OpenAthens Conference 2019
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User-centred by design
19 March 2019
America Square Conference Centre, London, UK
About | Who is this for? | Previous delegate feedback | Programme | Programme FAQs | Ticketing | Ticketing FAQs | Speakers | Sponsors & Exhibits | How to get there | Latest news & Blogs
About the Conference
The conference theme ‘User-centred by design’ reflects our collective commitment to developing a secure, simple and seamless user journey to content.
Topics range from user experience and user consent and privacy, to piracy and practical use of identity and access management.
The OpenAthens Conference attracts over 150 international publishers and library professionals from a wide range of sectors including education and research, healthcare, government, charity, publishing, and commercial. Anyone with an interest in identity and access management is welcome to attend.
We want our international conference audience to feel inspired and enthused about the sessions they participated in during the day and to benefit from the valuable connections they make through networking.
View the OpenAthens Conference 2018 resources page.
Who is this for?
This event is of interest to anyone working in education and research, healthcare, medical and pharma, corporate and publishing industries that has an interest in identity and access management and secure, seamless access to digital content. Job roles could include Librarians and Library Managers, Information Professionals, Publishers, Product Managers, IT Professionals and Developers.
Book ticketsDelegate feedback from 2018 OpenAthens Conference.
“Topics and talks were relevant and interesting.”
“The programme was very topical, some good speakers and plenty of time for networking.”
“Excellent value for money, fantastic location and facilities and the speakers were interesting.”
Programme
(subject to change)
09:30 – 10:00
Registration, coffee, networking and exhibition
10:00 – 10:15
Welcome address
– Mike Brooksbank, managing director, OpenAthens
10:15 – 10:45
Opening keynote: Three models for UX design
– Dan Ramsden, creative director for user experience architecture, BBC
Dan will share three models for how he thinks about and practices user centred design. He’ll begin by sharing how Jesse James Garrett’s ‘Elements of User Experience’ got him started in the world of UX. He’ll then talk about the ‘double diamond’ model of divergent and convergent design thinking, as well as his own interpretation – Dan’s Fish. He’ll share stories of how the BBC put the audience at the heart of everything they do. And talk about the dangers of creating ‘unintentional information architecture’. Every design decision is an opportunity to make things easier or more difficult for your users. Dan will share his thinking on how we can be more intentional and user centred as we design and create software systems and the experiences they enable.
10:45 – 11:15
Plenary 1: RA21
Todd Carpenter, executive director, National Information Standards Organization
The RA21 Project has been working for the past two years to improve the user experience of access to subscribed resources. After having reviewed some initial pilot technologies, RA21 is ready to roll out its recommended practice and launch an ongoing service to support user identity management and individual access to content. The project is now entering a new phase, in which interested parties will form a consortium to provide ongoing maintenance, outreach support, and governance to the effort moving forward. Todd will discuss what RA21 has accomplished, demonstrate the service, and provide an update on what is next for RA21.
11:15 – 11:45
Coffee, networking and exhibitions
11:45 – 12:15
Plenary 2: GALILEO for Life: Georgia’s Portal to Lifelong Learning
– Russell Palmer, assistant director for support services, GALILEO
GALILEO, the virtual library for the state of Georgia in the USA, entered 2017 with a vibrant and successful past, new leadership, and a strategic plan…that was last updated in 1995. The GALILEO team, assisted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, engaged its stakeholders in a strategic planning process. Through this initiative, our vision became clear: GALILEO facilitates the creation of knowledge and provides tools and resources for all Georgians to meet their lifelong learning needs.
In order to support this strategic vision, GALILEO set strategic goals with authentication as a cornerstone for future service development and customization. Russell Palmer, GALILEO Assistant Director, will explore the team’s determination to actualize this vision, and the role OpenAthens will play in GALILEO’s future.
12:15 – 12:45
Sponsored vendor lightning talks
Speakers TBC
12:45 – 13:45
Lunch, networking and exhibition
13:45 – 14:45
Breakout sessions:
a) Case studies:
1. “Can you do something with this data?”
– Samantha Heeson, electronic and data services librarian, Leeds Beckett University
Integrated data is key to effective data analysis, but disparate data is often the reality. University library analytics is one area where this is changing. It is being driven by a desire to better understand library users, whether they be students or academics, and thus support their successful learning, researching and teaching experience, as well as the need to manage budgets and collections.
This session is about enabling broader and deeper analysis of OpenAthens e-resource usage data and looks at a pilot project at Leeds Beckett University Library, accessing the feasibility of integrating OpenAthens e-resource usage data, collected at the user ID level, with Student Record data.
