Spotlight on Accessit: our Headline Conference Sponsor

As a part of our year-long collaboration with Accessit Library, a Follett Software solution, Accessit is generously supporting our 2026 conference as headline sponsors. We caught up with Duncan Wright,  Accessit Sales Representative and former School Library Association Secondary School Librarian of the Year, to find out what he most enjoys about our annual conference.

What have been your stand-out moments from previous SLA conferences?

I have been lucky enough to attend the SLA conference as a delegate, a member of the SLA Board, and as an exhibitor, so I have lots of wonderful memories from more than 20 years of attendance. Sitting at dinner next to Melvin Burgess, the author of Junk (a seminal YA novel), was very special. I thought then, and still do, that Junk was a very special book, so having the opportunity to sit and discuss it with the author was a real highlight. And then there was also the time an unnamed librarian arranged some unassuming students into Dewey Decimal order based on the course they were studying...!

What do you enjoy most about meeting school librarians at the conference?

Reconnecting with friends and being reminded of the day-to-day realities of working in a school library. I worked in schools for over twenty years, but as each year passes, I’m conscious that my experience of those day-to-day realities becomes a little less immediate. Meeting, speaking with, and spending time with school librarians who are working in libraries every day is enormously important in helping me stay connected with the world of school librarianship.

What is one thing that you would like all school library teams to know about Accessit?

Once you move to Accessit, you will never need to change your library management system again. Our customer retention rate is 98.5%.

Changing your library management system can feel like a daunting task, but we have a wonderful team who will support you every step of the way. The Accessit team has worked in school libraries and has walked in your shoes, so they understand your fears and concerns. They offer support from your first enquiry, throughout the migration process, and of course once you have joined the Accessit community.

What’s the best book recommendation you have ever received, and who gave it to you?

This is an exceptionally good question! I’m going to go with Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, which was recommended to me by my wife, Jenny. She had already read the book, and when I picked it up, I told her I really didn’t like the sound of it. She convinced me that I would, in fact, love it — and she was, of course, completely correct.

Accessit Library is a modern library management system for schools that gives students and staff secure, anytime access to library and curriculum resources through an intuitive and inclusive interface. Developed for school librarians for over 25 years, Accessit is continually improved based on your feedback and is backed by a UK-based team of library and IT professionals. Come and visit them in the lively exhibition hall at the SLA conference in June.