synthesis methods
Module 4: Evidence synthesis steps and librarians as co-investigators
Module 5: Systematic review guidelines/checklists/reporting standards
Module 6: Introduction to protocols and protocol registration
Module 7: Formulating a research question
Module 8: Frameworks and eligibility criteria
Module 9: Reference interview
Module 10: Selecting databases for evidence synthesis
Module 11: Search strategies
Module 12: Adapting searches across database platforms
Module 13: Grey literature
Module 14: Supplementary search methods
Module 15: Writing the methods section and PRISMA flow diagrams

Siobhan Bowman, Learning Support Librarian
As a newly appointed learning support librarian, this course was perfect for me, providing case scenarios, templates and toolkits that I have brought directly into my work. The interviews with librarians discussing the various levels of tiered support they provide really helped me as I begin to develop my role. The course has been like having a supportive mentor at my side, particularly Module 9 on the reference interview, which proved invaluable in bridging the gap between my emerging role and the expectation to provide 'expert' guidance on evidence synthesis.

While systematic reviews have traditionally been focused in the health sciences, we are increasingly encountering students from across disciplines, from education to engineering, who are being asked to conduct systematic literature reviews for their research projects. The module's practical framework for distinguishing between traditional and evidence synthesis consultations has proven immediately applicable, from undergraduates exploring their first literature review to funded research teams planning systematic reviews. What resonated most was the emphasis on contextual factors: learning to assess what type of review a researcher wants to conduct, giving me the confidence to negotiate our level of involvement and to direct researchers toward suitable methodologies, and resources.

Paul Breen, Mercy University Hospital Librarian
Having recently taken up the position of Mercy University Hospital Librarian, I found this course hugely beneficial. A key component of the services delivered by MUH Library is evidence synthesis support for staff and students on placement in the hospital. 

Of all my responsibilities as the new MUH Librarian, continuing the delivery of this service to a high standard was the one which I was most apprehensive about. Working my way through this course’s modules went a long way to easing my concerns. It provided me with an invaluable structured framework for developing and testing my understanding of processes related to systematic reviews and other forms of evidence synthesis. This was aided by regular discussions with my colleagues throughout the process. 

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that several useful external resources are linked throughout the course. I highly recommend it!

Stephanie Chen, Learning and Teaching Librarian
As someone new to systematic reviews/evidence synthesis, I found the course to be a great introduction to evidence synthesis projects. The content was particularly relevant as it was designed and developed by librarians. As such, it provided a good understanding of how library staff can support or participate in these types of projects. 

All of the modules were easy to complete and the interactive elements such as videos and ‘learn by doing’ questions were engaging. Links to external resources meant course content wasn’t overwhelming and the descriptive module titles makes it easy to revisit the course if you need a refresh on specific content.  

I enjoyed doing the course as part of a community of practice alongside my colleagues as it allowed opportunities for questions, discussion, and sharing of experiences. I would 100% recommend enrolling in this course and, if possible, completing the course with other library staff.

Breeda Herlihy, Quality and Planning Coordinator
This course was recommended to me by a fellow librarian, and I initially set it aside. In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t delayed—it's well-designed and paced. The content is clear and concise, a testament to the expertise of its creators. In a field with lots of guidelines on evidence searching, it takes real skill to distil complex ideas into accessible, digestible learning materials.

Taking the course alongside colleagues as part of our library-based community of practice added a layer of accountability. We scheduled regular meetings to discuss specific modules, which meant we had to complete them in advance. There’s nothing like a deadline to keep you on track! These discussions also proved invaluable—highlighting resources I might have overlooked and offering fresh perspectives on topics I hadn’t considered.

I’d highly recommend this course to any library staff involved in supporting literature searching for systematic reviews or their close relatives, systematised literature reviews. It’s a practical, well-structured resource that will make a real difference to your knowledge and confidence. 

Ronan Madden, Learning and Teaching Team Lead
The course was a valuable opportunity for me to build on some existing knowledge and gain a much deeper and more structured understanding of this very important area. Developed by librarians who are experts in evidence synthesis, the course is very comprehensive, including review methodologies, protocols, search strategies, grey literature, and reporting with PRISMA. Working through the modules individually allowed me time to reflect on the material, while the group discussions offered a space to share thoughts, clarify topics, and connect the content to our practice in UCC Library. This blend of self-directed study and group reflection was a great way to build confidence and skills.

Ben Williamson, Learning and Teaching Librarian
I found the course very encouraging and affirming with regard to my current teaching practices. It showed me that I was already covering many important points about search strategy development and use of resources, and also that I had gaps in my knowledge that ought to be addressed. The use and searching of Grey Literature, for example, is something I need to develop more confidence in demonstrating. 

One notable takeaway from the course was a potential use of the Boolean operator ‘NOT’ to test the effectiveness of new search terms against an existing seat. I had previously avoided using this operator myself and had actively discouraged others from using it. 
While I may not cover all areas of evidence synthesis in my present role, I found the course a useful overview of the wider picture. Librarians and researchers alike can benefit from completing it.

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From Dublin to Seoul and Back Again: A Transformative Vision for University Libraries

Congratulations to Emily Daly from Dublin City University Library, whose blog post was highly commended in the CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2025.

A Journey That Changed How I See Libraries
When I took a five-month break to travel in Asia, I thought I was stepping away from library work. But in Seoul, surrounded by books under open skies, my idea of what a library could be began to shift. It was October, the city buzzing after Han Kang’s Nobel Prize win, when I stumbled across the Seoul Outdoor Library. Soon, I realised libraries don’t have to stay behind four walls; they can be woven into daily life. Now, in my role as a Library Assistant in the Public Services and Outreach Directorate at DCU Library, that vision continues to shape how I see our work. Outdoor libraries aren’t a novelty, but rather a powerful way to connect with the community.

Seoul Plaza: ‘Sky Gazing, Book Gazing’
I had planned to visit the Seoul Metropolitan Library, but walking through the adjacent plaza, I stumbled across something unexpected. Thousands of books filled colourful trolleys and boxes. Friends, couples, and families read and relaxed on beanbags, while others played in activity zones woven among the seating. Classical music floated from a nearby stage. Playful and open, it invited not just reading but connection and discovery.

1. Readers sink into stories on pink and blue beanbags outside Seoul Metropolitan Library as evening falls. (Photograph: Author, 2024).

Gwanghwamun Square: ‘Mountain Gazing, Book Gazing’
A short walk away, Gwanghwamun Square unfolded beneath the gates of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Another 5,000 books mingled with food stalls, K-pop shows, and exhibitions. Children raced to pick books while tourists and locals browsed. It was part library, part street festival, in the heart of the city.

 

2. Gwanghwamun Square becomes a pastel sea of beanbags and books, set against Seoul’s iconic gate and mountains. (Photograph: Author, 2024).

3. A mother and child read under a tent at Gwanghwamun Square while a tired dad sneaks a nap (Photograph: Author, 2024).

Cheonggyecheon Stream: ‘Water Gazing, Book Gazing’

Another short stroll led to Cheonggyecheon Stream, where the mood shifted to a quiet intimacy with red chairs, book boxes, lanterns, and tables lining the waterway. Couples, families, and friends posed for photos, read side by side, and dipped their feet in the water. The gentle stream mingled with soft conversation. Tucked among the titles, I spotted some Irish writers.

 

4. Seats, tables, and book boxes line Cheonggyecheon Stream, offering calm spaces to read, chat, and unwind. (Photograph: Author, 2024).

5. Couples, families, and friends share intimate moments by the stream. (Photograph: Author, 2024).

A Library Network Woven into the City
What struck me was how seamlessly these library sites blended into public space. Though temporary and seasonal, they felt intentional, designed to meet people where they were. Each had its own mood, yet together they formed a citywide invitation to read in public. At their heart was a quiet trust: books left out for anyone to browse, linger with, and care for. That trust was met with joy and respect. Since 2022, Seoul’s outdoor libraries have welcomed over six million visitors (Park, 2025).

6. Official brochure maps Seoul’s outdoor library network across city spaces. (Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2024).