2. Clinician training in the Queensland public health sector
– Cindy Slater, senior customer engagement manager, EBSCO
The session will provide an insight into how training is delivered to clinicians in Queensland Health and touch on challenges associated with ensuring all staff across this large geographic area have access to the resources, know how to access the resources, and how to get the most out resources.
3. Title TBC
– Sonja van Montfort-van der Beek, head of libraries, Defra
The session will provide an overview of the account management project for Defra Libraries, describing the overall aims and objectives. As well as discussing the challenges of providing seamless access for staff who move regularly within the different Defra organisations, whilst also ensuring only relevant licensed resources are being accessed.
4. (TBC)
– (TBC)
b) Workshop: User-centred publishing
– Vee Rogacheva, UX designer, OpenAthens
This workshop explores the challenges and opportunities for publishers to provide an improved online experience for their users. The first part of the workshop will look at the user journey for students and highlight behavioural trends which have an impact on the way students navigate online content. In the second part of the workshop, the audience will be invited to share and discuss ideas on how to turn the changing user behaviour into an opportunity to improve the way content is accessed and delivered.
c) OpenAthens sessions
1. Marketing OpenAthens to users
– Michelle Silvestre, marketing manager, OpenAthens
2. How to make the most of OpenAthens
– Joe Bromley, support analyst, & Jake Wiles, technical solutions expert, OpenAthens
14:45 – 15:15
Coffee, networking and exhibitions
15:15 – 16:15
Panel debate: Piracy as a disruptor for change
– Emily Powell, knowledge and information specialist, College of Policing
– Speakers (TBC)
16:15 – 16:45
Plenary 3: OpenAthens product roadmap
– Adam Snook, product manager, OpenAthens
16:45 – 17:00
Closing address
– Mike Brooksbank, managing director, OpenAthens
17:00 – 18:00
Drinks reception
Programme FAQs
Are sessions role or industry specific?
Some of the opening, guest speaker and Q&A session aim to appeal to all. We have aimed to deliver a range of breakout sessions and roundtables to appeal to job roles and industry sectors.
Drinks reception
Join us for a complimentary drink before you travel home.
Any other questions?
Please email openathens@eduserv.org.uk or call Beth Rutter on +44 (0)117 313 0466.
What is the mini exhibition?
We are inviting a range of partners and suppliers to have small stands in the main networking and catering area of America Square Conference Centre.
Ticketing
Early bird tickets available for two weeks until 14 November, save 20%!
Look out for our Black Friday sale!
Register now
Ticketing FAQs
Why are you charging for tickets?
As a not-for-profit organisation, we are asking for a nominal contribution towards event costs in order for us to deliver a quality conference that is a valuable learning and networking experience for our customers.
Is my ticket refundable?
Sorry, no your ticket is not refundable if you are unable to attend or decide not to come. This is because of the nonrefundable contract terms of the venue. If the conference venue cancels the event, we will pursue ticket cost refunds on behalf of our customers. If OpenAthens need to cancel the event we will endeavour to refund ticket costs.
Is my ticket transferable?
Yes. Please email us openathens@eduserv.org.uk with any changes to delegate names.
How do I book my breakout sessions?
This is included when you register for your delegate place via Eventbrite. Click on the blue ‘Register now’ button above.
How will I get my ticket/s?
Tickets will be emailed – bring a printed copy or show us on your phone.
How many people can attend from each organisation?
At this stage, we are capping delegates to two per organisation. This may change nearer the time.
I have dietary and/or special requirements - how can I let you know?
You can confirm dietary needs and special requirements when registering for your delegate place via Eventbrite.
Speakers
Dan Ramsden
Creative director for UX Architecture & UX Writing, BBC
As creative director for UX architecture (UXA) and design research at the BBC, Dan Ramsden leads a team of information architects who are committed to making the BBC’s tools, content and experiences more meaningful and connected. He’s responsible for defining the professional practice of UXA at the BBC and ensuring that the organisation is creating information architecture that delivers the best possible experiences to its editors and audiences.
Dan has previously worked for agencies and ran a theatre company. He now designs labels, vocabularies, URLs, navigation, strategies, and processes. He likes jokes, magic and making the most of moments. He also likes alliterations. He lives just outside Sheffield (UK) with a wife, a child, and a cat called Rosa.
