#ASL 2025 Conference Brochure
Cultivating Connection: Libraries Championing Quality, Well-Being, and Inclusivity
We are delighted to announce our two excellent Keynote speakers for the ASL 2025 conference, Helen Rimmer and Claire McGuinness.
Helen, aka the Kind Librarian, is a highly experienced and engaging speaker, passionate about helping library professionals create supportive, empathetic environments. This is a fantastic opportunity to hear her share valuable insights on positive psychology in the workplace. With over 20 years of experience in library and higher education leadership, she is deeply committed to promoting the benefits of fostering kindness and wellbeing into the library profession.
Claire McGuinness’ presentation is based on her work with the recent report, Resisting Hate and Navigating Agitation: Irish Public Library Staff Stand United Against Reactionary Challenges to LGBTQ+ Materials.
This important report explored the experiences and challenges faced by Irish public library staff as they contended with the challenges of dealing with reactionary agitation, all while upholding their commitment to serve their diverse communities.
Keynote Speakers
Helen Rimmer
Founder, The Kind Brave Leader
The Ripple Effect: How Kindness Transforms Libraries and Communities
ABSTRACT
Kindness is more than a feel-good concept—it’s a transformative force that can enhance wellbeing, foster connection, and create more inclusive and resilient library environments. In this keynote, Helen Rimmer explores the science and practice of kindness in libraries, showcasing how it benefits individuals, teams, and the wider community.
Drawing on real-world insights and interactive elements, Helen will discuss:
- The ripple effect of kindness and its ability to inspire positive change in libraries.
- Practical strategies for embedding kindness into library culture, from team dynamics to user interactions.
- The impact of kindness on reducing burnout, enhancing workplace wellbeing, and fostering a sense of belonging.
- How libraries can become champions of inclusivity, psychological safety, and meaningful engagement.
Join Helen to discover how cultivating kindness can empower libraries to thrive in today’s ever-evolving world
Biography
As a passionate advocate for transforming workplaces, Helen Rimmer is dedicated to embedding kindness and wellbeing into organisational cultures. With over 20 years in library and higher education leadership, she combines a strengths-based coaching approach with her expertise in burnout coaching, systemic team coaching and the psychology of kindness. Helen is the author of The Kind Librarian, a practical guide to embedding kindness and wellbeing in libraries. The book empowers library professionals to foster supportive, inclusive environments and navigate their careers with confidence and clarity. She is also the founder of the Kindness Unites movement.
Website: https://www.thekindbraveleader.co.uk/thekindlibrarian
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-rimmer-kindness-and-wellbeing-coach-librarian-trainer-facilitator/
Claire McGuinness
UCD School of Information and Communication Studies
Standing Firm: The Role of Public Librarians in Defending LGBTQ+ Resources Amidst Rising Disruption
ABSTRACT
In recent years, public libraries have become increasingly contested spaces as they withstand a storm of ideologically motivated agitation relating to the provision of materials and programmes for their LGBTQ+ communities.
Although steadfastly committed to an ethos of inclusivity and equality, the mental and emotional toll of this disruption on public library staff has been severe, as they strive to maintain their services in the face of highly visible online and offline antagonism.
This study centres and amplifies the voices of Irish public librarians as they describe their experiences of the past few years and highlights the critical and unique role of public libraries as custodians of epistemic rights in society.
Biography
Claire McGuinness is an Assistant Professor at UCD’s School of Information and Communication Studies, whose research interests focus on the critical roles that libraries and librarians play in educational, community, and everyday life settings. Her publications to date include three books and multiple journal articles. She presents this research today on behalf of a team, which include Páraic Kerrigan (Principal Investigator), Crystal Fulton, Eugenia Siapera, Faye Carrie and Feargal Keenan.
UCD Research Portal profile: https://people.ucd.ie/claire.mcguinness
Bluesky link: http://clairemcguin.bsky.social/
Speakers
Amy Bond, Bord Bia
Cultivating connection for quality market and category insight
In this presentation, Amy Bond will discuss how the Bord Bia library team led a project to update the organisation’s market and category understanding templates. In doing so they moved from a suite of six rigid, out-dated, and difficult to use templates, to two flexible, easy to use, and visually appealing templates. This was achieved by leaning into their connections across the organisation, from the insights and capability development teams to colleagues based in Bord Bia’s overseas offices. These reports will help provide Bord Bia’s client companies with nuanced and in-depth insights into categories and markets, to help them achieve business growth. As well as guiding the development of the templates themselves, the library will also continue to support the completion of templates through providing necessary information resources, and through one-to-one calls with colleagues to talk them through the library reports shared and how best to use them. Through this, the library will continue to cultivate connections across the organisation and demonstrate their value.