Beyond the Walls: Reimagining Libraries in the Open
Since returning home, I’ve often wondered how Seoul’s outdoor library model could work in Ireland. At DCU, our Library Strategy (2023–2028) promotes innovative services and diverse spaces which “enrich experiences and enable creativity and connectivity” (DCU Library, 2024), aligning with the university’s broader mission to “transform lives and societies” (Dublin City University, 2025). The opportunity is right in front of us. Our campuses are full of green, open spaces — so why not bring the library out into them? Picture beanbags under trees, book trolleys by the coffee van, outdoor study zones during exams. We already join in events like Culture Night, but they’re occasional. Mobile libraries visit festivals, yet often remain on the fringes. Seoul’s approach is different: a daily, visible presence woven into public life. It showed me that transformation can begin with something simple: books outdoors, visible and inviting. That simplicity sparks curiosity, connection, and spontaneous moments of engagement. Why not open these spaces to the wider community too, turning campuses into living cultural landscapes?

7. Green spaces in front of DCU O’Reilly Library, a canvas for creative outreach. (Source: DCU Communications, 2022).

Conclusion: Envisioning a Living Library Landscape
Seoul’s outdoor libraries weren’t just outreach; they were a shift in thinking. They brought books into public life in a way that felt joyful, visible, and relevant. Back at DCU, I see that same transformative potential. If we step outside the traditional model, literally and figuratively, we can build a library experience that is lived, shared, and felt beyond four walls.

References
DCU Communications (2022) Our Campuses. Dublin City University. Available at: https://www.dcu.ie/commsteam/our-campuses (Accessed: 29 July 2025).

DCU Library (2024) Library Strategy 2023–2028. Dublin: Dublin City University. Available at: https://www.dcu.ie/sites/default/files/inline-files/dcu-library-strategy-2023-2028.pdf (Accessed: 29 July 2025).

Dublin City University (2025) DCU Strategy 2023–2028. Dublin City University. Available at: https://www.dcu.ie/strategy (Accessed: 29 July 2025).

Park, U. (2025) ‘Seoul’s outdoor libraries draw 1 mil. visitors in 3 months, exceeding expectations’, The Korea Times, 3 July. Available at:
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20250703/seouls-outdoor-libraries-draw- 1-mil-visitors-in-3-months-exceeding-expectations (Accessed: 29 July 2025).

Seoul Metropolitan Government (no date) Seoul Outdoor Library. Seoul Metropolitan Government. Available at: https://english.seoul.go.kr/seoul-outdoor-library/ (Accessed: 29 July 2025).

Seoul Metropolitan Government (2024) Wow! Seoul Outdoor Library [brochure]. Seoul: Seoul Metropolitan Government.

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Call for submissions for Health Sciences Libraries Journal (HSLJ) - Summer 2026

Our friends over at the LAI Health Sciences Libraries Group are looking for submissions for the next issue of their journal. Over to them now

Thank you to all those who contributed to the first issue of our journal and for all of the great feedback we received.  

The winter 2025 issue is being finalised and will be published at the start of December so we are now seeking submissions for the summer 2026 issue. The deadlines will come around quickly.

HSLJ came into existence through the Health Sciences Libraries Group but is not just for librarians working in health. Research articles will be peer reviewed and the deadline for these is 10th of January 2026. We also welcome practice-based pieces as a means of knowledge sharing and so we can hear about your special expertise. If you are a recently qualified librarian, you might like to write up your dissertation for us and get on the publication ladder. That can make a difference when you are looking for a post. You could also write and tell us about what drew you to librarianship if you have previously been in a different career.

For our Professional Lives features, we welcome contributions on any aspect of working in a library setting, traditional or non-traditional. Tell us about a day in the life of your work. We love to receive historical pieces about interesting librarians or reflections on a life in librarianship. Readers will also want to hear about great CPD you attended or books or podcasts you would recommend. We are not looking for literary criticism, just something you enjoyed and think other colleagues might too.
The 2026 HSLG conference will be celebrating strength in difference and all that that means. The summer 2026 issue of HSLJ will be published in Pride month and in addition to our regular content, will have special features celebrating difference. So articles on any aspect of diversity, neurodiversity, equity, belonging or inclusion will be very welcome.  The deadline for all submissions that are not research pieces will be April 1st 2026.