Todd Carpenter
Executive director, National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
Todd Carpenter is currently executive director of the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), a non-profit trade association that fosters the development and maintenance of technology standards for the creation, management, and exchange of content. Prior to joining NISO, Todd held management positions at BioOne, The Johns Hopkins University Press, the Energy Intelligence Group, and the Haworth Press. He has served on the Boards of several industry and community organizations, including the Foundation for the Baltimore County Public Library, the Society for Scholarly Publishing, and the Free Ebook Foundation. Todd is a graduate of Syracuse University and holds a masters degree in business from the Johns Hopkins University.
Russell Palmer
Assistant director for support services, GALILEO
Russell Palmer is the assistant director for support services at GALILEO, Georgia’s Virtual Library, and has worked within the library community for over 20 years. At GALILEO, Russell supervises support services staff, processes and workflows, maintains the GALILEO training program, and manages the review and implementation of new technology products and services.
Russell joined GALILEO in 2016 after ten years at LYRASIS, the largest U.S. library, and cultural heritage network, where he served as training manager, implementation project manager for Digital Technology Services, and membership program manager. Russell began his professional career at Mercer University as an Interlibrary loan and reference librarian, and would later lead the Mercer information literacy instruction team.
A native Georgian, Russell graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and received his master’s degree in library science from Florida State University.
Samantha Heeson
Electronic and data services librarian, Leeds Beckett University
Samantha leads on data analysis and management in Libraries and Learning Innovation at Leeds Beckett University. She provides senior managers, library decision makers and academic support colleagues with evidence and insight about resource usage, user engagement and library impact, so that students, lecturers and researchers have appropriate, impactful and cost-effective learning materials, all within the confines of limited budget. Samantha previously worked in the university’s Registry, Strategic Planning and Student Centred Change Management teams, as well as IT project management in the private sector. She enjoys finding new and enhancing existing solutions.
Emily Powell
Knowledge and information specialist, College of Policing
Sonja van Montfort-van der Beek
Head of libraries, Defra
Sonja is Head of Libraries at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Sonja led on the merger of the libraries from the Animal Plant and Health Agency, Core Defra and Natural England. Sonja also established a model for PAYG services to a number of Defra bodies.
Prior to joining Defra, Sonja held positions at Cambridge University Library, PriceWaterHouseCoopers and GCI Information Services. Sonja holds a masters degree in Information Management from the University of Amsterdam.
Cindy Slater
Senior customer engagement manager, EBSCO
Cindy is based in Melbourne, Australia and is the trainer for CKN (Clinical Knowledge Network) Queensland Health’s research portal; delivering onsite and online training to clinicians. Cindy has a clinical background as a Podiatrist. She has also worked as a school teacher and software trainer. Cindy is a qualified librarian.
Mike Brooksbank
Managing director, OpenAthens
Mike joined Eduserv in March 2015 as executive director, responsible for OpenAthens. Prior to OpenAthens Mike held a number of senior commercial roles in technology-centric businesses, he has directed and run international software and SaaS operations in the United States, the Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa. Under his direction the OpenAthens business has been reshaped and truly established internationally; Mike became managing director of OpenAthens & Chest in 2018.
Adam Snook
Product manager, OpenAthens
Adam is an experienced Technical Product Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Incident Management, Service Delivery, Technical Support, Customer Service and working in an Agile/Scrum environment.
Vee Rogacheva
UX designer, OpenAthens
Vee works with the OpenAthens product team to introduce product improvements and innovation, merging analytical, strategic and creative thinking in her work. Vee works with stakeholders to help them align business goals to user needs and helps OpenAthens customers with a wide range of challenges from user research through to digital services redesign.
Michelle Silvestre
Marketing manager, OpenAthens
Michelle is an experienced marketing manager with a background in technology, environmental data, and not-for-profit sectors. Specifically looking after the OpenAthens product for librarians, Michelle is responsible for all aspects of the marketing mix, working closely with our global channel partners and with the product team to put our customers at the centre of all we do at OpenAthens.
Joe Bromley
Support analyst, OpenAthens
Jake Wiles
Technical solutions expert, OpenAthens
Jake works with the OpenAthens Solutions team to oversee legacy migrations and new implementations of Identity and Access management systems. He is experienced in the IT industry providing technical support, customer service and thinking outside the box.
Sponsorship & Exhibits
Opportunities coming soon!
Please contact openathens@eduserv.org.uk with queries.
How to get there
Address
No.1, America Square
17 Crosswall
London
EC3N 2LB
Is there any parking?
There is no parking at this venue.
Where is the nearest train station?
London Fenchurch Street is a four-minute walk from the venue.
Where is the nearest tube station?
Tower Hill is a four-minute walk from the venue.
Where is the nearest airport?
London City Airport.
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