diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index a59bbb1..01d02ae 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ default = ["futures", "native_tls"]
 version = "^1.5"
 
 [dependencies.dashmap]
-version = "^6.0"
+version = "^6.1"
 
 [dependencies.reqwest]
 version = "^0.12"
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ version = "^2.5"
 optional = true
 
 [dependencies.tokio]
-version = "^1.38"
+version = "^1.40"
 features = ["macros"]
 optional = true
 
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ version = "^4.0"
 optional = true
 
 [dev-dependencies]
-mockito = "^1.4.0"
+mockito = "^1.5.0"
 rdkafka = { version = "^0.36.2", features = ["cmake-build"] }
 rand = "^0.8.5"
 test_utils = { path = "test_utils" }
-tokio = { version = "^1.38.0", features = ["macros"] }
+tokio = { version = "^1.40.0", features = ["macros"] }
 
 [package.metadata.docs.rs]
 all-features = true
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 53647a5..282a061 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ To use it to convert using avro async use:
 
 ```toml
 [dependencies]
-schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.0.0", features = ["avro"] }
+schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.1.0", features = ["avro"] }
 ```
 
 For simplicity there are `easy` variants that internally have an arc.
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ structs that start with `Easy` in the name to do the conversions.
 
 ```toml
 [dependencies]
-schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.0.0", features = ["easy", "avro"] }
+schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.1.0", features = ["easy", "avro"] }
 ```
 
 ...and see the [docs](https://docs.rs/schema_registry_converter) for how to use it.
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ All the converters also have a blocking (non async) version, in that case use so
 
 ```toml
 [dependencies]
-schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.0.0", default-features = false, features = ["avro", "blocking"] }
+schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.1.0", default-features = false, features = ["avro", "blocking"] }
 ```
 
 If you need to use both in a project you can use something like, but have to be weary you import the correct paths
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ depending on your use.
 
 ```toml
 [dependencies]
-schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.0.0", features = ["avro", "blocking"] }
+schema_registry_converter = { version = "4.1.0", features = ["avro", "blocking"] }
 ```
 
 ## Consumer
diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index ba1db95..7cb9eb0 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 ## Release notes
 
+### 4.1.0
+
+Updated versions.
+Add possibility to directly encode avro values.
+Make it possible to have slashes in subject names.
+By updating to the latest [avro-rs](https://crates.io/crates/avro-rs) being able to [have custom name validators](https://github.com/apache/avro-rs/blob/main/avro/README.md#custom-names-validators) in Avro.
+
 ### 4.0.0
 
 Opened up/added some functionality.
@@ -95,6 +102,7 @@ instead of the `encode` function on the encoder.
 #### Contributors
 
 - [@cbzehner](https://github.com/cbzehner)
+- [@benmanns](https://github.com/benmanns)
 - [@johnhalbert](https://github.com/johnhalbert)  
 - [@kitsuneninetails](https://github.com/kitsuneninetails)
 - [@kujeger](https://github.com/kujeger)
@@ -102,4 +110,6 @@ instead of the `encode` function on the encoder.
 - [@marioloko](https://github.com/marioloko)
 - [@naamancurtis](https://github.com/naamancurtis)
 - [@MariellHoversholm-Paf](https://github.com/MariellHoversholm-Paf)
-- [@SergeStrashko](https://github.com/SergeStrashko)
\ No newline at end of file
+- [@saiharshavellanki](https://github.com/saiharshavellanki)
+- [@SergeStrashko](https://github.com/SergeStrashko)
+- [@sfsf9797](https://github.com/sfsf9797)
\ No newline at end of file