This presentation describes what a library camp is, how we organised ours in Cardiff and and the pros of the un-conference format.

1. Library Camp Wales
Participant Driven Events

2. Glasgow
Manchester
Bristol
Newcastle
Birmingham
Cardiff

3. What is LibraryCamp?
Librarycamp is a user generated unconference for people
interested in libraries. Anyone can organise a librarycamp
- they run across the UK.
At a librarycamp the participants lead the agenda – in
fact, there isn’t an agenda until people make suggestions
for what they’d like to talk about at the start of the day.
It’s free to attend and there are no keynotes speakers. It’s
open to anyone: public/private/whatever sector and you
don't have to work in a library.

4. Library camps largely adhere to the four
principles of open space:
1. Whoever comes is the right people.
2. Whatever happens is the only thing that
could have.
3. Whenever it starts is the right time.
4. When it's over, it's over.
In addition to these principles, there is one law
of open space, known as the “Law of Two Feet.”

5. Law of Two Feet
Any time you're not contributing
nor adding value--you are
encouraged to use your two feet
and find a place where you can. In
other words, if it's not meaningful,
and you're not doing your part to
make it meaningful, move on.

6. Some of the sessions proposed for Library Camp 2013.
• Encouraging innovation in our libraries.
• What do LibraryCampers think about the new Library of
Birmingham?
• Management and libraries.
• Librarians: The Movie: Episode III.
• What services do public libraries offer jobseekers?
• Supporting language learning in Higher Education.
• Evidence-based librarianship.
• Learning to teach.
• What is to be done with CILIP?
• Copyright Ninjas – Rebels with a Cause!
• Demonstrating value college libraries...to students, to
tutors, to management?
• Are public libraries safe under local authority control?

7. We were all volunteers and work in libraries in Wales and the
South West and organised library camp in our spare time.
Library Camp Wales Organisers

9. Pitching sessions
Speed Networking
Session

11. Pros of choosing an unconference format?
• People formed more connections, and stronger
ones, at this 40 person conference than we would
have at a bigger industry event.
• It’s free to attend.
• Unconferences require less top-down planning,
as participants form their own structure on the
day.
• Unconferences are a great way of promoting
inter-disciplinary integration – anyone can attend.
• Attendees can create their own sessions and
focus on topics that interest them

12. The real reason why people attend Library Camp…