(7 Jul 2025) Since its grassroots beginnings in 1980, the Charleston Conference has become a trusted and internationally respected forum where librarians, publishers, technologists, and researchers come together to explore the future of scholarly communication in an open, informal, and collaborative environment. In January 2026, this signature event will make its Asia debut—Charleston Conference Asia, bringing the same spirit of dialogue and cross-sector exchange to a new regional context.
In this interview with ACCESS, Leah Hinds, Executive Director of the Charleston Hub, shares the vision behind this expansion, what makes Charleston unique, and why the Asia-Pacific scholarly community should be part of this inaugural event. Leah has been involved with the Charleston Conference since 2004 and was appointed Executive Director of the Charleston Hub in 2017.
ACCESS (A): For those who may not be familiar, what is the Charleston Conference, and how did it begin?
Leah (L): The Charleston Conference is an informal annual gathering of librarians, publishers, electronic resource managers, consultants, and vendors of library materials in the United States in Charleston, SC, each November, to discuss issues of importance to the library and scholarly publishing landscape. It is designed to be a collegial gathering of individuals from different areas who discuss the same issues in a non-threatening, friendly, and highly informal environment. Presidents of companies discuss and debate with library directors, acquisitions librarians, reference librarians, serials librarians, collection development librarians, and many, many others.
The Charleston Conference was founded in 1980 by Katina Strauch, who, at the time, was a newly hired collection development librarian at the College of Charleston. She didn’t have a travel budget to attend the library conferences or meetings with the big names in the publishing industry, so she invited a small group of thought leaders to come to Charleston instead! There were around 25 people at the first meeting, which was part of an antiquarian book fair that was held by the college. Since then, the Charleston Conference has grown into an annual event that is attended by around 2,500 librarians, publishers, and vendors in library and information science each year in beautiful and historic downtown Charleston, SC. But what’s remarkable is that even as it’s grown in size and scope, it has stayed true to its original spirit: a culture of dialogue, informality, and genuine exchange.
A: How has the Charleston Conference grown over the years, and what makes it stand out from other library and publishing conferences?
L: The Charleston Conference has grown organically over the past four decades, from a small, librarian-led meeting in a College of Charleston classroom, to one of the most respected and well-attended gatherings in the world of scholarly communication held in three venues across the course of a week. What makes it truly stand out, however, is not just its size or longevity: it’s the unique culture that defines it.
One of the lasting values that Katina instilled in the conference was the idea of healthy and respectful dialog and conversation between librarians and publishers to create an environment of collaboration rather than competition. The idea isn’t to sell products or promote a particular company, but to identify and solve problems together. We’re all in this scholarly communications ecosystem together!
Another unique quality is the informal nature of the conference. Rather than having a “sage on the stage” approach to learning, the emphasis is on , encouraging attendees to contribute their own thoughts and ideas to the group. There are lots of opportunities for networking and meeting new people, and we encourage mentorship from more experienced attendees to provide support to first-timers or early career folks.
What makes Charleston stand out is the way it breaks down silos. It brings together librarians, publishers, vendors, funders, and scholars not as representatives of opposing sides, but as collaborators in a shared ecosystem. The tone is refreshingly candid: people feel free to ask questions, debate ideas, and talk about what’s really happening in the industry, not just what’s polished for the podium.
Ultimately, Charleston stands out because it feels like a community, not just a conference. It’s where people come not just to attend, but to contribute, and that participatory spirit is what keeps the conversation going, year after year.
A: The conference describes itself as a “conversation” rather than a traditional conference—can you elaborate on what that means in practice?
L: The Charleston Conference calls itself a “conversation” rather than a traditional conference, and that’s not just a tagline, it’s truly how the event functions. Unlike more rigid or hierarchical gatherings, Charleston fosters open dialogue across all sectors of the scholarly communication ecosystem. Librarians, publishers, vendors, and researchers come together as equals, and the tone is intentionally informal, inquisitive, and collegial.
In practice, this means sessions are often interactive and discussion-based rather than one-way presentations, as mentioned above. Attendees are encouraged to ask tough questions, challenge assumptions, and speak candidly, even with competitors or across roles. There’s an expectation that everyone’s voice matters, and that genuine progress comes from listening to one another. You’ll often find friendly debates and lively conversations continuing in the hallways, over dinner, or even during the famed “Long Arm of the Law” sessions where audience members share candid updates and insights on legal issues facing libraries and publishing.
Charleston is also known for being ahead of the curve. Because the environment is so participatory, it becomes a kind of incubator for new ideas, collaborations, entrepreneurial start-ups, and sometimes even policy changes. The conversations that start in Charleston often ripple out to influence the broader field. It’s a space where the future of scholarly communication is actively shaped through dialog and audience participation, not dictated from a stage.
A: Why did you decide to bring the Charleston Conference to Asia in 2025? What inspired the launch of this new regional chapter?
L: Bringing the Charleston Conference to Asia was a natural and intentional evolution of our mission. For years, Charleston has served as a hub for open, cross-sector dialogue about the future of scholarly communication, but we’ve always known that the most pressing challenges and most exciting innovations are happening globally, not just in North America or Europe.
Asia is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing research output, groundbreaking publishing models, and dynamic library systems. At the same time, professionals in the region face unique cultural, linguistic, and policy contexts that deserve a dedicated space for conversation. We saw an opportunity to create a regional chapter of Charleston that doesn’t exactly replicate the U.S. model, but instead adapts its participatory, community-driven spirit to the local cultural landscape.
What inspired us most was the potential for mutual learning. We believe that a truly global scholarly ecosystem is only possible when regional voices are not just included—but centered. By convening stakeholders across Asia alongside international participants, we’re fostering deeper cross-cultural exchange, highlighting regional leadership, and building relationships that support sustainable, inclusive collaboration. It’s a chance to meet people where they are, elevate local expertise, and continue shaping the future of knowledge together.
