National Acquisitions Group (NAG)

People Powered: Human-centred innovation. 16th NAG Collection Development Seminar, Nottingham 20-21 May 2026 #NAGcd16 https://nag.org.uk/2026-seminar/

Call for Papers!
"People Powered: human centred innovation"
NAG's 16th Collection Development Seminar in Nottingham, 20-21 May. For the first time, we are doing TWO days so even more space for fantastic papers & workshops.
Deadline: 1st Feb
More info: nag.org.uk/cfp-2026/
#NAGcd16 #NAGplf26

The logo for the LILAC 2026 conference. The logo is circular with a white background, the circle has a lilac outline. All text within the circle is a lilac colour and all images are white with a lilac outline, to show detail. At the centre of the circle there are two female figures. They are stood facing forwards but looking in different directions. They are wearing overalls and boots. They both have a cloth hanging out of a pocket and the figure on the right has goggles on her forehead. They each have one arm around the other and their other hand is on their own hip. The figures are based on the Women of Steel bronze sculpture that commemorates the women of Sheffield who worked in the city's steel industry during the First World War and Second World War. It was created by the sculptor Martin Jennings. Above the figures are the words LILAC: The information literacy conference, below the figures is the word Sheffield - all words are in capital letters. To the left of the figures is the number 20 and to the right of the figures is the number 26.

Bookings for #LILAC26 are open 🎉 To find out more, and to secure your place, visit our website: buff.ly/2gyo3d4

We can’t wait to see you in Sheffield!
#infolit #digilit

We have also sold the drinks sponsorship opportunity to BDS but the buffet option still remaining... Our hungry delegates would thank you!
Silver sponsorships going quickly with @oclc.org @universitypress.cambridge.org @koganpage.bsky.social and Browns Books already signed up!

We are delighted to welcome @kortext.bsky.social and @vitalsource.bsky.social as our two Gold sponsors for 2026 who quickly snapped up this opportunity!
#NAGcd16

Sponsorship opportunities open. NAG Seminar 2026, 20 and 21 May 2026, Albert Hall Nottingham https://nag.org.uk/2026-seminar/

Sponsorship now open for NAG Seminar 2026! This fab venue offers plenty of space but some options are limited to first come, first served so don't miss out....
We're looking for a reception sponsor, a drinks sponsor & there are just 2 opportunities for lightning talks:
nag.org.uk/2026-seminar/

It was a fantastic session - thank you so much! And welcome to BlueSky!

"Reading between the lines - promoting diversity and inclusion through curated book displays" with Dean Brown, Beth Lanigan and Cameron Fragoso, University of Salford with picture of the team and their book display on the right.

Q&A document, purchases list and EDI calendar now added to the recording page for "Reading Between the Lines" from last week's #NAGWebinarWeek with @salforduni.bsky.social
Open access for all at:
nag.org.uk/development/...
Huge thanks to Dean, Beth and Cameron for their extra work on this!

Map with a pin on Nottingham titled "Save the Date NAG Seminar 2026" 20 and 21 May, Albert Hall Nottingham more info https://nag.org.uk/2026-seminar/

That's a wrap! Thank you to everyone who attended or contributed to #NAGWebinarWeek 2025 and we hope to see lots of you in person at NAG Seminar and Forum in Nottingham in May 2026!
- 20th and 21st May 2026
- Albert Hall, Nottingham

More info: nag.org.uk/2026-seminar/
📚 #NAGcd16 #NAGplf26

If more practical help from @annewelsh.bsky.social going through record examples would be popular let us know and it could be a future Forum session #NAGWebinarWeek

For copy cataloguing - if you find a similar seeming record - check the 130 field for alternative titles and the 300 for pagination - and compare to see if its your edition #NAGWebinarWeek

Small presses and diverse authors often lose out from discoverability in shelf ready metadata supply, NAG's own @stuhennigan.bsky.social given a shout out for his work with small presses and library catalogues #NAGWebinarWeek

