Manifesto for Generative AI in Higher Education

An interesting open access book was published last month. You can download it or read it online.
Farrell, H. & McCarthy, K. (Eds.) (2026). Manifesto for Generative AI in Higher Education: The Book Project: A living reflection on teaching, learning, and technology in an age of abundance. Pressbooks. https://pressbooks.pub/mfaihe/
It addresses the question "What kind of education do we want to create in a world where GenAI is readily available?" It consists of 30 chapters, each of which is prompted by a manifesto statement (which becomes the chapter title). The chapters I've read are stimulating and good starting points for discussion or action.
I will highlight the chapter coauthored by my longtime writing partner, Bill Johnston:
Johnston, B., MacNeill, S. & Smyth, K. The future classroom is a conversation, and it can be extraordinary. https://pressbooks.pub/mfaihe/chapter/the-future-classroom-is-a-conversation-and-it-can-be-extraordinary/
Photo by Sheila Webber: tree near the cablecar station, Zagreb, I think it's a beech, September 2026

Call for papers: Creating Knowledge 2027

There is a call for papers for the Creating Knowledge 2027 conference with the theme: Now what? Preparing today for the unknown – creating informed futures which will take place 9-11 June 2027 in Stockholm, Sweden. The deadline for proposals is 15 January 2027. 
There are 4 possible presentation formats: 8-minute presentation, followed by a brief on-stage discussion with fellow presenters; Round-table discussion (Start with a 3-minute presentation at your table, followed by a 15-minute discussion that you lead; 50-minute workshop; Fail Forward confessions ("Share a brief 2-3-minute example of a failure or mistake in a small group. Focus on what happened, what you learned and the key takeaway.") 
Go to https://kib.ki.se/en/creating-knowledge-2027 for more information.
Photo by Sheila Webber: clock and barometer, Zagreb, September 2026

New Book: 50 Library Lessons and Ideas

This is about school libraries. It has more ideas about literacy/ reading but also a few related to information literacy.
Maxwell, L. (2026). 50 Library Lessons and Ideas. Facet Publishing. Book number - 9781783307432. £19.99 (with 35% discount for CILIP members). https://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/detail/50-library-lessons-and-ideas/?k=9781783307432
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn crocus, September 2026

cfp California Conference on Library Instruction

There is a call for proposals for the California Conference on Library Instruction which will take place 11 June 11 2027, at Cal State Monterey Bay, USA.  Deadline for proposals is 21 October 2026. The theme this year is Centering our students: accessible, inclusive, and responsive pedagogies: "share how you are using and developing accessible, inclusive, and responsive pedagogies to connect with and center your students in library instruction.
There are four possible formats: 60-minute presentation; 75-minute active learning workshop; 5- to 10-minute lightning talk; Poster.
For more information go to https://www.cclibinstruction.org/ 

Is there a right age for AI in education?

Livingstone, S., Sylwander, K. R., El Gemayel, S. and Atabey, A. (2026). Is there a right age for AI in education? Deciding whether AI is age-appropriate and why. UNESCO.  https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000399343 (20 pages)
From the recommendations (p.12) 
"In deciding whether and how to invest in AI resources for early childhood education, primary and secondary education, three priorities are recommended for Ministries of Education and schools:
1. Consider applying the Precautionary Principle (UNESCO, 2005). 
Evidence is lacking for most age groups in most countries regarding the benefits and harms of AI to children. Nonetheless, the current evidence on AI’s impact on children indicates that action may be required to actively avoid or diminish plausible harms. This applies especially to GenAI (including chatbots, AI tutors, mental health bots, companion AI), emotional AI, and biometric and neural-data AI technologies.
"2. Conduct a Child Rights Impact Assessment (Livingstone and Pothong, 2025). Deploy AI in education only when: 
(i) independent evidence shows it benefits learning among the relevant age group; 
(ii) data is processed in ways that are legally compliant, respect children’s privacy, and do not introduce learner safety risks; and 
(iii) it supports the human teacher and their interaction with their students, or it supports students’ learning in ways that do not displace either the teacher or peer collaborative learning. Answers to these questions should be reviewed regularly. In low-income settings, open-source evaluations and regional collaborations could be particularly useful.
"3. Ensure key questions are asked and answered before deployment.
a) Is there prior independent evidence of educational benefit for the target age group? Have developmental risks been evaluated, anticipated and mitigated?
b) Is AI needed for the target age group, compared with non-AI alternatives? Does the tool support or displace the teacher-student relationship and peer learning?
c) How has the proposed AI been meaningfully consulted on with students and teachers? During AI deployment, will children have supported opportunities to question it?
d) Has the AI product been tested independently and locally for children who will use it, ensuring its linguistic and cultural relevance, availability of help, and adaptation for multilingual learners and children with disabilities?" (the references are all in the document)
Photo by Sheila Webber: Narnian lampost in Zagreb, September 2026

Online conference: Critical Issues in Modern Academic Librarianship

There is a free online conference on 16 October 10.00-15.00 US Pacific time (which is 18.00-23.00 BST): Informed, Inclusive, Independent: Critical Issues in Modern Academic Librarianship Virtual Conference 
"We will discuss many different topics related to academic libraries including: Collaborations with public libraries Approaches to AI Literacy Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Academic Libraries Encouraging student scholarship through information literacy learning experiences Understanding the effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning Resources provided by the library Challenges to academic freedom in California State University Libraries".
Programme is at https://docs.google.com/document/d/162e5inFpl-j9mJEccYhnDZ0kCBFBJOlEJ0G8Reil58U/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.nd3ucuogufre 
Zoom link to register: https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/2xV9spoJTJiXPyHminVJCA 
Photo by Sheila Webber: big tree, Sheffield Botanic Gardens, September 2026

Papers from the 2026 Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy

Presentations from the 2026 Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy are available, linked from within the schedule.
The ones I looked at were powerpoints or posters e.g. Beyond the Buzzwords: Working with Faculty to Create AI-Informed Personal Information Literacy Frameworks (which is proposing scaffolding staff and students to develop their own framework) and Empowering Research Topic Development with Generative AI Prompts - a Pilot study for First-Year Writing Students.
Go to https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2026/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Zagreb cathedral, the spires are under restoration, September 2026

Call for proposals: Think Critically, Act Sustainably: School Libraries at the Intersection of MIL and Climate Literacy

The IFLA Information Literacy Section, in collaboration with the School Libraries Section calls for proposals for a webinar to be held on 29 October 2026 at 06.00-08.00 US EST: Think Critically, Act Sustainably: School Libraries at the Intersection of MIL and Climate Literacy.
Deadline for proposals is 7 October 2026.
This is in celebration of UNESCO's Global Media and Information Literacy Week. "This webinar explores how school libraries can strengthen climate literacy, counter climate mis/disinformation, and support communities in making sustainable choices. We welcome original research, case studies, and practical initiatives from all regions".
More information at https://www.ifla.org/news/call-for-presentation-ifla-ils-sls-global-mil-week-webinar-2026/
Photo by Sheila Webber: salmon sculture in metal outside Sheffield station, September 2026

Call for proposals: Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy 2027

There is a call for proposals for the Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy which will be held 4-5 February 2027 in person at Georgia Southern University, Savannah, Georgia, USA. The conference theme is Accessibility as a Cornerstone of Information Literacy and the proposal deadline is 4 October 2026. 
Proposal formats include individual papers, panel discussions, interactive workshops, and innovative multimedia/digital demonstrations. 
There is more information about potential topics on the conference website https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/

New book: AI for the information professional

A new book, authored by my colleague Dr Andrew Cox:
Cox, A. (2026). AI for the information professional: A critical guide. Facet Publishing. https://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/detail/ai-for-the-information-professional/?k=9781783306862
For another couple of days (til 25 September) you can use code SCHOOL50 for 50% off.
The "sample chapter" containing the contents list and introduction is here and if you read this you can see Andrew takes a very interesting and readable approach, so much so that I just bought the book (£25+ postage with the 50% off)
Photo by Sheila Webber: Botanic Gardens, Zagreb, September 2026

Call for proposals #LILAC2027

The call for presentations is open for LILAC 2026 (the UK's Information Literacy Conference) which takes place 21-23 April 2027 at City St George’s, University of London, UK. "The focus for LILAC 2027 is simply information literacy." Deadline for submissions is 11 November 2026 at 16.00 GMT (so that will be early in the day for those in the Americas). This is an in-person event.
They add that "Over the years we’ve received fantastic presentations focusing on AI adoption and AI literacy, but we would particularly welcome submissions that move beyond these themes. We would like to see presentations going beyond how you are adopting AI or are teaching AI literacy or the connections between IL and AI literacy. Showcase work that is research driven, critical, or investigative, that interrogates assumptions and examines unintended consequences for IL practice, ethics, infrastructure and the profession. Presentations that offer introductory or superficial approaches will be less prioritised for the programme."
Proposals can be for: practitioner presentation, research presentation, creative project and podcast, workshop, panel discussion, poster and lightning talk. 
More information at https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2027/call-for-presentations-1

Agency, Responsibility and Critical Literacy - Social Demands and Challenges #KRIK

The only session from the KRIK conference in Zagreb that I didn't liveblog was entitled Agency, Responsibility and Critical Literacy - Social Demands and Challenges: the Academy and Beyond from Michael George (St. Thomas University, Canada).
This was because it was more of a discussion session. George started by reading a short paper aiming to provoke discussion, in particular about the statement he started with: "all academic [meaning intellectual] workers are part of a moral community". A community is a group of people who share values and purpose. He proposed that if the group cannot agree on values, there is no community. George also talked about the behaviour, traits and places that groups may share.
So what is a moral community and does such a thing exist? Is there a connection between academic workers and a moral community, and what might that connection be? The values may relate to intellectual projects. George reflected back to the origins of academic communities i.e. theologically-based communities, which intrinsically were moral communities. He then briefly traced the evolution of different disciplinary strands, through the enlightenment, with the growing marginalisation of religeon. He also traced the rise of capitalism, through mercantile to state capitalism to multinational corporate capitalism.This reduced values to financial interest.
Seeing "all academic workers are part of a moral community" as hypothetical, you can also consider the statement "all academic workers are not part of a moral community" as perhaps more factually accurate. You can go on to reflect on what benefits might arrive if "all academic workers are part of a moral community" were actually true. What if people made this statement before starting any new project, and considered whether it applied to the new venture? Might this prompt more critical awareness? Might it stimulate more agency (what should I/we do?)? One other thought I will pass on from his introduction was seeing information as a way of finding what is going on (which also requires knowing history and context) - so then, once we know what is going on, we can decide what to do.

I didn't attempt to capture the discussion that followed this, but perhaps you can follow this up by pondering for yourself - is the statement "all intellectual/ academic workers are part of a moral community" true where you are? How can you tell? Is the opposite true? (etc.)
Photo by Sheila Webber: hydrant, Zagreb, September 2026

Webinar: TILTing Research Assignments

Organised by Ohio State University on 28 September 28 at 12 noon US Eastern Time (which is 17.00 BST) there is a free webinar: TILTing Research Assignments with facilitators Katie Blocksidge and Jane Hammons. "This online workshop introduces the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework and provides an activity for you to consider how you might apply this framework to your own teaching practice."
Register here https://osu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gGbNQowAQ8-3ADBVwao68Q
Photo by Sheila Webber: from the cable car, Zagreb, September 2026

Finland's media literacy policies; and disinformation in Timor-Leste

A video in the Disinformation Diaries series (no. 18) hosted by Alexandre Le Voci Sayad is What can the world learn from Finland's media literacy policies? (posted in September 2026, 7 minutes)
Leo Pekkala (Director of the Media Education and Age Ratings Department at the Finnish Arts and Culture Agency) is interviewed to explore "what makes Finland's approach to media literacy distinctive, and what other countries and institutions can take from it in the fight against disinformation."
Go to https://youtu.be/1rlLx_DY5jc?si=lNGPJAbg3mafM-6e

The latest episode in the series (no. 19, 10 minutes) is How can Timor-Leste protect its independence in the age of disinformation? in which Alexandre Le Voci Sayad interviews Abel Pires da Silva, who is a former Minister of Communication of East Timor.
Go to https://youtu.be/vJoWqYXHrjc?si=IZDAbveyY5BlnoJu
Photo by Sheila Webber: forest above Zagreb, September 2026