Most children are still educated in maintained schools, but they have become invisible compared to the government's new free schools and academies, argues Fiona Millar
I started to watch Michael Gove's Conservative party conference speech online and on a train. After the first sentence, in which he announced that he was going to tell his audience "what is changing", I was treated to 30 minutes of the secretary of state "buffering" as the internet connection faltered, so I amused myself by writing my own speech about "what is not changing". It goes something like this...
We still have the same old hierarchical and stratified school system. Even the vice-chair of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (who should know a bit about social segregation) last week raged about schools being "racial silos" – even if he did neatly sidestep the role that his own sector plays in sorting children by ethnicity, class and family income.
Government policy persistently endorses this sort of behaviour. As the founder of the new Bristol free school, situated in a disadvantaged community, but giving priority access to children from a more affluent postcode, explained in a recent interview: "Being a free school gives us the right to choose our catchment area".
Meanwhile, the mass centralisation of education continues apace. For an elegant and incisive account of this, I recommend a recent lecture by Sir Tim Brighouse to the Oxford Education Society. It includes several killer facts, but my favourite is the following.
Before 1988, the Secretary of State for Education enjoyed three powers of direction. As a result of the 1988 Act, he gained over 250. He now has 2,000 powers and is gathering more by the day via the funding agreements he signs with the growing number of independent state schools. Forget about autonomy and localism. Control and influence increasingly reside in Whitehall, where decisions are made, strings are pulled and budgets manipulated, secretly and often in cahoots with the predatory edu-chains.
In the summer, I spent some time investigating the structures and finances of these chains using information freely available on the Charity Commission website. Yet in the last few months, most of these chains have become "exempt charities" and are no longer required to submit their annual reports and financial statements to the Charity Commission for publication, nor do their budgets appear on the government's new Go Compare! website. The more schools they acquire, the more public money they rake in, and the more profit-making arms they set up, the less accountable they become.
Then there is the rapid and continuing marginalisation of maintained schools. A million pupils may now be educated in academies, but that leaves 7 million who aren't, yet their schools have become invisible. Ministers don't visit them or talk about them and a visitor from Mars could be forgiven for thinking that only a handful of academies educate black children, or send any disadvantaged sixth-formers to university. The Department for Education's own website lists "types of schools", but makes no mention of community, foundation or voluntary aided schools, which still educate the majority, but have ceased to exist officially.
So contested, confused and opaque has the organisation and governance of schools become that London barrister and education law specialist David Wolfe has set up his own website appropriately named "A can of worms" to advise and help parents, teachers and governors who are concerned about the legal ramifications of changes taking place in their schools and communities.
Finally, there is little chance of this approach changing, at least in the short term. The Tories have only got one script and Labour daren't attack it because, even though they introduced many welcome reforms, they also set in train changes that the coalition is now ruthlessly exploiting and they failed to tackle deep-seated issues such as selection, charitable status for private schools and the balance between vocational and academic education.
Standards will continue to rise, incrementally, as they have done for the last 20 years, because pupils, teachers, heads and governors in all those schools that are never mentioned will continue to work hard at improvement. But new perverse incentives in the accountability system (like phonics tests and the EBacc) will eat away at the idea of a rounded, creative and enjoyable education.
And, as with all highly diverse school systems, there will be winners and losers. In the year since we started the Local Schools Network website, it has been clear that for every parent group that is benefiting from reforms, there is another that is bitter about the failure to support, celebrate or invest in their local schools.
The OECD data, both treasured and misused by Gove, continues to prove that the best-performing countries are the most inclusive, separating children neither academically nor geographically. The London Challenge, pioneered by Brighouse, showed what collaboration and partnerships, rather than competition and fragmentation, can achieve. There are real changes that could be made. It is just that no one has the courage to articulate them yet.
If the prospect of debt forces students out of the education 'supermarket', society as a whole will suffer, says Michael Mansfield
In the wake of the US civil war, President James A Garfield, a radical Republican, observed: "Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be maintained." He had been a tireless anti-slavery campaigner advocating civil rights for African-Americans and most of all the need for an educated electorate.
These sentiments have been poignantly echoed as the rationale for various instruments of international human rights law relating to education. The UN committee that oversees the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) has stated in unequivocal terms: "Education is both a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realising other human rights." The committee emphasises the vital role education plays in empowering those groups and individuals who are vulnerable and susceptible to exploitation. In other words, we are dealing with the quality and dignity of life, not products on a commodity market.
It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the normative terms of the covenant itself are in explicit and mandatory language: "Higher education shall be made equally accessible to all on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education".
These provisions have to be read in conjunction with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They were adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1966, to which the UK was a party, and ratified by the UK government in 1976.
There appears to be collective amnesia, or wanton disregard, over these obligations. We have regressed from free education, to modest interest-free loans, to huge loans attracting interest. We are not dealing with rocket science here.
If a younger generation cannot, or is afraid to, incur a massive millstone of debt, their right of access to education is being severely curtailed, if not extinguished. This is a generation whose economic future is bleak in any event. Universities have had their teaching grants cut by 80% and in July the axe fell upon the research students awards scheme.
No wonder Oxford's vice-chancellor made clear that the university's reputation as a world leader in higher education is being threatened by cuts. The funding gap, especially for international students, is the "single biggest reason why those to whom we make offers turn us down", he said.