So please put the deadlines in your calendar: 

Research submissions – January 10th and all other submissions – April 1st. https://journals.ucc.ie/index.php/hslj/index

Please feel free to email us at hslj.hslg@gmail.com,if you have any questions, concerns or ideas.
The Editorial Team

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Finding Peace Among the Periodicals: Reflections on working in an Academic Library

Congratulations to Holly Meade Kennedy from Maynooth University Library, whose blog post was highly commended in the CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2025

The MU campus begins to stir as 8.30 am approaches, and the quiet is broken only by the faint click of my staff card scanning at the library entrance. Steam curls from my cup as I unlock my computer and take the first sip from the water bottle I will inevitably forget exists for the rest of the day. I answer an email from a lecturer and double-tap a post on Instagram from a fellow academic library reminding students they can’t eat in shared spaces. I laugh as I remember the delivery driver who dropped off four pizzas to waiting students one evening during exam time, and how the sight of them amenably sitting on the green across from the library sharing slices in the fading daylight was oddly heartwarming. They had found the perfect loophole - food delivered straight to campus, but technically not eaten in the library. It was a masterclass in student logic: bend the rules just enough to survive, but not quite break them.

(Image is my own) Maynooth University Library 

I glance at this week’s to-do list. A meeting on Tuesday about our Athena Swan gender equality initiative. A webinar on Wednesday on ‘The Importance of Bibliodiversity’. Social media content to post about Pride Month on Friday. These are things I care about, and I feel lucky I get to engage with them as part of my professional world. My phone buzzes to tell me the New Yorker has taken their monthly fee in exchange for a digital subscription and I begin to roll my eyes until I remember how much I’ve spent on coffee this month and feel a sense of perspective.

I sip my cappuccino while it’s still hot - to get my money’s worth – and feel a sense of gratitude as I notice the peace that has fallen over my mornings since I took up my role in MU Library. Coming from a background in teaching and media, unsustainable levels of busyness became the norm. I didn’t go to work every day; I continuously existed within it. Assignment corrections late into Saturday evenings were standard and having completed three degrees along the way, I had forgotten what it meant to switch off.

(Image is my own) : Information sign for the MU Nature Connection Trail

But my life came to a halt three years ago with the passing of my dad, and the anxiety that accompanied my grief caused me to reflect on the role that work and study had come to play in my life. I began to reset my view on things when one rainy Tuesday evening my counsellor said “we’re on this earth to be, not to do.” It takes the right person at the right time to say something that strikes you exactly the way you need it to, and from there I began to consciously look at the work I wanted to spend my days doing.

I adore writing, and feel passionately about its therapeutic effects as it allows me to remove the scramble of thoughts in my head and share them with others as a means to connect. I wanted to find a job that would allow me to be creative and have time to write while still existing within the academic space as I am a self-confessed nerd. I attended a Montessori school up to the age of 12, and this alternative way of learning grounded my passion and belief in the transformative power education holds.

(Image is my own) ST Patrick's MU Chapel

As a past student of MU, I cherished the sense of community alive on campus and the beautiful grounds it exists within. So when I saw a job advertised in the university library, I began to think there may be a way for me to merge my passions and skills to achieve a work-life balance us perfectionists have only heard about! I began working here a year ago and within that time I’ve learned the work you do can be important, innovative and plentiful without being all-consuming. I am still learning about balance, but now when the work day is complete, I sign off without guilt.

Amid global threats to peace, equality and democracy, it's timely to reflect on how fortunate we are to work within the Irish academic library field. The quiet environment of the buildings we occupy, the grounds that surround them, the routines librarianship is built upon, the inclusivity of the community, the genuine collegiality of the people who work in the sector – these are all elements that lend themselves to a positive relationship to work, particularly for those of us dealing with anxiety in some way.

Routine, structure, respect and stillness – these can be truly cherished if you’ve lived without them. Like those students with their four pizzas and a plan, I’ve found my own loophole – learning to work and live with both purpose and peace.

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Libfocus Link-out for October 2025

Welcome to the October edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of library-related things we have found informative, educational, thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.

