2018

Theme

Data stories

Event structure

We will be organizing content and activities around topics, rather than by days. As the event has grown to include Europe, Asia, and Australia, we are trying to scale the event so that it works for participants across the world!

Topics

We’ve heard some of you express concern about the broad scope of topics this year, so we want to allay your fears. Do not feel as if you have to delve deeply into each topic. Rather, we hope that the topics provide various entry points to a broad conversation about how data are being used to shape the world around us. Choose what feels most relevant and interesting to you and run with it!

Stories about data – For this topic, we will delve into the lessons learned from our own failures and successes in dealing with data. We will point you to some of the most compelling stories about data failures, misuse and abuse, and big wins.

Telling stories with data – The role of data in the daily work for many professionals, including journalists, policy makers, educators, business professionals, and healthcare providers, is ever increasing. We will explore how data is being used in creative and compelling ways to tell a clear story, whether to raise awareness, change behavior, or organize action.

Connected conversations – This topic arose from a background theme in many conversations data librarians have; namely, that lots of people are talking about the potential, challenges, and strategies of working with data in various silos – professional, institutional, national. We hope that this seven can begin to facilitate conversation between communities that have similar challenges, but who may not interact in daily work.

We are data – seeing the people behind the data – Everyone who uses connected devices are generating massive amounts of data as we move through our daily lives. We will explore the personal, ethical, and practical implications of living in a culture that commoditizes our every digital move.