On the domestic front the draconian cuts have unsurprisingly forced a large number of universities to charge the maximum fee of £9,000 a year, saying that £7,000 barely allows them to break even. A mild arithmetic calculation in relation to average UK household earnings of £22,000-£23,000 shows how impossible the prospects are for vast swaths of the population.
Last month the Office for Fair Access (Offa) reported that a quarter of universities had failed to meet their targets to admit substantially more disadvantaged students. Sir Martin Harris, its director, illustrated the shortfall by highlighting the position at Cambridge, where in 2009-10 12.6% of students came from homes with an annual income of less than £25,000.
It is worth a moment's reflection upon the grandiose statements of intent put out by the coalition soon after the general election in 2010. In section 31 it was proposed that "public funding should be fair and follow the choices of students" and should be judged against the need to increase social mobility, the impact on student debt, a properly funded university sector, improvements in the quality of teaching, advancement in scholarship, and attracting "a higher proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds".
But then along came the market entrepreneur the following October in the form of the Browne report, which suggested universities should charge what they like. Meanwhile, the Lib Dems are wishing none of this had happened and the Labour party is wishing it had not voted against a rise in fees from £3,000 – which it now does support up to a level of £6,000.
This is not the place to develop alternative economic strategies, but the debt crisis is not the fault of the public sector, let alone higher education. The shadow economy, derived from highly speculative and unregulated transactions, is yet to bear its lion's share of financial responsibility.
No politician dare face down the vested interests of big business with initiatives such as the financial transactions tax (Robin Hood tax), the abolition of the bonus culture, and a crackdown on tax evasion together with corporation and individual tax avoidance.
Besides the ICESCR, there are other instruments enshrining rights to education. Section 3 of the UK Human Rights Act 1998 gives effect to European Convention rights. One of those provides that "No person shall be denied the right to education." European case law suggests that states are under an obligation to afford an effective right of access to institutions of higher education that exist.
Interestingly, these issues are to be canvassed in a judicial review by two students challenging the increase in tuition fees with the assistance of Phil Shiner and the Public Interest Lawyers Group. Once again it is left to the efforts of ordinary people to raise fundamental challenges based on basic values.
Education is not a commodity and students are not consumers in a supermarket choosing which can of knowledge will attract the most wealth.
• Michael Mansfield QC is a candidate for the chancellorship of the University of Cambridge. Tonight he will be speaking at the Cambridge Union Society
A school by any other name, university for baristas and a new kind of apprentice
Now, what would you call a brand new school, an academy, that is opening up on the site of the Olympic village in east London? The Olympic Academy has a ring to it. Or, how about the Olympic Village Academy?
But the builders of the new school for Chobham Academy had a better idea. The school, latest member of the chain run by Lord Harris of Peckham, the Tory peer and founder of Carpetright, is going to be called the Lend Lease Harris Academy Chobham, according to the building website, bdonline. Lend Lease is the Australian company that is constructing the school. "We wanted to call it the Olympic Village Academy, but weren't allowed to," Harris told the TES.
The academy will cater for 2,200 pupils and will specialise in performing arts and English, not sport. Oh, and by the way, it is nowhere near Chobham.
Readers, please tell us any dafter school names than this. Education.letters@guardian.co.uk
As a crossbencher in the House of Lords and chair of numerous businesses and advisory boards, ex-CBI chief Lord Digby Jones is a busy man. So what price does he put on his time? A whopping £2,000 an hour, it seems. When asked for an interview with the trade title FE Week recently, his business manager, Lorraine Ellison, said an interview was not an option, but half an hour on the phone might be – in exchange for a donation of £1,000 to Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer. Lord Digby Jones did not respond to requests to discuss the matter.
If you thought working in a coffee shop was a doddle, think again. Starbucks is recruiting 1,000 student baristas, and while they are learning how to make the perfect latte, they will work towards a level 3 qualification (equivalent to A-levels). The company hopes the project – which it is calling "Starbucks University" – could be developed into an apprenticeship in partnership with City & Guilds. Jan Smallhouse, head of talent at Starbucks, believes it could give other educational establishments a run for their money. "We equip our baristas to deliver world-class customer service. With university fees increasing, this is an opportunity for young people who are serious about a career in retail."
In August, I wrote about my decision to hire an apprentice and my ambition for more routes into journalism, which is largely a graduate-entry profession.
After a two-day assessment, which included tests in writing, spelling and current affairs, as well as a formal interview, the job has gone to 22-year-old Rhian Jones, who has given up a degree in English and media to train on-the-job.
Jones will spend four days a week working for me (on a training wage of £6.08 an hour, paid by me) and one day at Harlow College working towards an apprenticeship in business administration (sadly it is not yet possible to do an apprenticeship in journalism). I'm also hoping she will be able to do a qualification from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). What impressed me about Jones was her drive, determination and interpersonal skills – none of which can be learned in a lecture theatre.
Coalition policies have led to a surge of interest in debating the purpose of higher education
William von Humboldt did it in 1810, Cardinal Newman did it in 1852 and Lord Robbins did it in 1963. Now recent changes to UK higher education policy have led to a surge of interest in doing it again – with concern in some quarters that it is not being done enough – that is, defining what universities are for.