Images from the articles featured in this month's linkout

The Myth of Open: Academic Libraries’ Role in Open Movements and Its Contention with Capitalism.
Emma Beck and Tessa Withorn discuss in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Open Initiatives in Academic Libraries, an open-access, peer-reviewed, scholarly publication, the complex role of academic libraries in open-source software (OSS) and open access (OA) movements.

It’s ‘Absolutely Vital’ I Pursue My MLIS Now.
MLIS student Erica Sikma looks at her place as a school library volunteer and what ultimately convinced her to go back to college and earn an MLIS degree for School Library Journal.

Open educational resources should be central to the public mission of universities.
Niamh Tumelty and Caroline Ball argue on the LSE Impact blog that Open Educational Resources should form a central part of university strategies for public engagement.

Bob Geldof: Why We Gave The Live Aid Archives to the National Library of Ireland.
Bob Geldof speaks to Hotpress on the decision to donate the Live Aid archival collection to the National Library of Ireland, despite other institutional offers.

A tool in the fight against Amazon: independent bookshops to begin selling ebooks.
Ella Creamer's article in The Guardian looks at Bookshop.org. The online store is launching a platform through which independent bookshops in the UK will be able to sell ebooks as an alternative to Amazon’s Kindle offering.

Peer Review in Transition: Helen King and Christopher Leonard on AI and the future of peer review.
A nuanced look by Roohi Ghosh in The Scholarly Kitchen at how peer review might adapt, fracture, or reinvent itself in the AI era.

Uni students are using AI to ‘ask stupid questions’ and get feedback on their work.
Jimena de Mello Heredia reports in The Conversation that found almost half of students (49%) are using AI for feedback to help them improve their university work. Students found both AI feedback and teacher feedback helpful, but some feel safer asking AI “stupid questions”.

The Library's First Responders.
In The Purist, Dimitri Ehrlich reviews film festival favourite 'The Librarians.' The film documents the commitment of school librarians to making literature available despite attempts by public officials and lobby groups to ban 'inappropriate' titles.

Harry Potter and the Memory Gap: How cultural memory edits our shared reading list.
This one is for the book lovers - MD Kenney writes about the cultural trends and tastes that influence which books get passed down through the generations. The marvellous books that get forgotten can be rediscovered in second-hand bookshops, in family collections or through simple word of mouth.

Libraries are palaces for the people. Their ramparts need defending.
Richard Ovenden's Observer article argues that UK public libraries are essential “palaces for the people” — free, open institutions for knowledge and community — and warns that decades of funding cuts and closures are eroding their role, urging renewed public and governmental support to defend their future.

Publishing futures: Working together to deliver radical change in academic publishing.
Cambridge University Press reports on its recent sector-wide, empirical research into the strained state of the current publishing ecosystem. While many of the issues have been raised before, their objective was to understand the challenges in moving towards a more open future for academic publishing.

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Mentorship: Creating a fertile ground for character growth and academic advancement at DCU Library

Congratulations to Lorcan Cahill from Dublin City University Library, whose blog post was highly commended in the CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2025

Mentorship involves the guidance of individuals or groups towards a common goal. Mentors are those in a position of influence who adopt an attitude of forward thinking. They achieve this outlook by placing value on an individual or group’s trajectory in life. They understand that confidence breeds competence. Mentors empower others by delegating opportunities for character growth and possess the skill of anticipating the future by setting forth a vision that is grounded in the realities of today.(Burnison. 2012. Chap 6) 

At DCU Library, we are aware of the importance of mentoring students and staff. We hold the personal and academic development of our library users in equal measure. (DCU Library Strategy. 3) We endeavour to facilitate an engaging environment that simultaneously encourages people to academically succeed and grow in character. This culture is not born out of passive activity, but rather it is born through high-contact engagement and meaningful relationships with our users. 

The front-facing library assistant, who assists in identifying educational resources, is fundamental to mentorship. The initial interaction at the front desk is crucial as it can either positively or negatively impact the individual’s future relationship with the library. Moreover, the library’s greatest asset is its staff, especially those who are front-facing. Library users must feel comfortable asking for help. To seek assistance is to make oneself vulnerable to a lesser-known concept. It is the library assistant’s job to be conscious of that and address the user’s needs. These include explaining the use of an online search catalogue, showcasing the use of an online journal database, providing advice on a reading list, resolving library account queries, or even giving directions to a lecture hall. 

