By Anca Cojocaru and David Wills
on behalf of the Cambridge Local Planning Committee
The Local Planning Committee (LPC) at the Squire Law Library, Cambridge, is all set to host and welcome members of the IALL Board, conference delegates and our conference sponsors to the 44th Annual Course of the International Association of Law Libraries (IALL) which is taking place between Sunday 13th to Wednesday 16th September 2026.
The Annual Course will commence at the Graduate Cambridge Hotel on the banks of the River Cam and will complete its journey at the IALL Annual Dinner in the grand surroundings of the Hall at St John’s College, Cambridge. The theme of our programme is Shifting Politics and Legal Realities: Taking a Punt into the Future.
The programme will weave its way through aspects of UK constitutional law and the impact of Brexit, while addressing topical issues in European and international law. It will also explore themes relating to libraries, legal information, and the impact of artificial intelligence as we take our punt onwards into the future.
The backdrop to this Annual Course will be the historic city of Cambridge, England. The City’s rich history dates back to the Bronze Age, and its charm is evident as you stroll through streets lined with centuries-old buildings or by taking a punt on the River Cam, along the ‘Backs’ (of the colleges) with its historical bridges.
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the world’s third-oldest university with its 31 colleges, various museums, gardens, churches and chapels, and, of course, its network of libraries.
This year’s course, organized by the Squire Law Library, will take place at Jesus College. While the Annual Course will be hosted in a modern conference facility called West Court, nevertheless, Jesus College itself dates back to the year 1496.
No program would be complete without a visit to Cambridge’s historic libraries and there will be possibilities for delegates to see either the Wren Library at Trinity College, the Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University Library or the Squire Law Library during the programme.
The optional day excursion on Thursday 17th September is to the equally historic, albeit smaller, city of Ely some 16 miles north of Cambridge with its magnificent cathedrals which has its origins dating back to the year 672.
More information about the Annual Course is available on the website: IALL 2026.
Again, we look forward to welcoming IALL to Cambridge!
This Blog contains entries by members of the International Association of Law Libraries on issues germane to the Association’s areas of focus. Views expressed in an individual entry only represent the views of the author, and not those of the International Association of Law Libraries or the author’s employer.