Two events are taking place tomorrow that address the issue. The Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (Crassh) at the University of Cambridge launches a public lecture series, entitled The Idea of the University, to commemorate its 10th anniversary. Then, at the University of East London, a public discussion on "University Futures" will consider the purpose of a university education and who should pay for it.
Simon Goldhill, director of Crassh, who has lined up speakers including the intellectual historian Stefan Collini, astronomer Sir Martin Rees and universities minister David Willetts over the next few weeks, says the lectures are timely "because government policy is an attempt to change the nature of the university as we have it".
Stephen Anderson, director of the Campaign for Social Science, which is organising the London debate, says "there is a sense of living in a real-time experiment", that while the government has created a market economy in higher education it is not yet clear how that constantly moderated market will work. He suggests that potentially far-reaching changes are being made for reasons of financial expediency, without any thought of what their wider effect will be. "What we are all looking for is a greater vision for what the end product might look like," he says. "What is it we are all trying to work to?"
For Humboldt, a German philosopher and diplomat, a university was to do with the "whole" community of scholars and students engaged in a common search for truth. For Newman, it was about teaching universal knowledge. For Robbins, an economist commissioned by the government of the time to draw up a report on the future of higher education, universities had four objectives: instruction in skills, promotion of the general powers of the mind, advancement of learning, and transmission of a common culture and common standards of citizenship.
For Collini, "one way to begin to think about their distinctiveness is to see them as institutions primarily devoted to extending and deepening human understanding". This, he suggests "is a pretty outrageous idea: no other institutions have this as their primary purpose". He wants to discuss their role "in more fruitful terms than the cliches about 'contributing to economic growth' which currently dominate public debate on the topic".
But Mike Rustin, professor of sociology at the University of East London and a speaker at the London discussion, has a problem with this. He says opposition to the government's higher education policy from people such as Collini has so far been expressed in very traditionalist terms – with the idea that a university has an intrinsic value and good.
"On the one hand, you have the marketised view of universities as equipping people to earn their living, and on the other hand, a traditional view that universities are about pure learning," he says. "But the students we have here have always seen benefits beyond learning for its own sake."
This is also the view of Liam Burns, president of the National Union of Students. "We have really hard evidence to show that students are fairly clear about why they want to go to university – and for the vast majority, it is about getting a better job and having a successful career," he says. "A lot of people say what about learning for learning's sake? I find that problematic. Everyone has a purpose for why they want to learn."
Carl Lygo, chief executive of the private higher education provider BPP, agrees, basing his view of university on personal experience. Brought up in a single-parent family and on free school meals, he was the first in his family to attend university, and chose to study law because it offered a clear career path. The fact that more students from his kind of background are now going on to higher education means that the purpose of a university has become more utilitarian, he suggests, but he regrets the emphasis now given to its effect on future earning power. "I'm looking forward to when great public universities return to thinking about the wider good," he says.
What they all seem to agree is that not all universities are for the same thing, that the "great public universities" are about something very different from BPP.
For the philosopher Onora O'Neill, who will give one of the Cambridge lectures, diversity is here to stay, "even if you regard some if its manifestations, such as MacDonald's University and company in-house programmes, as probably a bit impertinent". She argues that what is needed is more clarity about precisely what these diverse missions are.
As tuition fees begin to differ substantially from one institution to another, the need for clarity about what universities do has been transferred from the government to individual institutions, she argues. Yet the sector has inherited a system that measures them all against the same criteria. Why should inner-city institutions that take large numbers of disadvantaged students be measured on drop-out rates, for example, in the same way as those with a much more traditional student body?
What is Willetts's idea of what a university is for? He describes universities first as "one of our great national assets", but adds: "They push forward the frontiers of knowledge. They transform people's lives. And they contribute to the health and wealth of our nation through their deep involvement in wider society and the economy." He also stresses their autonomy. "That is the key to their continuing success and their world-class status."
• On Tuesday the universities minister will be live online to discuss what universities are for in 2011. To provide qualifications? Or for the sake of learning? Is their purpose changing? Post your question now
A sculpture using children's milk teeth is at the heart of a bid to inform the public about stem cell research
From a distance, it will look like a fairy-tale castle that has been covered by the sea and grown organically to develop the characteristics of a coral reef. Close up, however, it will become apparent that those white clusters clinging to the walls are not barnacles. They're teeth. Milk teeth – thousands of them, donated by children from all over the UK and beyond to enhance a two-metre square glass resin sculpture that is intended to stimulate a debate on the possibilities for regenerative medicine created by research into stem cells.
From December, the sculpture will be the centrepiece of the Palaces exhibition that will feature at galleries in London, Liverpool and Coventry over the following year and a half. It represents an inventive collaboration between the artist Gina Czarnecki and the biologist Professor Sara Rankin from Imperial College, London.
They met at Imperial when Czarnecki attended one of Rankin's stem-cell workshops. Rankin's research, funded by the Wellcome Trust, adopts a pharmacological approach to regenerative medicine. Within the adult bone marrow there are specific subsets of stem cells that promote tissue repair, and Rankin has recently identified a novel drug combination that mobilises those subsets from the bone marrow into the blood.
Conscious that there is public apprehension about the use of body parts in medical research, Rankin is committed to engaging with the public from an early age. She goes into schools and talks to children from seven upwards about the possibilities of inventing new medicines to help the body repair itself. Meeting Czarnecki helped Rankin to realise the possibilities of using art to "capture children's imagination and get them involved".