Patrick Dennan, DCU Library Assistant at Cregan Library, assisting students at our library reception

Credit: Kyran O’Brien

At Dublin City University, we value a shared mindset ‘to transform lives and societies.’ (DCU Strategy 2023 - 2028) This mindset permeates all positions within the library and is keenly felt at library assistant level as the help desk is where active engagement is most evident. The advantage of a front-facing role is that participation and interaction are inevitable. Similarly, the potential for authenticity and connectivity to flourish is paramount. Authenticity and connectivity, in this context, mean removing excessive individualism and favouring a shared sense of purpose. (Goffee & Jones.2015. Introduction) Once these conditions are evident, an environment is made fertile for not only academic advancement to occur, but for character growth to materialise. 

To achieve this climate of personal and academic development, DCU Library remains collegial and collaborative. (DCU Library Strategy 2023 - 2028. 3)We understand our geographical importance of being situated on the northside of Dublin and the close proximity we share to local primary and secondary schools. Mentorship at DCU Library, therefore, is not exclusive to DCU staff and students, but it is extended to the local community. Our outreach initiatives such as Leaving Certificate students availing of a study environment in the lead up to their examinations is illustrative of this. The library also offers Leaving Certificate students an opportunity to avail of free masterclasses in subject areas like English, Irish and Mathematics. Similarly, community engagement is fostered through long-standing campaigns including regular creative writing workshops and competitions, art exhibitions, and inviting members of the community to celebrate cultural heritage on Culture Night. 

Dave Rudden introducing a Leaving Certificate masterclass on English, Seamus Heaney Lecture Theatre, DCU St. Patrick’s Campus

Credit: DCU Library

As well as building engagement, mentorship is primarily provided to our students and staff. This provision is made possible by forward thinking. Forward thinking, in the context of an academic library, means drawing upon the real-life experiences of our users and implementing new strategies to improve their overall experience. It means, in other words, leveraging our user experience by enlarging and evaluating the already existing experience of our users. 

Woodlock Hall Library, DCU All Hallows Campus (Mahon and O'Neill)

                                    Credit: Kyran O’Brien 

Forward thinking occupies the liminal space between the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of an organisation. At DCU Library, we are particularly committed to championing and empowering users with neurodivergent needs. Woodlock Hall Library, which was opened to our users in 2021, was initially designed as a quiet alternative library. It has since become popular with patrons in need of a sensory-friendly study space. Consequently, the quiet study environment is frequently promoted via our social media channels. This is reflective of our commitment to mentor our diverse community by eliminating educational barriers and anticipating their needs. It is also illustrative of our adherence to value our people. 

We are aware that by valuing our users, DCU Library, as an organisation, grows in value itself. There is a symbiotic relationship between the library and our patrons. If one augments in value, the other follows. By committing to our purpose of mentoring both the academic success and wellbeing of our users, DCU Library remains inwardly sound and outwardly engaged. Mentorship is extended to our users by offering a study and social environment that encourages collaboration, engagement and participation. Furthermore, our ultimate goal is to equip users with self-confidence. By building confidence, the ground is made all the more rich for our patrons to gain self-awareness and thrive both academically and socially. 

Bibliography
PRIMARY MATERIAL 
DCU Strategy 2023 – 2028, Dublin City University (accessed 05/06/2025). 
DCU Library Strategy: 2023 – 2028, Dublin City University (accessed 05/06/2025), 
pp. 1-14. 

SECONDARY SOURCES 
PUBLISHED WORKS 
Burnison, Gary, The Twelve Absolutes of Leadership (New York, 2012, eBook edition). 
Goffee, Rob & Jones, Gareth, Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? With a New Preface by the Authors: What It Takes to be an Authentic Leader (Boston, 2015, eBook edition). 
O’Neill, Alana Mahon, & Shanahan, Rosemary, ‘All Hallows Campus and Woodlock Hall Library’, LibFocus, 18 July 2024 (accessed 05/06/2025). 

