Bursaries

LILAC bursaries - 2025 winners

We are pleased to announce the winners of the LILAC 2025 bursary places.

LILAC bursary winners

Claire Roberts

Claire is an information literacy librarian at the City of Glasgow College, Scotland. She works as part of the Library Services team, delivering learning sessions in referencing and research to students. Claire also works to promote reading among the student population and particularly enjoys working with ESOL students.

Megane Quelvennec

Megane is a Library Assistant pursuing a Masters in Library and Information Studies at Aberystwyth University; passionate about librarianship,  eager to connect with professionals, share ideas, and contribute to the field’s future.

Melissa Steiner

Originally from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Melissa Rakshana Steiner has worked in both public and academic libraries for over 20 years. She has a specific interest in exploring the different ways library workers can support library users from all walks of life to empower themselves through learning and education.

Ben James

Ben James is Children & Young People’s Librarian for the Vale of Glamorgan, based at the County Library in Barry. Appointed in February 2020, Ben previously worked for Carmarthenshire Libraries, first at Carmarthen and later Llanelli.In his spare time, Ben enjoys playing Highland bagpipes and Morris dancing, though not necessarily at the same time!

Sarah Tenniswood

Sarah Tenniswood has been a School Library Manager for over 25 years, working in both the state and private sector. Sarah regular attends training and is currently working towards a Masters in Library Studies. Sarah enjoys a good netflix binge while cuddling her two pugs but can also be found on walks with her two dogs enjoying the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. 

Local to LILAC bursary winners

Victoria Rees

Victoria Rees is currently an assistant subject librarian working at Cardiff University. She has worked in public, international school and academic libraries and has a passion for teaching information literacy. She attended LILAC last year in Leeds and is thrilled to have the opportunity to attend again this year on home territory. 

Zoe Young

Zoe Young, a Subject Librarian at Cardiff University with 23 years’ experience, supporting pharmacy & optometry. Zoe is also an Associate Fellow of Advance HE. She enjoys playing netball and spending time with her family including, their dog and cat.

Lowri Williams

Lowri Williams is a Faculty Librarian at The University of South Wales supporting a range of Business and Creative Industries Courses. Lowri is passionate about Learning and Teaching within Librarianship and has a keen interest in UX.  

Amy Fox-McNally

Amy has been working in library services since 2013, attaining her MA in Library & Information studies in 2019. During this time, she spent five years as a Community Librarian in public libraries in Caerphilly, line managing library sites and staff and developing on-site and outreach projects, with a particular interest in health partnership working.

She branched out into health libraries in 2022 as an Information Specialist for RCN Wales, and has been a part of the Evidence Service team at Public Health Wales as an Information Specialist & Librarian since 2023, conducting systematic search strategies for secondary evidence reviews, and providing library and information support to PHW staff. She also is a member of the NHS Wales e-library Service Board.

Delyth Morris

Delyth Morris is the subject librarian for Medicine in Cardiff University and has actively been involved in the medical librarian field through work on committees such as University Health and Medical Librarians Group and SHERIF Ovid Enhancement Group.

Kerrianne Orriss

Kerrianne Orriss is a Teaching and Learning Librarian at the University of Bristol. She has worked in libraries for 26 years with previous roles including Library Assistant, Study Skills tutor and Library Supervisor. She is working towards chartership and is particularly interested in AI literacy, equity and inclusion in the information landscape.

The LILAC conference has two types of bursary for 2025; LILAC bursaries for under-represented groups and a new range of Local to LILAC bursaries for delegates living or working near to the LILAC conference venue.

LILAC bursaries

To have a truly engaging conference, we need delegates who bring a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. The LILAC conference is therefore offering five free places for people in the following under-represented groups in the UK:

• Ethnic minority backgrounds
• School libraries
• Further Education
• Public libraries
• Health libraries (e.g. NHS – please note; librarians working in Higher Education who support health subjects are not eligible to apply)

Each of the five bursaries will include three days at the conference and social events. They also include up to £250 in expenses for reasonable travel and accommodation.

Local to LILAC Bursaries

These bursaries are day delegate places, and we are offering two places for each day of the three-day conference. LILAC is committed to encouraging information professionals across the UK to attend LILAC, especially for those whom the cost or other commitments make attending all three days not always possible. We have created these six day delegate places, intended for people who live or work near to the LILAC venue, to have the chance to attend a day at LILAC and experience what the conference offers.

Each of the six bursaries will involve a free day place to one day of the conference and £50 for reasonable travel expenses. Please note that these bursary places do not include evening social events, in order to be as flexible as possible, but do include lunch and refreshments on the day.