Biography
Amy is an Assistant Librarian in Bord Bia. She has an MSc in Library and Information management from Dublin Business School. As part of her role in Bord Bia she works to support the growth of the Irish food and drink industry through providing access to information and insight to guide good business decisions. Amy is also passionate about books and reading. Her children’s novel Morgana Mage in the Robotic Age was published in 2021.
Claire Mason, Maynooth University Library
The heart of the campus: A study of academic libraries in Ireland and their provision of well-being supports for students
Academic libraries are at the heart of campus life and are therefore in a unique position to provide mental health and well-being support to students. Despite many initiatives taking place on the island of Ireland very little literature has been published providing evidence of this. Academic librarians who were either library directors, or who had responsibility for student services in the library, enthusiastically responded to a survey which asked questions regarding the provision of mental health and well-being supports in their libraries, and the drivers and barriers in doing so. The study also investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on service provision. The findings of this study and recommendations for academic libraries in Ireland will be discussed in this presentation.
Biography
Claire recently took on the role of Electronic Resources Librarian in Maynooth University Library. Previous to this she was a Senior Library Assistant in the Collections and Digital Services Directorate at DCU and has worked in libraries for nearly 30 years. She began her career in public libraries in the UK and has spent over 20 years in academic libraries in Ireland. In 2022, she embarked on an MA in Library and Information Services through the University of Sheffield, which she completed last year. She is passionate about promoting student mental health initiatives in libraries and her recent dissertation was the result of a study of academic libraries on the island of Ireland, and how they support positive mental health for their users. In her spare time she enjoys voluntary work in her community, running and fine wine.
@masonclairec (X/Twitter)
Martin O’Connor, UCC Library
Shush! Sounds from UCC Library: Building connections and library champions through music and conversation
Shush! Sounds from UCC Library is a weekly radio show and podcast which has been running since 2016. This academic year it has rolled out a new initiative to foster connections and strengthen relationships between UCC Library and the wider UCC community.
Academic and support staff from across UCC take part in Takeover episodes where they curate 45(ish) minutes of music, sharing their song choices alongside insights into their roles and how the library supports their work.
During the show the guests answer library-themed questions, offering reflections on their work and the library that highlight how UCC Library positively impacts their academic and professional lives. Much like Desert Island Discs, these conversations combine personal expression with professional insights, allowing the library to build meaningful, collaborative relationships.
The enthusiastic participation—the show is already fully booked with guests for the next six months — demonstrates the show’s effectiveness in creating an inclusive, enjoyable space whilst turning UCC staff into champions for UCC library and of libraries in general. These shows exemplify how our libraries can build deeper connections in a fun way within our communities.
As with all things Shush there will be music and audio.
Biography
Martin O’Connor is Communications Coordinator at UCC Library. He has widely published and presented in the areas of library outreach and communications, marketing of libraries, social media, blogging, podcasting, leadership and Chinese Librarianship.
He co-runs Libfocus, the Library blog. He runs the award-winning music and socio-cultural blog The Blackpool Sentinel. He also hosts the weekly radio show Shush! Sounds from UCC Library on UCC 98.3FM, University College Cork.
He was jointly awarded the LAI / CILIP Library Staff Champion Award in 2021.
He can be found on BlueSky at @martinoconnor.bsky.social and on Instagram with Shush at @shush.radio
Jorden McMenamin and Mark Mulholland, ATU Library
A night to remember at ATU Library: Hosting a murder mystery for student Induction & Inclusion
This case study explores a unique approach to First-Year Student Induction in the Yeats Library, ATU Sligo, by using a Murder Mystery & Games Night format. This event was promoted during the #First5Weeks initiative at ATU to set up evening events for students during their induction to engage with fellow-students from across the University in a social context and gain key knowledge about the Library. Our main goals were to get students interacting in teams, gain familiarity with the library’s location, key resources, and the library staff, through solving clues together.
We aim to show how the team developed a framework document and script for a large audience of new students, and set up the Murder Mystery event to gain learnings about the Library layout in a fun way. As part of our promotion, we designed a poster, distributed flyers around campus, and linked with ATU Global and our Student Services Team to inform students. The feedback we gathered through our survey and reach on our social media pages highlighted the positive engagement we received across ATU. This reflects how interactive events hosted by the library can have a huge impact on a student’s ability to form connections with their peers and staff on campus.
