Unconference 2025 is a unique event in the CILIP calendar and this participant-driven weekend has the theme Connecting, Influencing and Inspiring . As usual we try to avoid the usual formality and hierarchical approach by  keeping numbers low and providing participants with lots of opportunities to network and collaborate.

Unconference 2025 is organised by CILIP RPG (for those outside full time work) with support from the CILIP Midlands Networks, the CILIP K&IM Group and the CILIP South East Network.

Unconference 2025 is supporting the work of  the charity St Mark’s Meals that provides dinner kit boxes to children across Milton Keynes.

Kents Hill Park is a dedicated meeting and training centre, ideal for residential conferences. It is located a short drive from the M1 and only 40 minutes from London Euston.

All weekend and day delegates will have access to the Nuffield Health's Kents Hill Park Fitness and Wellbeing Centre.

Check-in is from 2.00 pm on the Friday. Lunch is available from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm for anyone arriving early on the Friday.

Friday 3/10

3.00pm - 4.00pm: Milton Keynes Library Tour - Aggie Canning
4.00pm - 5.00 pm - The art of storytelling with objects - Helen Ainsworth - 1st floor meeting room at MK library (no lift available)
6.30pm - Dinner
8.00pm - The Mathematicians’ Library - Tom Briggs.
Tom Briggs has experience as both a maths teacher and a museum educator, and he combines these in his freelance work, encouraging and enabling museums, galleries, libraries and archive services to identify and explore opportunities for mathematical engagement that exist in their stories, objects, and exhibitions. His Master's thesis explored the potential for visits to museums in improving attitudes to mathematics; and he has since partnered with a PhD researcher to investigate whether embedding history themes in mathematics lessons might have a similar effect. His book, The Mathematicians' Library, released in September 2025, explores a selection of books that have contributed to the development of mathematics across 40,000 years of human history

Saturday 4/10

8.00am - Breakfast
9.00am – 11.00am: Storytelling workshop 
Storytelling remains a powerful medium. A well-told story with a meaningful message is easier to remember, internalize and share.
Ian Pringle
Actor, facilitator and mask maker, with many years’ experience of working with hard-to-reach groups.
Helen Foster
Writer, researcher, writing for wellbeing facilitator, oral historian.
Hélène Russell 
Author, Trainer and Consultant in Knowledge Management.
Teaches law firms how they can work effectively and stop wasting money on inefficient knowledge systems.
11.00am - tea, coffee and pastries
11.30am to 12.00 - Alison McNab: Keeping up to date: tools include AI and social media.
Staying up to date on things is important. It helps you to stay current, and it always gives you things to talk about or research when you need to.
Alison McNab
Alison McNab accidentally retired in 2020, after almost four decades working with print and electronic resources, mainly in higher education
12.00 - 12.30pm Book and passport - Author Vincent McDonald will explore his love for books and reading and his urge to travel
12:30pm-1:00pm Agnes Kozlowska-Wolodkowicz Predatory Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its prey: intellectual property, data protection and privacy.
1.00pm - lunch
2.00pm – 3.00pm Marketing of public services in a challenging world.How to promote leisure and recreation opportunities when resources are tight.- Ian Orton - Chair of RPG and a former Chief Librarian
3.00pm - Tea, coffee and pastries
3.30pm - 4.30pm Panel Discussion on latest challenges including Information Literacy, AI and social media
Hélène Russell - KM / Legal Sector (panel chair)
June Huang - K&IM / Consultancy & Environmental Services
Emma Walton - Academic Sector: Mercian Collaboration
Lesley Allan - Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
George Choothamparambil Joseph - Health Sciences University
Aggie Canning - Milton Keynes Libraries
4.30pm - 6pm: Writing workshop- Helen Foster - CILIP Writer in Residence 2025. Ideal for those who are curious about writing and have little to no prior experience in the field.
6.30pm - Dinner
8.00pm - Catherine McIntyre - Professional Archivist - Milton Keynes City Discovery Centre

Sunday 5/10

8.00am - Breakfast
9.00am - Coach to Oxford
10.30am - Oxford tour options
Option A. Bodleian Library tour followed by presentation / Q&A (limited to 25)
The Bodleian Library is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe.
Option B. Harris Manchester College - library and chapel tour followed by presentation / Q&A (limited to 25) – 5-minute walk from Bodleian 
Harris Manchester College is a college for mature students within the University of Oxford.
12.00-12.30pm - Bodleian Exhibitions: 
• John Le Carré archives
• Bodleian Treasures
12.30pm - Coach to Bletchley Par
1.30pm - 2.30pm - Bletchley Park cafe open for lunch
2.30pm Bletchley Park - The Age of AI exhibition
6.30pm - Dinner
8.00pm - Elizabeth Blackburn
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn is a British-Nigerian charity worker turned author who grew up in south London and now lives with her husband and young son in Milton Keynes. Her bestselling debut novel, Yinka, Where is your Huzband? was selected by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai as a Literati book club pick and Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson named it as one of her top five books that made a difference – she still pinches herself to this day! Lizzie was also a runner-up for a Diverse Book Award in 2023. The Re-Write is her second novel. 

Monday 6/10 

8.30am - Breakfast
10.00am - 11.30am - Open University library tour and OU Archive Research room (limited to 2 groups of 15) - Sarah Mann
12.00 midday - Kent’s Hill cafe open for lunch / coffee

Places are strictly limited so book your place now.