Call for Papers

Missions in Motion: From Service to Empowerment in the Era of AI and Digital Capitalism

Contemporary higher education is undergoing profound transformations driven by artificial intelligence, datafication, and the broader dynamics of digital capitalism. These shifts are not merely technological; they are deeply social, political, and epistemic, reshaping how knowledge is produced, accessed, and governed.

Within this changing landscape, academic libraries find themselves at a critical juncture. Traditionally positioned as service-oriented infrastructures supporting teaching and research, libraries are increasingly confronted with expanding expectations: to foster critical knowledge practices, support open and equitable access to information, and contribute to democratic and socially responsible academic environments.

At the same time, these developments unfold within conditions marked by managerialism, precarity, metric-driven evaluation, and the platformisation of knowledge. Such tensions raise fundamental questions about professional identity, autonomy, and agency: Are libraries being reduced to service providers within data-driven institutions, or can they act as sites of empowerment, critical engagement, and social transformation?

The theme Missions in Motion invites participants to critically engage with these questions by exploring the shifting missions of academic libraries—from service provision towards more empowering, reflexive, and socially engaged roles. It foregrounds the need to rethink libraries not only as institutional support structures, but as active agents in shaping knowledge, education, and democratic life.

Aims and Scope

Missions in Motion: From Service to Empowerment in the Era of AI and Digital Capitalism being the main theme, KRIK Conference aims to bring together researchers, librarians, educators, professionals, and students interested in critically examining the transformation of academic libraries in the context of artificial intelligence, digital capitalism, and shifting institutional and societal expectations.

We invite contributions that critically engage with (but are not limited to) the following themes:

• Transformation of academic libraries in the era of AI and digital capitalism

• From service to empowerment: rethinking professional roles and missions

• Professional identity, agency, and autonomy of academic librarians

• Critical information literacy and pedagogical innovation

• Libraries and the third mission of universities

• Knowledge production, open science, and epistemic justice

• Working conditions, precarity, and institutional constraints

• Digital transformation, datafication, and algorithmic governance

• Libraries as spaces of democracy, inclusion, and social engagement

• Critical librarianship and alternative models of practice

• Your insights from daily practical library experiences are welcome!

Submissions

We invite researchers, practitioners, and doctoral students to submit abstracts for presentation at the conference.

Submissions should engage with the conference theme and contribute to ongoing discussions on the transformation of academic libraries and their evolving roles in contemporary society.

We welcome:

• theoretical and conceptual papers

• empirical research

• case studies and practice-based contributions

• critical reflections and interdisciplinary approaches.

Abstracts should clearly outline the research focus, theoretical or conceptual framework, methodology (if applicable), and key arguments or findings.

Submission guidelines:

• Abstract length: up to 250 words for both oral paper presentations and poster presentations

• Format: title, author affiliation(s), abstract text, keywords (optional references may be included)

• Submission: via Google Forms

• Submissions accepted from: 15 April 2026

• Deadline for submission: 5 June 2026

• Registration for participation opens: 8 June 2026

• Notification of acceptance: 10 July 2026

• Registration ends: 15 July 2026

All submissions will undergo a peer-review process.

The official language of the conference is English.

Accepted abstracts will be included in the conference programme. At least one author of each accepted contribution must register and present the paper or poster.

Submissions sent by email or other means will not be considered.

For questions regarding submissions, please contact:
📩 npoo.krik@ffzg.unizg.hr