Charleston Conference Asia
26 January – 28 January 2026
Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel,
Bangkok, Thailand
2026/01/26 09:00:00
Join librarians, publishers, and vendors from across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to shape the future of scholarly communication.
The Charleston Conference, a leading forum for open and meaningful discussion in the academic publishing world, is expanding to Asia!
The inaugural Charleston Conference Asia will be a three-day event that brings together librarians, publishers, and vendors to engage in regional and global conversations. With a strong focus on inclusivity, innovation, and collaboration, this conference aims to empower voices from underrepresented regions.
📍 Location: Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, Bangkok
📆 Dates: 26–28 January, 2026
👥 Who Should Attend: Academic librarians, Publishers, Vendors, Researchers
Themes & Topics
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Joyashree Roy
Professor of Economics, Jadavpur University, India ICSSR National Fellow
About the Speaker:
Dr. Joyashree Roy is a renowned economist and climate policy expert, currently serving as Professor of Economics at Jadavpur University and a National Fellow of the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). She leads the Global Change Programme and directs the Ryoichi Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund Project on sustainable development.
She was a Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA), and has contributed to major international efforts including the IPCC (Nobel Peace Prize 2007), the Stern Review, and the Global Energy Assessment. Dr. Roy has authored over 75 peer-reviewed publications and is recognized globally for her work in climate change economics, energy modeling, and environmental policy.
Prof. Devika P. Madalli
Director, INFLIBNET Centre, UGC-IUC, Gandhinagar
About the Speaker:
Prof. Devika Madalli is a leading expert in knowledge organization and digital information systems. She currently serves as Director of the INFLIBNET Centre and was formerly Professor at the Documentation Research and Training Centre, Indian Statistical Institute, as well as adjunct faculty at the University of Trento, Italy.
Her work spans open educational resources (OERs), open data repositories, semantic web technologies, and multilingual information services. She played a key role in shaping India’s One Nation One Subscription initiative and is widely recognized for her contributions to digital libraries, data management, and information infrastructure development.
Prof. Zhang Bin
Library Director, Renmin University of China
About the Speaker:
Prof. Zhang Bin is the Director of the Library at Renmin University of China and a professor at the School of Information Resource Management. Recognized as a national-level talent professor by the Ministry of Education, he serves as Secretary-General and member of the State Council’s Academic Assessment Group for Information Resource Management.
He is also Chair of the Teaching Guidance Committee for Archival Science, Executive Director of the Chinese Library Association, and Vice Chair of the University Library Division. Prof. Zhang holds several additional leadership roles, including Deputy Secretary-General of the Beijing Higher Education Library Work Committee, Executive Deputy Director of BALIS, and Vice President of the Chinese Society of Archival Science.
He also contributes as Director of the Beijing Academic Center for the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme and a member of the Expert Committee for the Archival Heritage Project. His accolades include the “New Century Excellent Talent” award, Baosteel Excellent Teacher Award, Beijing Teaching Master Award, and recognition as an Advanced Individual in Teacher Ethics.
About the Charleston Conference
The Charleston Conference is an annual gathering of librarians, publishers, electronic resource managers, consultants, and vendors. It serves as a unique forum where professionals come together to discuss issues of importance to scholarly communication, publishing, and library acquisitions.
Founded in 1980 by Katina Strauch, the conference began as a small regional meeting of 20 librarians and has grown into an international event with over 3,000 attendees. Held each fall in Charleston, South Carolina, it is widely recognized for its collaborative spirit, cross-sector dialogue, and future-focused discussions.
Katina Strauch is the founder of the Charleston Conference and a longtime librarian at the College of Charleston. She also served as Editor-in-Chief of Against the Grain, a publication she created to foster continued conversation among librarians and publishers.
A respected voice in the library and publishing world, Katina is known for her commitment to community, innovation, and scholarly collaboration. Her legacy continues through the Charleston Hub and its expanding initiatives.
“It’s been a grand 45 years.” — Katina Strauch, reflecting on the Charleston Conference’s journey
In 2026, the Charleston Conference expands its reach with the launch of Charleston Conference Asia, extending its mission of open and inclusive dialogue to new regions.
Quotes & Voices
Call for Participation
Be Part of the Dialogue
We thank our headline sponsors, iGroup, for their support. We have additional opportunities for sponsorship and exhibiting at the Charleston Conference Asia Vendor Showcase that are included at the link below:
Sponsorship & Vendor Showcase Details
✅ Interested in in exhibiting or sponsoring?
Contact: Caroline Goldsmith, Associate Director, Charleston Hub, – caroline@charlestonlibraryconference.com
✅ Have questions about Vendor Showcase exhibits?
Contact: Toni Nix – justwrite@lowcountry.com
✅ Stay Updated – Join Our Newsletter!
Key Dates and Deadlines
Call for Papers
Item
Date / Info
5 May, 2025
Proposal Deadline
15 August, 2025
Review Period
19 August – 29 August, 2025
Decision Emails Sent
Week of 8 September, 2025
Preliminary Full Agenda Ready for Publication
22 September, 2025
Registration
Item
Date / Rate
Opens
15 July, 2025
Early Bird (15 July, 2025 – 10 October, 2025)
$225
Regular Rate (11 October, 2025 – 9 January, 2026)
$300
Late (10 January, 2026 – On-site Registration)
$375
Reduced rates and scholarships available for librarians in low to middle income countries as defined by the World Bank.
Vendor Showcase Registration
Item
Date / Rate
Opens
13 August, 2025
Early Bird (13 August, 2025 – 30 September, 2025)
$2,275
Regular Rate (1 October, 2025 – 10 January, 2026)
$2,500
Discounted rates will be available for 2025 Charleston Conference exhibitors with an option for early registration.
Reduced rates will also be available for local/regional Asian publishers.
Venue
Royal Orchid Sheraton Riverside Hotel
Bangkok, Thailand.
Address:
2 Charoen Krung Road Soi 30, Siphya, Bangrak,
Bangkok 10500, Thailand
Contact Number
+66 2 266 0123
Easily accessible from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK), approx. 45 mins by taxi or airport rail link.