A: What can participants expect at Charleston Conference Asia? Will the format or themes differ from the original U.S.-based event?
L: Participants at Charleston Conference Asia can expect the same spirit of open dialog, cross-sector collaboration, and lively exchange that defines the original U.S.-based event, but thoughtfully adapted to reflect regional priorities, cultures, and perspectives.
The format will blend plenary sessions, interactive workshops, concurrent sessions, lightning rounds, and poster sessions all designed to encourage conversation rather than passive listening. As with the Charleston Conference in the U.S., we’re creating space for librarians, publishers, vendors, researchers, and technologists to engage as peers, exchange ideas freely, and explore solutions together.
What will be distinct are the themes and case studies that reflect the realities of scholarly communication in Asia. Participants can expect sessions that address regional developments in open access, multilingual publishing, infrastructure innovation, research assessment, and library leadership; all through a local lens, but with global relevance. We have a fantastic group of conference directors from libraries across Asia and Oceania, as well as a few from the US and Europe, who are intentionally crafting the topics and speakers to reflect a program tailored to the library and scholarly communications ecosystem across Asia.
In short, Charleston Conference Asia will be both familiar and fresh. It brings the ethos of Charleston, a dynamic, community-centered conversation, to a new context, amplifying voices from across the region while fostering the kind of global dialogue our field needs more than ever.
A: What kinds of professionals or organizations in the Asia-Pacific region do you hope will attend or participate?
L: We warmly welcome a broad and inclusive range of professionals and organizations from across the Asia-Pacific region to participate in Charleston Conference Asia. Just like our U.S.-based event, this conference is designed as a meeting ground for all parts of the scholarly communication ecosystem.
We hope to see librarians from academic libraries, and even some from public and special libraries; university administrators and research managers; publishers, both commercial and university presses, who are navigating evolving models of access and sustainability; vendors and service providers who support discovery, metadata, and infrastructure; and technologists developing tools for digital scholarship, AI integration, and knowledge dissemination.
We’re especially eager to engage regional voices—those leading innovative practices in local contexts, from large research institutions to smaller colleges and consortia. Whether you’re a seasoned industry expert or a new professional with fresh perspectives, Charleston Conference Asia is designed to be a space where everyone contributes to and benefits from the conversation. By bringing together such a diverse group, we aim to strengthen not just regional networks, but global understanding and collaboration around the shared challenges and opportunities in our field.
A: What are some of the key issues or opportunities in scholarly communication that you think are especially important to highlight in the Asia-Pacific context?
L: Some of the key topics we’ll explore at Charleston Conference Asia are especially timely and globally significant, yet deeply grounded in regional context.
Generative AI will be a central theme—looking not only at its transformative potential for research, publishing, and library services, but also at the ethical, legal, and operational concerns it raises. We’re inviting voices from across the region to share how they’re navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.
Equity is another critical focus. We’ll be examining how to ensure that research from all parts of Asia-Pacific is visible, valued, and accessible in the global scholarly record. That includes tackling structural barriers in publishing, improving access to resources, and creating more inclusive learning and professional development pathways.
And finally, we’re highlighting the role of scholarly communication in advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There’s growing momentum in the region to align academic knowledge production with real-world impact, particularly in areas like climate resilience, public health, and education. We’ll explore how libraries, publishers, and research institutions can drive progress on both regional priorities and global challenges.
These themes reflect not just what’s important today, but what’s needed to build a more open, inclusive, and purpose-driven scholarly ecosystem for the future.
A: Finally, for librarians and information professionals in APAC who’ve never attended a Charleston event—why should they consider joining this one?
L: For librarians and information professionals in the Asia-Pacific region who’ve never attended a Charleston event, this is the perfect opportunity to experience what makes it so special—right in your part of the world.
Charleston Conference Asia offers a rare chance to engage in open, candid conversations with peers from across the scholarly communication landscape, librarians, publishers, vendors, technologists, and researchers, all coming together to share ideas, challenges, and solutions. The tone is informal, the atmosphere is collaborative, and every voice is welcome. What sets Charleston apart is its ability to bridge local relevance with global connection. You’ll gain insights that are directly applicable to your regional context, while also tapping into international trends and networks that can elevate your work and open doors for future collaboration.
Whether you’re looking to stay ahead of changes in AI, rethink collection strategies, advocate for equity, or lead innovation in your organization, Charleston Conference Asia will provide meaningful, practical takeaways, and the relationships to support your professional journey long after the event ends. One of the greatest career benefits of Charleston is the networking. The conference fosters meaningful connections across sectors and regions. Whether you’re looking to collaborate on a new project, explore international best practices, or find mentorship and support, Charleston Conference Asia will connect you with a vibrant, engaged community of thought leaders and changemakers in the field.
Attending Charleston Conference Asia offers not only rich professional learning, networking, and global dialog, it also provides tangible recognition of your engagement through a Certificate of Participation. This certificate can be a valuable addition to your professional portfolio, demonstrating your commitment to staying current with global trends, advancing equitable access to knowledge, and engaging with interdisciplinary innovation in scholarly communication.
A: Thank you for taking this interview with ACCESS! Anything else you would like to share with our readers?
L: Thank you for the opportunity to be interviewed! I hope this information is helpful for anyone who is considering attending the Charleston Conference Asia next January. Our Call for Papers is now open, seeking proposals for conference sessions, and registration will open in July. See our website at https://www.charleston-hub.com/charleston-conference-asia/ for more details or contact me with any questions: Leah Hinds, Executive Director, Charleston Hub, [email protected]