Scientist and artist also realised that they had much in common, not least both having children of a similar age who had recently lost milk teeth. "Milk teeth are a sign of transition and growth," Czarnecki points out. "Everything else that falls off the body is a sign of decay."
But are milk teeth a useful source of stem cells? "Any tissue from the human body, be it the heart or fat or a tooth, will contain stem cells," says Rankin, who points out that it's still unclear whether the tissues from teeth are as effective in organ repair as those from, say, bone marrow. "But you could ultimately use them to develop a new tooth in laboratory conditions."
She's keen to stress that she does not deal directly in teeth, but she knows a man who does. He is Professor Paul Sharpe from the Craniofacial Department at King's College, London. "My lab," he says, "is working on several different projects aimed at understanding more about these cells, how they are activated to repair teeth and also using them to try to generate new teeth."
"Shed" cells – stem cells from "human exfoliated deciduous teeth" (milk teeth) – are obtained by taking the soft inner tissue, otherwise knows as the pulp. They are then grown in a nutrient substance and later frozen and put into storage for future use.
Companies all over the world are building up tooth banks for stem cell research, Sharpe points out. One of them, BioEDEN, wanted to supply Czarnecki and Rankin with milk teeth for the exhibition, but the offer was declined. "This project is about participation," Czarnecki explains.
Being mothers, both women are well aware that most children will expect a donation from the tooth fairy. Vouchers that can be left under pillows are available on the Palaces website and at donation boxes at the galleries involved.
For Czarnecki, that's further evidence that milk teeth will provide a stimulus to public discussion. "The artwork," she says, "will … increase awareness, understanding and informed debate about these new biomedical possibilities and their social, cultural and ethical implications."
• Further details of how to donate and where the exhibition will be shown at http://palaces.org.uk
Toni Franck has filled the vacant Trustee position on CILIP Council. The vacancy followed Gareth Johnson’s decision to step down early.
Isabel Hood, Chair of CILIP Council, said, “I’m delighted to welcome Toni to CILIP Council and am sure she will make a very strong contribution to it over the coming years.”
Toni Franck accepted the position, saying "I am honoured to take on the role of Trustee. I know these are difficult times, and how important library services are. I will work diligently and creatively on behalf of the CILIP membership."
Toni will serve on Council until December 2013. Read Toni’s manifesto and supporting statements from the election that took place in 2010.
CILIP’s Bye-laws state that when the office of Councillor becomes vacant mid-term, following a contested election, the unsuccessful candidate who received the highest number of votes should be approached to automatically fill the vacancy. See Bye-law 58 for full details.
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How Professor Steven Ng-Sheong Cheung devised a theory about man's struggle with corruption and governments
Steven Ng-Sheong Cheung, because of his adventure with the legal system – not despite it – sets a high standard for economists. The economics profession is often accused of concocting clever theories that don't resonate in the lives of real people. Professor Cheung devised a theory about man's struggle with corruption and governments. He wrote about his theory, with relish. The US government shone a spotlight on Professor Cheung's thoughts, when it issued a warrant for his arrest.
Back in 1996 Professor Cheung – who was then head of the University of Hong Kong's School of Economics and Finance, and an economist at the University of Washington in Seattle, in the US – published a paper called A Simplistic General Equilibrium Theory of Corruption, in the journal Contemporary Economic Policy.
The very first sentence of that paper says: "The author's simplistic view of corruption is that all politicians and government officials – like everyone else – are constrained self-maximizers. They therefore establish or maintain regulations and controls with the intent to facilitate corruption, which then becomes a source of income for them."
Professor Cheung dives deep into the matter. A few pages later he explains: "I made the now famous statement that it is no use to put a beautiful woman in my bedroom, naked, and ask me not to be aroused. I said that the only effective way of getting rid of corruption is to get rid of the controls and regulations that give rise to corruption opportunities."
A press release issued on 25 February, 2003 by the Seattle office of the US Department of Justice bears the headline (in all uppercase letters): ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED FOR ECONOMIST AND WIFE FOR THEIR FAILURE TO APPEAR. That press release reported:
"A federal grand jury returned an indictment against the CHEUNGs on January 28, 2003. STEVEN N.S. CHEUNG was named in all thirteen counts of the indictment, charging him with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, six counts of filing false income tax returns, and six counts of filing false foreign bank account reports."
These days Professor Cheung lives in China, where he is a newspaper columnist and blogger, having joined a new profession that enjoys almost as much public confidence and respect as his old one.
Thanks to Yoram Bauman for bringing this to my attention.
• Marc Abrahams is editor of the bimonthly Annals of Improbable Research and organiser of the Ig Nobel prize
Graduates, if you are from a non-library / information discipline looking for a library and information career then this is the scheme for you. Go to the Directory of CILIP Graduate Training Opportunities to view vacancies.
Information for employers explains how the scheme helps recruit graduates.
However you decide to continue your route to a CILIP accredited qualification, full-time, part-time or distance learning then you should be looking at our list of Graduate Traineeships. There is no charge to use the service. Get updates on new vacancies on Facebook and Twitter.
Employers benefit from enthusiastic graduates. You can add details of entry level vacancies suitable for graduates looking to start their careers in libraries and information for only £50.
CILIP's Qualifications pages provide professional development ideas suitable for people at all stages of their careers.
