The Open Fifth team are at the University of Sheffield this week where Sam Goldsmith and Helen Symington are attending LILAC 2026 @lilacconf.bsky.social . Stop by to talk open source libraries and tell us what you're reading 📚
NAG Public Library Project Grant sponsored by Open Fifth central text over open book with cartoons exploding out of it. Side boxes read "open to NAG public library members only" and "Two grants of £1500 available"
Great to see applications rolling in for the NAG Public Library Project Grant for 2026! A reminder the closing date is noon on 6th April...
Thanks to sponsorship from @openfifth.bsky.social, we have TWO grants of £1500 available for NAG member libraries.
Full info:
nag.org.uk/public-libra...
Group photo of the Open Fifth team standing and sitting outside of a red-brick building in the sunshine
The Open Fifth team descended on Coventry this week for our biannual company meeting where we shared visions for the future, demoed tech, dived into ISO 27001 and GDPR, and refined processes. The focus throughout was 'putting customers at the heart of everything we do'.
Image with quote: Carol Giles, Library Services Manager at the MBA, shared: "This was a major upgrading project for our Koha systems at the NMBL and we have been very pleased with the service offered to us by Open Fifth. Their planning, including a full implementation schedule, meetings with both their IT and training staff and lots of post-project support have been incredibly helpful for us. We look forward to continuing to work with them to support our Koha journey." Open Fifth sales@openfifth.co.uk, www.openfifth.co.uk, 01483 378728
Welcome the Marine Biological Association (MBA, @thembauk.bsky.social) to the Open Fifth community! 🎉 We migrated the MBA's Koha system in December 2025 and will provide ongoing hosting and support services to ensure their success in supporting these collections into the future
NAG Public Library Project Grant sponsored by Open Fifth central text over open book with cartoons exploding out of it. Side boxes read "open to NAG public library members only" and "Two grants of £1500 available"
The NAG Public Library Project Grant for 2026 is OPEN!
This year, thanks to sponsorship from @openfifth.bsky.social, we have TWO grants of £1500 available for NAG member libraries.
Full info:
nag.org.uk/public-libra...
Delighted to sponsor this year's NAG @uklibrariesnag.bsky.social Public Library Project Grant, can't wait to hear about the recipient's plans. Applications are open until midday 9/Apr, all NAG Public Library Members eligible to apply. More info and inspo from previous projects on NAG's site:
What’s on our shelves: An accounting database style guide, the making of evil, and a trip to Porpoise Spit… It's time for the Open Fifth team's monthly book, film and game reviews!
openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...
Check out highlights from the Open Fifth team on the #Koha and #AspenDiscovery software developments we’ve been working on, showcasing the developers behind the code and the libraries who make these enhancements possible through their sponsorship and testing
openfifth.co.uk/open-fifth-k...
More information and submission form available on the Aspen community site - community.aspendiscovery.org/AspenCon2026
The AspenCon 2026 logo contest closes this week! Submit your design by 31 January, 11:59 (EST) to be in with a chance of winning a swag bag of conference goodies. Open to all Aspen users / members of the Aspen community, feel free to share
Communicating between library devices is easier than ever with the new SIP2 configuration module in #Koha LMS. The module allows configs to be set up and checked from the staff interface without needing server access or terminal knowledge from IT. Find our more from Pedro: youtu.be/014ebqTMsRA?...
This week we welcomed over 50 of our customers from libraries across the UK and beyond to London for a packed day of #opensource library updates, shared learning and networking. Every year the event makes us so proud of the library community we get to be a part of with our customers!
Lauren (@purton.bsky.social) and Helen are kicking off Green Libraries Week at the CILIP Green Libraries Conference 🌱 A fantastic event filled with insightful talks and practical workshops for positive change.
@cilip.bsky.social
Check out Jonathan Field's CILIP (@cilip.bsky.social) article 'AI Wars - The Libraries Fight Back' for an update on our battle with AI bots, insights into why library catalogues are so highly targeted, and the role of open source and open data in an #AI future.
www.cilip.org.uk/news/news.as...
We had an amazing time in Nashville for AspenCon 2025! There are many things to take away from the conference, but the power of Aspen Discovery as a tool to promote your library, extending the in-person #library experience into online environments, is one that cannot be emphasised enough!
