Program

Our 2025 program is now live!

With a range of sessions including presentations, interactive discussion groups and panel sessions, there is something for everyone.

Take a look at the 2025 program
Lady choosing a book from the library

Program

As we have an increasingly International community, this year’s program should allow you to participate for shorter periods, at a suitable time, in your timezone! All timings subject to change.

  1. Monday 24 February 2025

    UK & EMEA West
    14:00-15:15 (GMT) | 18:00-19:15 (GMT+4)
    Opening and welcome, Jon Bentley, Commercial Director, OpenAthens
    OpenAthens celebrates 30 Years, Heidi Fraser-Krauss, CEO, Jisc
    The future of trust, access & identity in scholarly communications, Hylke Koers, Chief information officer, STM Solutions
    OpenAthens birthday quiz. Jon Bentley, Commercial director, OpenAthens

    Americas
    18:00-18:45 (GMT) | 13:00-13:45 (EST) | 10:00-10:45 (PST)
    Misinformation, disinformation, and trust in scholarly communication: Challenges and Strategies, Rick Anderson, University librarian, Brigham Young University

    19:00-20:00 (GMT) | 14:00-15:00 (EST) | 11:00-12:00 (PST)
    Discussion groups
    Join one of eight discussion groups, topics include:
    Security and user privacy, Artificial Intelligence, Library data analytics and reporting, User experience and accessibility, Community of practice: troubleshooting challenges for library customers, Vendor adoption and onboarding for new library customers, Librarians! Your questions answered, Publishers! Your questions answered.

  1. Tuesday 25 February 2025

    Asia-Pacific
    03:00-04:00 (GMT) | 11:00-12:00 (GMT+8) | 14:00-15:00 (AEDT) | 16:00-17:00 (NZDT)
    Discussion groups, Join one of four discussion groups, topics include:
    Artificial Intelligence, User experience and accessibility, Community of practice: troubleshooting challenges for library customers, Librarians! Your questions answered.

    EMEA East
    07:00-08:00 (GMT) | 11:00-12:00 (GMT+4) | 13:30-14:30 (IST)
    OpenAthens: The complete solution, Anna Russo, Senior Business Development Manager, OpenAthens
    Community case study: Empowering Academic Excellence Through Seamless Access – Ranjan Sinha Thakur, PhD, Librarian (Institute-Wide), BITS Pilani

    08:00-09:00 (GMT) | 12:00-13:00 (GMT+4) | 14:30-15:30 (IST)
    Regional discussion groups

  1. Wednesday 26 February 2025

    UK & EMEA West
    14:00-14:50 (GMT) | 18:00-18:50 (GMT+4)
    Piracy websites and research integrity concerns, Mark Seeley, executive chair of the Scholarly Networks Security Initiative
    OpenAthens session: What to expect from our customer success team, Matt Olive, Customer services manager, OpenAthens

    15:00-16:00 (GMT) | 19:00-19:50 (GMT+4)
    Discussion groups, Join one of six discussion groups, topics include:
    Artificial Intelligence, Library data analytics and reporting, User experience and accessibility, Vendor adoption and onboarding for new library customers, Librarians! Your questions answered, Publishers! Your questions answered.

    Americas
    18:00-20:00 (GMT) | 13:00-15:00 (EST) | 10:00-12:00 (PST)
    Extending the Reach of OpenAthens: Leveraging library technology for non-traditional applications, Russell Michalak, Goldey-Beacom College, US

    Customer case study: How OpenAthens supports lifelong learning and empowers communities, Clint Bellanger, senior software developer, and Rebekah Lahue, MSLS library associate II – acquisitions specialist, Auburn University, US

  1. Thursday 27 February 2025

    Asia-Pacific
    02:00-04:00 (GMT) | 10:00-12:00 (GMT+8) | 13:00-15:00 (AEDT) | 15:00-17:00 (NZDT)
    Using Generative AI in Research Discovery: a Web of Science case study, Pavel Kasyanov, principal technical solution consultant, Clarivate
    Workshop: AI literacy for librarians. The future skill of research support,
    KC Tang, iesResearch

    UK & EMEA West
    14:00-15:15 (GMT) | 16:00-18:15 (GMT+4)
    OpenAthens UX Unpacked: Lessons, wins, and the road ahead. Isobel Demangeat, UX designer, OpenAthens

    Lightning talks:
    Amanda Ferrante, EBSCO – organizational discovery service
    Jacob Mellady, development manager, Technology from Sage
    Rubem Barbosa-Hughes, Cambridge University Press

    UX Award 2025 winner, Jane Charlton, senior marketing manager, OpenAthens

    Access Lab 2025 closing session & thank you, Jon Bentley, Commercial director, OpenAthens

Speakers

Jon Bentley

Jon is commercial director at OpenAthens, he has worked in publishing for over 20 years with a variety of commercial and business publishers. His career has spanned the transformation from print to digital as companies have reacted and adapted to new technology. But his belief remains that the fundamental purpose of a publisher hasn’t changed. Accessibility to accurate, intelligent, insightful information has never been more important. Trust is paramount and Jon is delighted that OpenAthens participates in establishing that trust between the publishers, libraries and the end users.

Heidi Fraser-Krauss

My current role is the CEO of Jisc. Jisc is a not-for-profit membership organisation that provides the UK universities, colleges and skills sectors with a shared digital infrastructure.
I have worked in higher education for most of my career and held a variety of Board level leadership roles, most recently as executive director of corporate services at the University of Sheffield. Prior to Sheffield, I spent eight years at the University of York, as CIO and deputy COO.
I was a member of UCAS council for 8 years, chair of Universities and College Information Systems Association (UCISA), and chair of the Russell Universities Group IT Directors (RUGIT).
I have recently become a governor of York College my local FE provider.

Anna Russo

Anna is the Senior Business Development Manager for APAC & MENA at OpenAthens. Having worked for Hodder Education and Sage Publishing before joining OpenAthens, she has vast experience in the provision of content and technical solutions to schools, universities, and research institutions. Since joining OpenAthens, she has been working with libraries across the world to deliver OpenAthens mission to remove barriers to knowledge and connect people to information.

“My institution is implementing OpenAthens and it is helpful to learn about the organization's values and plans for the future.”

Access Lab 2022 attendee