Affiliated Organization News, October 2026
13th Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS), Dublin, Ireland, from 31 May - 2 June, 2028
13th Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS) conference will be held in person in Dublin, Ireland, from 31 May to 2 June, 2028! The conference will be preceded by a Doctoral Colloquium on 30 May, 2028. CoLIS 2028 will be hosted by the University College Dublin, with Professor Lai Ma serving as Conference Chair.
The Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS) conference series provides an international forum for the exploration and exchange of ideas in Library and Information Science, Information Studies, and related disciplines.
2027 Mortenson Center Associates Program Applications Open
New 60-Credit-Hour PhD in Information Studies at the University of Oklahoma
The School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) at the University of Oklahoma is accepting applications for its new 60-credit-hour PhD in Information Studies, designed to support degree completion in approximately four years. The program prepares scholars and leaders for careers in research, teaching, policy, and information-focused organizations, with research opportunities spanning AI, information behavior, digital humanities, archival studies, museum studies, information systems, and information policy.
Applications for the Fall 2027 cohort are due January 15, 2027. Learn more and apply at here.
SALAMANDER Program Applications Open
The SALAMANDER (Strengthening Academic Librarians' AI Methods and Networks for Digital Ethics Research) program is now accepting applications from academic librarians, doctoral students, and early-career LIS faculty interested in AI ethics, AI literacy, responsible AI use, and workforce development. Up to 30 participants from across the United States will be selected to take part in this mentorship and research-focused program, which includes virtual collaboration, an in-person forum in Denton, Texas, and a research publication opportunity. Applications are due October 31, 2026. Learn more and apply here.
Save the Date: ISIC 2028
The ISIC: The Information Behaviour Conference, will be held in person in Uppsala, Sweden from 15 to 17 August 2028 with a doctoral forum and workshops held on 14 August 2028. ISIC will be hosted by the Department of ALM at Uppsala University with professor Isto Huvila serving as the general conference chair, associate professor Åse Hedemark as the local conference chair and associate professor Olle Sköld as the programme chair.
ISIC – originally written out Information Seeking in Context – is the academic home of the information behaviour research community. The biennial conference focuses on contextualized information activities, expressed in different forms such as 'information behaviour', 'information practice', 'information seeking', 'information experience' and others. ISIC conferences promote the interdisciplinary study of information research for research papers exploring information as a rich site of study, going beyond a sole focus on technological aspects and exploring a wide variety of contexts.
Share a Practical Library or Archives Project
Michelle Evans Oliver, column editor of "Special Libraries, Special Challenges" in Public Services Quarterly, welcomes practical case-study ideas for one available fourth-quarter 2026 column and four additional columns in 2027. Topics may include collection access, accessible services, research support, community archives, staffing, collaboration, and evaluated AI services. These are starting points; other ideas connected to library or archival public services are welcome. Small projects and lessons from setbacks are encouraged. Explain the service challenge, your approach, results or evaluation, and what colleagues could adapt.
Send a 150–200-word idea, with your name, role, and institution, to michelle.oliver@genconceptsresearch.com. Michelle welcomes a conversation about fit and scope before drafting; final publication depends on meeting the journal's editorial requirements. For the available 2026 column, submit ideas by October 30, 2026. The invited author's completed manuscript will be due December 1, 2026. Ideas for later 2027 columns are also welcome, with deadlines discussed individually.
SNAC Merge-a-thon 2026 Registration Open
The Social Networks and Archival Contexts (SNAC) Cooperative will host its first virtual SNAC Merge-a-thon on November 12, 2026 (rain date: December 1). This free event will provide training and hands-on experience identifying and merging duplicate archival authority records to improve linked data quality across the SNAC network. Open to both new and experienced SNAC editors. Register here.
Society for Scholarly Publishing Annual Meeting: June 2–4, 2027 | Omni Providence Hotel & Rhode Island Convention Center | Providence, RI, USA
Defining our Future: Reassessing What, How, and Why We Publish
For generations, scholarly publishing has served a fundamental purpose: to record discovery, disseminate knowledge, and advance learning. While our tools and models have evolved, the essential questions of what, how, and why we publish have remained remarkably steadfast. Today, challenges around research integrity, trust in expertise, financial sustainability, and rapidly changing technologies are prompting us to reconsider even these foundations.
At the 2027 SSP Annual Meeting, Defining Our Future: Reassessing What, How, and Why We Publish, the scholarly communications community will explore what should endure, what must evolve, and what we may need to reimagine. Which principles and practices remain essential, and where is fundamental change needed? Together, we will draw on our collective knowledge to examine how we will serve the next generation of researchers and readers.
All individual members and staff of organizational members will receive the member discount to attend the Annual Meeting.
Click here to read more and register.
Calls For Papers & Projects: