The Library launched the new Salford Authors initiative in February with a week of in-person and online events. We had a great online reach leading up to the events with over 10,000 views across social media. The launch succeeded with around 150 attendees and positive feedback, prompting requests for future similar events.
The main event, ‘Love Your Salford Authors‘, held on February 14th, featured a lineup of Salford Authors speakers including Gordon Fletcher, Claire Mercer, Peter Hogg, Judith Kelly, Angela Tait, Adam Farrer, Anna Kruglova, Anthony Smith, Alicia Rouverol, Hazel Price, and Mohammed Banu Ali. Each speaker shared insights into their publishing journeys and research areas.
Attendees gave fantastic feedback, describing the events as ‘inspiring’. They also appreciated the diverse perspectives shared by researchers at different career stages. One staff member even mentioned it might convince them to finally write a book.
The Salford Authors launch events generated a real sense of pride in our authors. The authors crossed a wide range of disciplines, from the arts to the health sciences. I left the events feeling inspired by their effort and commitment to get their ideas and knowledge out into the world. What struck me was their motivation to publish despite the labour, lack of incentive from previous REF exercises or their job roles, without an expectation of financial reward. Some authors expressed their motivations for publishing as building teams and networks, making a tangible contribution to knowledge, writing for future generations, and finding a creative outlet. I heard how publishing had provided these authors an opportunity to deepen their connection to their chosen subject matter.
Tanya Williamson, Academic Support Manager (Research).
Throughout the week we also had two notable talks. The first was ‘Running a Student-led Publication: Bioscientist’, delivered by Sara Kassam and Wiktoria Wisniewska, the student editors of Bioscientist. They provided valuable insights into the operation of a student publication
The second talk we hosted was ‘Publishing an Open Access Book: More than just Policy Compliance’, led by Eileen Fradenburg Joy from Punctum Books and Lucy Barnes from Open Book Publishing. Their presentations shed light on the significance of Open Access publishing in today’s publishing landscape. If Open Access interests you, the Library’s Open Research team can provide support: Open Access.
The week included workshops such as a ‘Power Hour of Writing’ and ‘Choosing a Journal for Publication,’ designed to support staff seeking publication . We received a lot of positive feedback from participants. Interested in similar workshops? Find ongoing sessions by our Open Research team here: Open Research Workshops. Open Research Workshops.
It’s no surprise that the Salford Authors initiative was born and raised in the Library. Collecting, celebrating, and facilitating the creation of knowledge and culture for the benefit of our communities is our core purpose. I’m proud of our role in supporting authors at Salford with their publishing ambitions and our commitment to drive sustainable open access models.
Tanya Williamson, Academic Support Manager (Research).
Encouraged by the positive responses, the Library plan to organise similar events in the future, to further support and celebrate our Salford Authors.
If you would like to learn more about Salford Authors visit the Salford Authors web page.