Some charities look for volunteers to help run information services. These opportunities can be useful ways of gaining the library and information experience needed to enrol on CILIP accredited postgraduate courses.
For all queries about CILIP Graduate Training Opportunities please contact CILIP's Qualifications team
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Simon Edwards will take up the post of Director of Professional Services in late November.
Simon currently works in a senior role as a change manager at West Sussex County Council. Prior to this he was Development Director at Museums Libraries and Archives South East and delivered a number of national projects. He has a proven track record in change management, strategic planning and in supporting teams and people.
“It is a challenging time for both CILIP and the wider library and information sector,” Simon Edwards said, “I am excited by the opportunity to join CILIP in this new role and look forward to developing the offer to members in line with the feedback and challenges presented by the Defining our Professional Future project. I am looking forward to engaging with members from across the sector to ensure that the services we provide are relevant and high quality.”
CILIP Chief Executive Annie Mauger said, “We are delighted to welcome Simon to the team. His skills in working with people and managing change will be a great asset and I know he will be a huge help in ensuring that our Continuous Professional Development offer is accessible and relevant. Simon has direct experience of being part of a CILIP branch committee and will bring that with him to his work in supporting members and stakeholders. He has also worked strategically with government and will be a great advocate for the profession.”
The Professional Services directorate is focused on delivering services to members, creating community and active recruitment by bringing together areas of activity that relate directly to members. It includes three teams; Continuous Professional Development (CPD), Customer Services and Facet Publishing.
The CPD team provide advice about qualifications to students, Chartership candidates, employers and education providers. Customer Services support members, CILIP Branches and Special Interest Groups with advice and information, and also administer membership joining and renewal. Facet Publishing produces a wealth of professional titles. The quality and relevance of Facet titles are linked directly to CILIP’s CPD services.
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More than 80,000 fascinating documents that uncover the lives led by Yorkshire women such as Charlotte Bronte in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are now only a mouse click away.
A major website launches today hosted by the University of Huddersfield, developed in partnership with West Yorkshire Archives Service and funded by JISC.
Researchers, archivists and the general public can now explore a vast online archive of diaries, letters, journals, minutes and other written material plus photographs and artworks that tell the story of women’s lives as led in the home, the workplace, the political arena and even the mental asylum.
Famous women such as author Charlotte Bronte and aviator Amy Johnson lives can be explored through original documents on the JISC-funded ‘History to Herstory’ website.
University of Huddersfield’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Teaching and Learning, Professor Tim Thornton, himself a historian, said: “This website is a great example of bringing underused resources back into the public gaze, and I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to take a lead on the project.”
The digitised material comes from the holdings of the West Yorkshire Archives, the archives of the University of Huddersfield, plus Hull University and the Bronte Society.
Alastair Dunning, programme manager at JISC, said: “Exploiting Britain’s cultural treasures in the digital age is not just about digitisation but using the Internet to tell stories about them. The University of Huddersfield’s From History to Herstory does this in an innovative way, presenting women’s history in Yorkshire in a new light.”
“We’re delighted to be online,” said Dr Rob Ellis, of the History Department at the University of Huddersfield.“This is a digitised archive that can be used for many purposes by anybody, from academic researchers to family historians,” he added.
The site also includes packages of learning materials, themes such as women and politics, women at work, women at war and women’s correspondence, the packages can be used for a wide variety of educational purposes. Some of the material will be used for undergraduate modules at the University of Huddersfield itself.
“This is a fantastic resource,” says Katy Goodrum, Head of Archives at West Yorkshire Archive Services, “and the main thing for me is a huge amount of the material is in women’s own words, which is quite rare.”
She added that people were still able to consult the original documents if they wished, and links on every digitised item reveal where the source material is archived.
“We certainly don’t want to deprive people of the ability to see the originals, but the website means you don’t have to travel from half way around the world to use the material.”
View highlights of the collection.
©All rights reserved by the West Yorkshire Archive Service
Visit the History to Herstory website
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Your CILIP Presidential team* is:
If you would like the CILIP President to visit your branch or group or speak at a conference, please consult the calendar below and contact them with details of your event:
* The position of Vice-President is currently vacant after Lauren Smith stepped down.
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Title: Ms
Forename: Liz
Surname: McGettigan
Post Nominals: BA, MCLIP, ACMI
Candidate manifesto
The time to be modest and traditional has gone this is our time to be ambitious, high profile, proactive and innovative. I passionately believe in libraries and the world of library and information professionals. I believe in our ability to develop exciting approaches to innovation in the sharing of information, knowledge and learning. As the internet proliferates, information becomes more and more confusing and mobile technology is developing so rapidly, we have a real opportunity to lead.
I have worked on the frontline, in school and reference libraries, in the private IT sector and in a huge variety of management roles during my career. I have used my skills in organisational transformation, channel shift, social media, digital and electronic information management across the UK and Europe. I have also developed expertise in digital and social inclusion, e-government and e-learning services – areas that affect us all. I love developing innovative services, networks and opportunities for cooperation and partnership.
I thrive on leading rapid transformation and have an exciting vision for the future of libraries, librarians and information professionals. Transformation isn't just about new technology it’s about challenging preconceptions, finding smarter, leaner ways of working and identifying opportunities in the midst of adversity.