Biography
Jorden McMenamin graduated with a PgDip in LIS from Ulster University to pursue a career in academic libraries. She currently works as a Library Assistant at ATU Donegal looking after the Library’s social media. She previously worked at Yeats Library, ATU Sligo, where she and her fellow library team member devised a Murder Mystery Night. She recently completed a pilot scheme for MyCareerPath and one of ATU’s MOOCs on Marketing to learn more about how to create targeted events for students at ATU. Her goal is to promote libraries as a powerful resource of information and connection to help students build their futures.
Biography
Mark Mulholland works in the Yeats Library, ATU Sligo and is an active author with twenty-seven literary works published in the USA, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Scotland, England, India, and Ireland, including major universities. He is the author of the internationally acclaimed novel A Mad and Wonderful Thing (London/Melbourne/New York) and Eine Wahnsinnige und Wundervolle Welt (Hamburg). He is the author of the children’s book A Moo Cow Came Travelling (USA). Prior to ATU Mark has had leadership, management, and directorial roles in Aerospace, Manufacturing, Enterprise Innovation, and Local Development where he oversaw all operations including design, creation, production, quality, development, social inclusion, and digital inclusion. He has led creative projects for the EU Commission, Lufthansa, Fujitsu, and community organisations across Ireland.
X: @library_atu
Instagram: yeatslibraryatu
Facebook: Yeats Library ATU
Nuala Murray and Aoife Murphy, DCU Library
For staff, by staff: A learning & development group
In a recent article, the World Economic Forum released their top skills for workers with analytical and creative thinking topping the bill; soft skills such as flexibility, resilience and self-awareness are also required. Moreover, in an increasingly changing library landscape, staff must constantly update their skills in order to assist our diverse community of users.
With this in mind, DCU Library assembled an innovative Learning and Development Working Group (LDWG). In line with the Library’s Learning and Development Policy, the group aims to promote a culture of continuous learning, enhancing staff skills, knowledge, and expertise to keep pace with technological advancements. Comprising members from all grades and directorates ensures diverse perspectives and comprehensive support. It identifies common development needs, evaluates the effectiveness of current learning and development practices and recognises the importance of CPD in improving the library environment at both micro and macro levels.
The LDWG hosts opportunities for staff to share knowledge, enhance their presentation skills and foster professional growth through an annual all staff learning day. Currently, we are reviewing our induction policy and exploring peer-led shadowing of other directorates.
Staff engagement has been vital in achieving our objectives and continues to shape future strategic planning.
Biography
Nuala Murray is a Senior Library Assistant within the Public Services & Outreach directorate of DCU Library. Nuala works as the Help Desk Supervisor for two of DCU’s library sites: Cregan Library and Woodlock Hall Library. She is currently in her final year of a Master’s degree in Information and Library Science with Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.
Biography
Aoife Murphy is a Senior Library Assistant within the Public Services & Outreach Directorate of DCU Library. In her role, she serves as the Public Services Operations Coordinator, overseeing operations across all three of DCU’s library sites. As part of her role she supervises the shelving team, organises the library orientation programme, leads the library monitor team and collaborates with the Public Services Manager to improve library services and support systems.
Grace O’Connor, DCU Library
Less stress, more success! DCU Library’s exam destress tables
DCU Library, in collaboration with the Student’s Union, implemented “De-Stress Tables” during the December exam periods of 2023 and 2024. These were designed to support students’ mental well-being and foster a sense of community.
This initiative provided free resources such as healthy snacks, green tea, chocolate, earplugs, bubble wrap for stress relief, and community jigsaws. Rooted in the ethos of quality service, well-being, and inclusivity, the initiative was a low-cost yet impactful effort to address student anxiety, strengthen connections within the campus community, and position the library as a champion of holistic student success. This case study examines the planning, execution, student feedback, and outcomes of the initiative.
Biography
Grace obtained a joint BA in English and History from UCC back in 2006, and has worked in libraries for over a decade, starting at Trinity College Dublin and later joining DCU in 2011. In 2022, she took on the role of Senior Library Assistant for Outreach & Engagement. Professionally, she’s passionate about leveraging social media to promote libraries and ensuring a user-friendly experience for students. In her downtime, Grace enjoys cheese, wine, and classic Simpsons episodes.