Next month we'll be participating in a HELibTech webinar with Ken Chad on the topic 'Open by default: The role of open source software in building flexible, future-ready higher education libraries'. Join Jonathan, Sam and Andrew on Monday 13th October, 14:00-15:00
www.helibtech.com/helibtech-we...
Check out the Open Fifth team's film, book and TV reviews for September! This month's edition features sharks, aliens, nonnas and a sales-beetle, with an unintended but very strong sci-fi theme 🪲
openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...
We have a packed agenda this year and are thrilled to welcome Jane Secker to deliver a keynote talk on 'Open Practices, Copyright and the Rise of GenerativeAI: exploring the challenges and opportunities for libraries'.
More info and the agenda available on the event page.
📢 Calling all Open Fifth customers! Registration is open for Customer Day 2025.
We invite our customers to join us for a day of networking, sharing practices, workshops and talks.
📍 Friends House, London, NW1 2BJ
🗓️ 5 November 2025
🕙 10:15 – 16:30
openfifth.co.uk/event/open-f...
Fiona and Lauren standing behind an 'Open Fifth' branded table with 'The Library is Open' banner in background. Against a wall backdrop of old stone.
Fiona @fionaborthwick.bsky.social and Lauren @purton.bsky.social had a great time last week at the London Libraries Conference in the beautiful Guildhall building. We spoke with libraries from across London about open source, Koha, Aspen Discovery - and how our notebooks and stickers are the best 📔
"Poster over a duo-tone image of London. "Open Fifth We're attending the London Libraries Conference. Visit Fiona and Lauren at the Open Fifth stand to talk about open source libraries, demo products, or just to say "hi!" London Libraries Conference 2025, Guildhall, London September"
The London Libraries Conference is next Friday, 19 September! Catch up with Fiona (@fionaborthwick.bsky.social) and Lauren (@purton.bsky.social) at the Open Fifth stand 👋
The Fantastic Four, a Royal Family weekend, Belgian beer and well written women in horror… It's time to find out what's on the shelves* of the Open Fifth team this August. Read our film, game, and event reviews from the month.
*or screens, bar tabs, schedules...
openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...
"As someone who’s spent years working within the Koha community, I can tell you that being a #Koha library means you’re part of something truly special – a vibrant global community that genuinely shapes the future of library management systems." openfifth.co.uk/whats-on-our...
I think "frogs" is a go-to here! 🐸
-Lauren
The CILIP LGBTQ+ Network is seeking a new Chair!
This key role is your chance to lead, coordinate, connect and represent. Details & how to apply: informationprofessionaljobs.com/jobs/chair-u...
Any questions or fancy an informal chat? Reach out to Dr Beth @drbeth.bsky.social - email in link
Text: Join Open Fifth at AspenCon 2025 | October 8-10 Nashville, TN Registration deadline 15 September
AspenCon25 is landing in Nashville this October! Join in-person or virtually for a packed schedule of presentations, talks and workshops all about Aspen Discovery, the #opensource #library discovery layer. Registration closes 15/Sept. community.aspendiscovery.org/AspenCon2025 #AspenCon25
We are celebrating the team behind Open Fifth for their generous giving: Your continued support makes a real and lasting difference to countless good causes 💚 Their generosity has been recognised by Charities Trust with the Gold APGO Payroll Giving Quality Mark - openfifth.co.uk/news/payroll...
QR code to subscribe to the Open Fifth mailing list: https://openfifth.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4223af8912173576012a5abe3&id=73a3f48235
Subscribe to the Open Fifth mailing list to stay up to date with us and our #opensource #library news and how-tos! Our next newsletter will land in subscriber inboxes on 19/August 🗞️
openfifth.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...
Helen Symington will show us around AToM, designed for scalability and flexibility, it supports multilingual content, hierarchical data structures, and highly customisable themes.
Want to learn more about AToM? Reach out to helen.symington@openfifth.co.uk.
📢 Archives - this one’s for you. Join us on 21 August for an intro to AtoM webinar. AToM (Access to Memory) is an open source, web-based app which allows institutions to provide and manage public access to their archival holdings.
21 August | 12:30 - 13:00
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/webinar-in...