I have led the use of social media to promote library services in Edinburgh, as well as being an advocate in the field of information literacy. I know I can champion and harness our fabulous, transferable skills to enable us to drive the agenda. I know I can promote the positioning of libraries in local government and educational institutions for economic wellbeing, information literacy and learning for employment, cultural identity and social justice and will do so by developing a higher profile nationally and internationally
I promise that, if elected, I will fulfil the role with passion, and skill.
________________________________________
Nominators' Supporting Statements
________________________________________
Statement 1
Title: Mr
Forename: Phil
Surname: Bradley
Post Nominals: BA(Hons), MCLIP
I'm very happy to nominate Liz McGettigan for a position as CILIP Trustee. Liz has been actively involved with exciting developments within the library field and developing the use of Web 2.0 applications as well as other forms of social media. She is very highly regarded amongst her colleagues and would add an exciting dimension to CILIP Council.
________________________________________
Statement 2
Title: Ms
Forename: Jenny
Surname: Foreman
Post Nominals: MA DipLib
I have known Liz McGettigan for a number of years and have always been very impressed by her personal qualities as well as her work.
Liz is a very dynamic, highly experienced professional with many qualities which would make her an excellent candidate for the CILIP Council. She is adept at engaging with others, is highly proactive and enthusiastic in her work and all her many roles. For example, Liz has been a leading force in using social media to promote library services in Edinburgh, as well as being an invaluable advocate in the field of information literacy. ________________________________________
Statement 3
Title: Ms
Forename: Margaret
Surname: Forrest
Post Nominals: MA, MSc, DipLib, FCLIP, FSA Scot, FHEA
Liz McGettigan is an active member of CILIP and a role model among public sector librarians in the UK. She has a wealth of experience in public libraries and is an expert in digital and social inclusion. In my opinion, Liz has all the skills and knowledge which would make her an ideal member of CILIP Council.
________________________________________
Statement 4
Title: Mr
Forename: David
Surname: McMenemy
Post Nominals: BA MSc MCLIP FHEA
I first met Liz when she worked for with East Renfrewshire Council. In the time I have known her I have been impressed with her passion for public libraries, and her desire to ensure that they remain relevant in the modern era.
Since her time with East Renfrewshire she has worked in the private sector for a library systems vendor, and now leads Edinburgh’s public library service.
Liz is a wonderful advocate for public libraries and the wider profession and would bring her passion and enthusiasm to the role of CILIP Trustee.
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Statement 5
Title: Mr
Forename: Martyn
Surname: Wade
Post Nominals: BA. MLib, MCLIP
I am pleased to support Liz McGettigan’s nomination.
I have come to know Liz and her work particularly after she joined the City of Edinburgh Council as Head of Libraries and Information services. There she has re-energised and developed the library and information service across the city. She has a clear vision for libraries and is developing the profile and role of libraries within their communities and the council.
She is a strong advocate for library services, and as a Trustee Liz will bring her enthusiasm and energy to the Board of CILIP.
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Title: Mr
Forename: Keith
Surname: Wilson
Post Nominals: BA, FCLIP, HonFCLIP, AssocCIPD
Candidate manifesto
Defining our professional future reveals uncomfortable truths about CILIP. We are an amazingly talented and generous institute in danger of being left behind by the world around us. What we must offer has to be nothing less than world class.
The wealth of CILIP is you and I. If elected my goal would be to ensure that CILIP has the means to make Defining our professional future a reality. CILIP needs to grow in every sense, fearless and convincing as the voice of the value of libraries and information, accessible and inspiring to you and I as members and, as the corporate body, setting ambitious new standards so that we will never again reach a point where a majority of members feel CILIP provides quite or very poor value for money.
My contribution as a Trustee would include:
• a penetrating voice for revenue growth that returns effective operating surpluses,
• proposing a strategy for winning back members we have lost,
• working to make sure that CILIP's communication channels diversify and strengthen,
• seeking to develop tools and resources for return to work and career progression,
• supporting initiatives to form alliances and partnerships with other professions,
• advocating diversifying our revenue through a strong commercial policy that helps ensure that membership is affordable and CILIP is sustainable,
• encouraging redevelopment of our qualifications and training to broaden their appeal and value to stakeholders,
• opening doors that CILIP members feel are closed to them.
I have been a CILIP member and activist from my first working day in a library. My roles in CILIP and predecessors have included every Branch officer position, Framework of Qualifications mentor, Chair of Chartership Board, and member of Accreditation Board.
Please vote for me and let's go.
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Nominators' Supporting Statements
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Statement 1
Title: Ms
Forename: Biddy
Surname: Fisher
Post Nominals: MLib FCLIP
Having known Keith for over 10 years as a colleague on CILIP's Chartership Board I know he has the required strengths and experience. During a period of significant change he proved his commitment to CILIP and the future it offered qualifying members.
Keith is a leader in our profession, at a time when the membership need trust and belief in those that lead CILIP. He is guided by his belief that libraries and information are critical aspects of a civilised society of individuals with equal rights of access to services that enable them to live fulfilling lives in that society.
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Statement 2
Title: Mrs
Forename: Fiona M
Surname: Forsythe
Post Nominals: BA(Hons) MScEcon, MCLIP
Our trustees need to have vision, yet understand the detail. They need to take risks, yet safeguard the profession. That’s a big ask!
Working with Keith on Charter Board I saw his vision, and his detailed approach demonstrated.