Q "For public libraries, most get metadata from BDS, but things like books in other languages, objects for library of things fall outside of their scope. But we lack resources / skills often - what can we do?" A - Ask for it to be managed as a project, work with volunteers with language skills

Staff can analyse backlogs by keeping a photo of a title page with notes on challenges within the processes #NAGWebinarWeek

Often the person very good at cataloguing in a team is stereotyped as "the grumpy cataloguer" who are overworked - all libraries have backlogs! The average can be a third of the size of the collection #NAGWebinarWeek

Public libraries which wish to catalogue bibles - it can be hard to distinguish for copy cataloguing the correct edition and colleagues can get stuck! #NAGWebinarWeek

Example of Ben Johnson, a researcher expert could help Anne with knowing the extensive back catalogue to help her with cataloguing a backlog with expert knowledge #NAGWebinarWeek

@annewelsh.bsky.social estimate for an average catalogue record creation speed is 7 minutes per record! That's not counting subject headings or classification #NAGWebinarWeek

Where do library teams look for copy cataloguing outside of shelf ready? Going through other library discovery systems websites (through Worldcat or JISC library discover) for good practice. Eg. specialist art libraries will have good standards #NAGWebinarWeek

In library supply, titles can be split up by cataloguers or require a cataloguer with specialist subject knowledge. A mainstream record has better return on investment for supplier than an obscure item which may be acquired by just one library #NAGWebinarWeek

Due to popular demand and many queries @annewelsh.bsky.social is going to talk us through this issue! Intro: Shelf ready standards from suppliers work for most or all, but what are the local issues? Most items published in the UK with an ISBN can be shelf ready #NAGWebinarWeek

Starting now! Time to logon... What doesn't come shelf-ready and what do cataloguers do with it? #NAGWebinarWeek - We will be live posting so follow along and join the conversation

NAG Webinar Week:Beyond the Stacks: A Sneak Peek into Library Staff Engagement with Job Shadowing with Ayesha Thompson, Chris Addleton and Cristina Rusu Thursday 20 Nov 2pm Book now: https://nag.org.uk/event/shadowing/ Free webinar #NAGWebinarWeek Image of hands holding jigsaw pieces

Tomorrow: NAG Webinar Week-
Beyond the Stacks: A Sneak Peek into Library Staff Engagement with Job Shadowing with Ayesha Thompson, Chris Addleton and Cristina Rusu
Thursday 20 Nov 2pm
Book now: nag.org.uk/event/shadow...
Free and open to all!
#NAGWebinarWeek

A lot of appreciation from the "MARC nerds" in the room at the quality of metadata shared in the demonstration #NAGWebinarWeek

A question from the audience - where can linked data be within a record? Within 710 tag the authority name and URLs can be included #NAGWebinarWeek

Metadata is no longer done, locked and finished, it needs engagement and reviewing, publishers who in the past may have just looked at the start, the Library can review and show how the discoverability end reaches end users #NAGWebinarWeek

Investigations into how generative AI can contribute to metadata creation, with caution about hallucinations can be explored by @manchesterup.bsky.social and the Library together #NAGWebinarWeek

Content aggregators and bibliographic data aggregators in the supply chain from external publishers can lead to metadata be locked and restricted for reuse, or even be unclear on openness #NAGWebinarWeek

Metadata from conversion can lack elements and interoperability if standards change or files are converted rather than library quality metadata isn't controlled #NAGWebinarWeek

@manchesterup.bsky.social MARC21 records come linked data ready with ISNI, VIAF and Worldcat identifiers in all records as standard. Accessibility notes meeting recent legislation are being added about the accessibility quality of content listing WCAG standards #NAGWebinarWeek

Developing a metadata service partnership - Trial of 35 MARC records - Establishment of requirements and bespoke specifications - Development of workflows and data-exchange methods - Legact work - creation of metadata for MUP backlist - New titles service - creation of metadata for MUP frontlist (ahead of publication)

The trials worked on 35 records initially to test requirements #NAGWebinarWeek