The Workshop for Instruction in Library Use is an annual Canadian conference where delegates meet to discuss timely topics on information literacy. In May 1972, five Canadian participants at a conference on library instruction in Ypsilanti, Michigan, discussed ways to share their experiences with other Canadian librarians. Within a few months, a steering committee was formed consisting of Boris Chumakov (York University), Richard Dewey (Sir George Williams University, now Concordia University), Lucie Greene (University of Western Ontario), Patricia Grieg (University of Western Ontario), and Sheila Laidlaw (University of Toronto).
Based on enthusiastic comments received from participants at a workshop that occurred in August 1972, a basic set of guidelines was established for the formation of WILU. The conference initially targeted staff and librarians from universities and colleges in Ontario and Quebec, and a committee was formed consisting of representation from several different institutions. Today, oversight passes from one hosting institution to the next, and WILU attracts librarians from across Canada, the US, and beyond.
The workshop continues to exist independently from library organizations in order to facilitate grassroots participation at the lowest possible cost, and registration fees are set as low as possible. Outside speakers are kept to a minimum, and input is sought from librarians, faculty members, and students for whom library instruction is designed. The workshop emphasizes experience and learning, and has evolved to blend practice with meaningful theory and research. As the information landscape evolves, WILU continues to redefine itself as Canada’s premier information literacy conference.
The WILU conference is committed to hosting a high-quality and affordable event that is an inclusive and equitable experience for both presenters and attendees.
WILU 2025
Join us in beautiful Hamilton, ON, for Canada’s premier conference on information literacy and library instruction! WILU 2025 is hosted from June 9th – 12th, 2025 at McMaster University.
If you have questions, require assistance, or would like to share feedback, please email our planning committee at wilu2025@mcmaster.ca.
In a world full of uncertainty, the library classroom brims with potential to be a space of care and criticality. Our approaches to teaching and learning have the power to cultivate connections, exemplify our values, and extend our reach beyond the walls of the library itself. In doing this work, our relationships are paramount: with our colleagues, learners, communities, and the Earth.
With this in mind, we ask: how do we create learning environments, in person or online, that inspire feelings of belonging and inclusion, where everyone has a place? How is our work shaped by the institutions, communities, and spaces in which we find ourselves? How do we invite learners to grow and shape their learning alongside us? How might commitment to climate sustainability and stewardship be mirrored in our library instructional practices? How do we, as practitioners, support one another, enhance our collective impact, and build professional communities where our identities can flourish?
As we reflect on both distant and recent pasts to look ahead to what’s next, we want to hear how you are imagining and preparing for the future of library instruction, no matter where or what it looks like.
To be the first to hear news regarding Call for Proposals, Registration, and more, please fill out our Save the Date. See you in June 2025!
2025 Planning Committee
Co-Chairs
- Anna Flak
- Ariel Stables-Kennedy
Steering Committee
- Jeannie An
- Krista Dalgleish
- Nicole Doro
- Susanna Galbraith
- Katie Harding
- Emily Hector
- Crystal Mark
- Crystal Mills
- Katie Merriman
- Paige Roman
- Subhanya Sivajothy
- Nancy Waite
Code of Conduct
The WILU Planning Team is dedicated to providing a positive event experience for all participants, and expects host institutions, volunteers, attendees, and speakers to show respect and courtesy toward one another at all conference events. We value ideas, thoughts, and expression, and we appreciate new pedagogy when delivering workshops and sessions. Discriminatory language and imagery are not appropriate for any WILU event venue, keynotes, workshops, or sessions.
Conduct During the Conference
The WILU Planning Team does not tolerate harassment in any form. Harassment is understood as any behaviour that threatens another person or group, or produces an unsafe environment. It includes (but is not limited to) offensive verbal comments or non-verbal expressions related to gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religious beliefs, sexual or discriminatory images in public spaces (including online), deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.
Please remember that harassment is subjectively experienced, and that it is not the intention behind the action that matters but the impact of the action.
Bystander Intervention
In the unfortunate event that WILU 2025 participants witness any racist, sexist, ableist or other discriminatory behaviour, we ask that they consider their role as bystanders and feel empowered to respond in a way that positively influences the outcome. If at any time a participant feels that they have been harassed or that this code of conduct has been breached, it is important that the participant report the incident to a member of the WILU Planning Team.
Mindful Social Media
The WILU Planning Team asks that all participants be mindful of their social media use while at WILU 2025. If you are planning on taking photos, screen captures, or videos while at WILU 2025, please ask permission of attendees and session presenters before posting or tagging photos that may be identifying or contain potentially sensitive information.
Adapted from the WILU 2024 Code of Conduct, the CRKN Conference Code of Conduct, the Ontario Library Association Code of Conduct for OLA Events, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations’ Code of Conduct and the Munin Conference on Scholarly Publishing Policy on Sexual Harassment.
WILU 2026
Want to host WILU 2026? Submit a proposal.