Keith has a rare ability to hear both sides of a complex, delicate discussion, summarize with clarity and wisdom, never moving from the raison d’être of the debate. His professional career is testimony to the power of his advocacy. His passion for our professional body is driven by listening to members, and non-members.
This is man will give us back our CILIP.
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Statement 3
Title: Ms
Forename: Kath
Surname: Owen
Post Nominals: BA FCLIP
Keith makes an outstanding contribution to the library and information profession through his commitment and continued engagement at local, national and international levels. His strong focus on professional development is demonstrated in his employment practice and more broadly through his work to support qualifications and through his involvement in regional bodies.
A powerful advocate for his profession, Keith’s work has led to significant development and innovative practice in the field of construction information. His impact in this area has raised the profile of the profession within the sector at a national level.
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Statement 4
Title: Mr
Forename: Nick
Surname: Stopforth
Post Nominals: BSc(Hons) Information Studies ACLIP
Keith is a highly valued member of the professional community, clearly able to deliver on his professional commitments and to articulate and demonstrate the core values of the library and information profession. His credentials are: hard-working, full of passion and enthusiasm for the sector, its abilities and potential, extensive understanding and practice drawing from the body of professional knowledge, and meticulous attention to detail.
An excellent library advocate, and a calm head in difficult times, Keith’s ability is regularly demonstrated at all stages: regional, national and beyond; and to all levels (including ACLIP) and abilities of colleagues and associates.
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Statement 5
Title: Mrs
Forename: Margaret
Surname: Watson
Post Nominals: BA MA FCLIP HonFCLIP
Keith is just the kind of person CILIP needs as a Trustee. He brings a wealth of experience: as an information professional, as a manager in the business sector, (especially in times of change) and total commitment to the profession. His support for new professionals in the North East, and beyond, is very special.
Keith has vision, integrity, drive and tenacity. I have known Keith for a long time and worked with him on many projects and have always found his support invaluable. He is serious about our profession and I am delighted to nominate Keith as a Trustee.
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Title: Ms
Forename: Maria
Surname: Cotera
Post Nominals: BA, MCLIP
Candidate manifesto
CILIP requires strategic leaders with forward vision, able to recruit, retain and inspire others in order to grow and flourish: I worked my way up from Career Development Group local committee member (2004-2010) to CDG President (2009), developing the activists network, the concept of CILIP new professionals and the organisation of new professionals conferences (2009, 2010) to create community, make CILIP more inclusive, ensure fair representation and unearth new leaders. I worked towards growing CDG membership and a sound, transparent governance by implementing clear election procedures, a democratic decision making system and a new financial model, and represented CDG at CILIP Policy Forum.
We need a CILIP which proactively advocates for our professional value and the services we provide: I worked on the CILIP Political Manifesto T&F Group, setting six clear priorities for the next Government, which was sent to all political parties before the national election – the first example of CILIP proactively engaging with politicians at the national level. This year I organised an international advocacy conference which brought together CILIP staff, members and international colleagues to share advocacy ideas and learn from each other’s successes.
We need a fair and inclusive CILIP which understands and recognises the value of all its members, regardless of which sector or country they are in: I have worked in public libraries, academia, the commercial and charity sectors. A committee member of CILIP International and Information Group (2006-) and member of CILIP Diversity Group, I celebrate diversity and champion equality within our workforce and the world at large, and have served on CILIP Equalities Audit T&F Group (2010).
If elected to Council, I will contribute my previous experience, my strategic vision and my passion for CILIP and the profession to create a more dynamic, inclusive, efficient and inspiring Institute for all.
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Nominators' Supporting Statements
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Statement 1
Title: Ms
Forename: Kathy
Surname: Ennis
Post Nominals: BA(Hons), DipLib, MCLIP
I have been privileged to know Maria for some years, both as a practising information professional and in my capacity as an employee of CILIP. I am nominating Maria because:
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Statement 2
Title: Mr
Forename: John
Surname: Lake
Post Nominals: BA FCLIP
I nominate Maria Cotera for election as a Trustee because I believe she is dedicated and passionate about the profession and is willing to give her time and energy to help it evolve with ideas, imagination and a sense of responsibility.
I have known Maria since her involvement with IFLA in 2004 where she is now highly respected amongst the IFLA officers and community.
I have worked with Maria in the ILIG Committee for 2 years. Witnessing her commitment to improving services for members has convinced me that she will be a suitable candidate for the work of a Trustee.
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Statement 3
Title: Mr
Forename: Christopher
Surname: Rhodes
Post Nominals: MA
It is difficult to overestimate the impact that Maria has had on LIS new professionals.
Maria’s vision and organisational talent created the CILIP New Professionals Conference in 2009, the first conference of its kind.
The explosion of new professional activity which followed this conference is due in a large part to her facilitating events and opportunities for new professionals to forge communities and raise their visibility.
She has used her considerable network of contacts to establish new professionals as an integral part of the LIS world.
Maria’s ability to advocate for members of CILIP will make her a valuable trustee.
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Statement 4
Title: Mr
Forename: John
Surname: Vincent
Post Nominals: MCLIP MCMI
I have worked with Maria Cotera on many occasions, including at Umbrella, as well as co-organising a visit to CILIP by a group from the University of Missouri.
