Empowering Libraries through Resource Sharing: Insights from HERMES Final Conference

Empowering Libraries through Resource Sharing: Insights from HERMES Final Conference. - Ayodele John Alonge 

The HERMES Final Conference at IFLA Headquarters in The Hague, The Netherlands, was an invigorating and thought-provoking event. Held on April, with a theme of “Resource Sharing: A Pillar of Open”, the conference brought together librarians, researchers, students, and advocates for a knowledge commons to explore ways to share tools, learn lessons, and identify future needs in the field of resource sharing.

As a participant, I found the conference to be an excellent opportunity to learn about the HERMES project and its outputs. The project is focused on resource sharing and aims to promote collaboration between libraries to enhance access to information resources. One of the highlights of the event was learning about Talaria, a software platform that supports resource sharing. This platform has the potential to revolutionize the way libraries approach resource sharing.

One of the key takeaways from the conference was the importance of open access and resource sharing in achieving a more equitable and accessible knowledge commons. Collaboration between libraries is a crucial step in this process, and the HERMES project is an excellent example of how this can be achieved.

I was inspired to become an ambassador for the HERMES project's resource sharing initiative in Nigeria and by extension in Africa. I believe that the work being done by the project can help to promote more effective resource sharing, which in turn can transform the way that people access and share information.

It is worth noting that the HERMES project has been co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. This support from the European Commission is crucial in enabling this project to achieve its goals and have a positive impact on the library and information profession.

Overall, the HERMES Final Conference was a valuable and engaging experience. I look forward to continuing to support the HERMES project's resource sharing initiative and working with others to promote a more equitable and accessible knowledge commons.

Tweets: Tweet hashtag: HERMES2023

Written by 

Ayodele John Alonge, PhD