Kirsteen Walters, South East Technological University Library (SETU)
Empowering library users with AI literacy: Developing high-quality resources to foster knowledge growth
The talk is focused on developing an AI literacy and prompt engineering tutorial at SETU. As a library professional, it is important to consider how to stay current with changing technologies and emerging trends in higher education. It is our role to impart knowledge to assist our students in navigating the fast-changing technological landscape at play. Given this context, a project was developed to enhance students’ skills in artificial intelligence literacy. The initiative became possible through securing SATLE funding and was designed to complement the other AI projects at SETU. The focus of the project was to create and implement an open educational resource to impart the required AI literacy skills to our student community.
With AI becoming increasingly prevalent across many industries, equipping students with essential AI literacy skills is vital for their academic and professional success. The tutorial showcases prompt engineering skills to provide students with the knowledge and ability to use generative AI tools effectively. In addition, it offers frameworks for critically evaluating the outputs of these tools and their sources of information. This initiative demonstrates the libraries’ commitment to designing user-centric services that are accessible to all users, meeting their current and future needs.
Biography
Kirsteen Walters is the Assistant Librarian to Lifelong Learning and Research Support at the South East Technological University Carlow. Kirsteen is interested in enhancing AI literacy skills amongst the student community at SETU and has previously implemented an AI literacy library guide for SETU. She also has experience working in public and specialist libraries. She qualified with her MLIS from UCD in 2012 and is currently undertaking modules towards an MA in teaching and learning.
Poster Presentations
Aislinn Shanahan Daly, MIE Library
Reimagining library spaces for student well-being: Insights from the development of the MIE library well-being area
Student well-being has been a developing concern for academic institutions in recent years. Initiatives around student well-being in Ireland have focused mainly on embedding well-being education into curricula. MIE Library’s recent LibQual survey (2023) indicated a growing desire among students for more dynamic library spaces. The creation of the Well-being Area is part of a wider plan to develop such spaces. The question remains however; what responsibilities do academic libraries have to provide resources and support in relation to student wellbeing? And to what end do well-being initiatives require collaboration across campus with stakeholders such as accessibility officers and student unions? This poster demonstrates the development of the Well-being Area at MIE Library, and explores what the remit of a small academic library is in providing well-being resources. It presents the findings of a survey completed by students about how the Well-being Area and resources currently meet their needs, and how they could be improved in future. Additionally, usage data on the collection of books provided in the Well-being Area is displayed. In conclusion, this poster illustrates the critical role that libraries provide as spaces in the promotion of student well-being in an increasingly digital academic environment.
Biography
Aislinn Shanahan Daly is a Library Assistant at Marino Institute of Education. She began working in academic libraries in 2021, and recently completed an MA in Social and Political Thought at the University of Sussex. She is interested in user-focused library spaces and open access scholarship.
Anne O’Callaghan, UCC Library
Building Connections, One Book at a Time, through UCC Library’s Inclusive and Collaborative Thematic Book Displays
UCC Library’s Boole Book Display, on the ground floor of the Boole Library, fosters meaningful connections with students by offering thematic displays from our general collections, which are available for borrowing. Initially aimed at increasing student engagement, the displays tie into significant events like Black History Month, International Women’s Day, and Cork Pride, as well as UCC initiatives such as Bystander Intervention Week and Equality Week. Thematic focuses also include leisure reading such as ‘Recent Irish Writing,’ and student wellbeing, particularly during exams, featuring resources on managing stress and mental health.
For us collaboration is central to the initiative. We partner with UCC departments and student societies to co-curate displays that reflect their interests and activities, fostering inclusivity and shared ownership. Social media amplifies these collaborations, broadening the library’s reach and engagement. Library staff also curate displays inspired by their personal passions, creating a vibrant and dynamic environment.
Student engagement is tracked through borrowing rates, social media interactions, and feedback collected via QR codes.
These efforts exemplify the library’s commitment to building relationships by creating inclusive, welcoming spaces that support the diverse needs of our student community and promote student wellbeing.
Biography
Anne O’Callaghan is a senior library assistant who has worked at the Library Services Desk in Boole Library UCC for the past 20 years. She is part of the team that provides front line services to students and staff and that manages spaces. She manages the FAQs on the library website, the Space Hog campaign at exam times and the Boole Book Display. She has managed the book display since it started in Summer 2022 and it is the part her job that she enjoys most. Anne also worked in a public library in the UK as a library assistant.
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