OCULA Conference
Under Whose Authority? Power and Purpose in Academic Libraries
What are the boundaries of academic and intellectual freedom within academic institutions, particularly in this socio-political moment? How does the academic library as a memory institution claim neutrality while also acting as the authority on which technologies, information, and resources should or should not be prioritized, protected, and shared? What is the academic library worker’s relationship with authority and positional power, and how can we use our roles to enact institutional, sectoral, and social change? Making sense of some of our sector’s biggest questions can only be addressed together. Join us for a day of ideas, grassroots conversations, and dynamic presentations from folks who have spent their careers reflecting on these questions.
Event Details
- Date: Wednesday May 7, 2025
- Time: 10AM – 4PM ET
- Format: Virtual + On-Demand for 6 months
- Program Details: Full Schedule will be available in early April.
Registration Pricing:
- OLA Member: $125.00
- Non-Member: $225.00
- Non-Member PLUS (Registration + One year membership): $200.00
- Provincial Affiliate (non-Ontario members): $125.00
- Students/Retired/Underemployed: $50.00
- Staff at First Nations Public Libraries: Free
About the OCULA Spring Conference
The OCULA Spring Conference is a one-day conference that brings together library staff from academic institutions on a specific topic or theme. The annual event is planned by a sub-committee of OCULA Council and takes place in the spring of each year. This event was historically held in-person but has been virtual since 2021.
View the Past Events section (below) for information on past conferences.
The OCULA Conference is planned by members of OCULA Council.
2012 Fall | 2013 Spring | 2013 Fall | 2014 Spring | 2014 Fall | 2015 Spring | 2015 Fall | 2016 Spring | 2016 Fall | 2017 Fall | 2018 Fall | 2019 Spring | Summer 2021 | Spring 2022 | Spring 2023 | Spring 2024
- March 2020 – Supporting Students in the Stacks: Student Mental Health and Wellness Initiatives at the Library
- December 2019 – International Students and the Library: Empowering English Language Learners on Campus
- June 2019 – Intellectual Freedom
- February 2019 – Exploring Critical Librarianship
- October 2018 – Exploring Open Educational Resources (OER)
- November 2018 – Working towards reconciliation: Engagement and relationship building to shape access and knowledge organization