INTERNET RESOURCES 
Definition of Mentorship, Merriam-Webster Dictionary (accessed 05/06/2025). 
 

 

 

 

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LIR Annual Seminar 2025: Communities of Practice

This guest post is written by Jenny O'Neill on behalf of the LIR Community.

Daniela Bultoc speaking at the LIR annual seminar. Picture credit: HEAnet User Group for Libraries, 2025. 

Four Questions to Ask When Forming a Community of Practice

In April 2025, the LIR HEAnet User Group for Libraries held its annual seminar at the HEAnet offices in Dublin. This year’s theme focused on community engagement within the library sector, particularly through communities of practice and social media networks.

One of the keynote speakers was Dr. Daniela Bultoc, who delivered an insightful talk on Communities of Practice in Higher Education. Daniela outlined three key goals for her presentation:

1. To define what we mean by communities of practice
2. To understand their benefits in higher education
3. To identify opportunities for incorporating them into our work

What Are Communities of Practice?

The concept of communities of practice has its roots in the apprenticeship model, where learners would meet and learn from one another. This approach is supported by social learning theory, which suggests that around 70% of what we know is learned through others, through doing, and through experimentation.

In the complex organisational structures of universities, many professionals find themselves working in isolation or as the sole expert in a particular area within their department. Yet, others across the institution may be working on similar challenges. Communities of practice offer a way to break down these silos, enabling us to connect, share, and learn from each other.


Membership and Sustainability

There are several models for community membership. Members may self-select or be nominated based on their expertise. However, it is passion and commitment that truly sustain a community. Crucially, line management support—linked to appraisals, career development, or talent development—is essential.

Daniela made an important point: a community of practice will last only as long as there is interest, passion, and energy. When that fades, it’s perfectly okay for the community to come to a natural end. Flexibility is key to the lifecycle of a community.


Why Libraries?

In libraries, communities of practice can be transformative. They support professional development, encourage innovation, and ultimately enhance library services and student support.


Benefits of Communities of Practice

Daniela’s evaluations revealed compelling benefits:

• 80% of members said they were generating innovative ideas and solving problems
• 77% were sharing resources, information, and experience
• 72% felt a stronger sense of belonging and connection

Other benefits included:

• Improved awareness of where and who to go to for information
• Better communication across departments
• A collective vision of excellence
• Service alignment
• A stronger sense of professional identity

Ready to Get Started? Ask Yourself These Four Questions

1. Purpose: Why Do We Exist?

Communities of practice aim to produce, extend, and exchange knowledge, connecting people with shared interests. They represent a grassroots model of change. Clarify your shared goals, skills, and expertise, and define what you want to achieve together. A clear and motivating purpose is essential.

2. Members: Who Belongs?

Once goals are clear, it becomes easier for individuals to decide if they belong. Typically, there’s a core group of active members who both learn and share. There may also be wider members with an interest but less expertise, and key stakeholders who contribute occasionally.

Daniela recommends a co-leadership model. Communities can be:

• Self-organised/informal – member-driven and less visible
• Supported/formal – intentional, strategic, and more visible
• The “third space” – autonomous but with strategic support via a Champion

Strategic sponsorship helps align the community’s purpose with organisational goals.

3. Activities: What Are We Going to Do?

Define your collaborative projects and events. Create opportunities for meaningful interaction and focus on solving shared challenges. And celebrate successes!

Activities might include:

• Relationship building
• Knowledge sharing
• Collaborative problem-solving
• Learning-focused initiatives
• Strategic alignment efforts

4. Process: How Are We Going to Do It?

Establish your meeting rhythm, communication channels, and processes. Start meetings with light, engaging interactions and prioritise psychological safety. Focus on quick wins to maintain momentum and energy.


Useful resources:

• Co-creating your communities of practice - Toolkit: https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_829077_smxx.pdf
• Devis-Rozental, C., & Clarke, S.R. (Eds.). (2024). Building Communities of Practice in Higher Education: Co-creating, Collaborating and Enriching Working Cultures (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003330554

To join the community and keep up to date about future events please sign up for the LIR mailing list 

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