Librarianship needs strong leadership, a fighting spirit, and an understanding of the role that libraries play towards social justice, and I believe that Maria will bring all these to CILIP, as well as integrity; advocacy skills, particularly around being an activist; an understanding of diversity issues both in the UK and abroad; and a willingness to stand up and promote the role of the profession.
I am delighted to nominate Maria Cotera.
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Statement 5
Title: Ms
Forename: Eleni
Surname: Zazani
Post Nominals:
I am part of the CILIP community due to Maria. She inspired me to get involved with my local committee of the Career Development Group, and then mentored, supported and encouraged me to step up to my current role in the national committee. Maria has also recruited, inspired and supported many others who, like me, are now active CILIP members.
CILIP needs leaders like Maria to drive its “20-by-20” strategic ambition; she has a real passion for CILIP and is able to transmit this to others – for these reasons I am delighted to nominate Maria Cotera for CILIP Trustee.
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Title: Mr
Forename: Mike
Surname: Hosking
Post Nominals: MCLIP
Candidate manifesto
I am delighted to put myself forward for election as CILIP Trustee. Having just retired as Director of Libraries, Learning and Culture for Cambridgeshire this provides me with the opportunity to continue to make a telling contribution to the profession.
I will bring exceptionally wide management and financial experience to the role; along with extensive contacts throughout libraries and in related fields such as government, adult learning, and culture.
Alongside 44 years in local government, 35 as a senior manager in London and Cambridgeshire, I’m also the Governor of a FE College, was a founding Board Member of Lifelong Learning UK, representing Libraries and Adult Learning, and currently Chair the Libraries, Archives and Information Services National Employers Panel, all of which has given me considerable experience of leading workforce development. A CILIP member for over 40 years I have also served as a committee member and officer on a number of Branches and Groups.
Information specialists and librarians are hugely important to our future economic well being, yet whether providing library services in deprived communities, or in industry or banking we all work under increased pressure and financial stringency, and our professional contribution is frequently unrecognised and dismissed. The “Defining our Professional Future” research has provided us with the necessary insight into members’ views, and enabled us to shape a future strategic direction.
Council now have to deliver that, and the priority must be to gain recognition and understanding of the impact we make, and at the same time increase our membership base by ensuring CILIP is relevant to all the constituency
These must be priorities for the Trustees on behalf of the whole membership to ensure we create a sustainable organisation that serves the needs of its existing and future members and which actively involves them all.
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Nominators' Supporting Statements
________________________________________
Statement 1
Title: Ms
Forename: Ciara
Surname: Eastell
Post Nominals: BA (Hons) MA MCLIP
As his Manifesto indicates, Mike would bring extensive leadership and management experience to the role of CILIP trustee. I have known Mike for 13 years and know that his network across library, learning and local government sectors is extensive and influential. Although now retired, Mike retains significant enthusiasm and energy and would use these key ingredients to be a proactive and responsible trustee. In short, Mike makes things happen. Finally, I can testify that Mike has a strong commitment to nurturing library talent at all levels. I can think of no better quality for the important role of CILIP trustee.
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Statement 2
Title: Mrs
Forename: Susan
Surname: Hughes
Post Nominals: MCLIP
I am very pleased to nominate Mike Hosking for election to CILIP Council.
Mike has a lifetime of experience in local government library and cultural services. His ability to interpret the wider political landscape and its implications for libraries has seen him devise and lead pioneering and innovative collaborative approaches to service delivery and, latterly, been crucial in safeguarding services in Cambridgeshire.
Mike’s experience of leadership in the sector at a time of significant change, together with his ability to get right to the heart of any issue, would be an invaluable asset to Council.
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Statement 3
Title: Mr
Forename: David
Surname: Ruse
Post Nominals: MCLIP
Unprecedented times for libraries and our profession mean CILIP needs high calibre Trustees if it is to remain relevant and viable, meeting the challenges and seizing the opportunities that exist.
I have known Mike Hosking for many years as a dedicated professional with a track record of achievement in local government and for his wider contribution to competencies and qualifications on the LLUK Council, on which we both served.
I nominate Mike because he will bring a pragmatic and strategic focus based on skills and experience, and will recognise the important distinction between the role of Trustees and officers.
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Statement 4
Title: Mr
Forename: Martyn
Surname: Wade
Post Nominals: MCLIP, MCIM, BLib, MLib, FRSA
Mike Hosking is a highly experienced professional librarian who has worked as a senior level in local authorities for many years and is deeply committed to the role of libraries in society today. He is keen to ensure that we have a strong professional body, able to provide strong advocacy in challenging times. Mike fully understands the role of a Trustee and I have no doubt that he will work hard as a Trustee, and make an effective and positive contribution to the work of CILIP.
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Statement 5
Title: Ms
Forename: Alison
Surname: Wheeler
Post Nominals: PG Celt Mgnet, MCLIP
I have had the privilege to work with Mike for the last 14 years on a number of strategic and regional projects, and have learned from his foresight, imagination and strategic approach.
Mike is a big-hearted leader in our profession, especially generous as a sponsor of other members of the profession, identifying potential and encouraging it to grow. This is essential in a membership organisation like CILIP, and for the trustees to have this willingness to develop the next generation.
I believe he would be an energetic and astute trustee for our professional body and am delighted to endorse him.
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Title: Ms
Forename: Sue
Surname: Cook
Post Nominals: MCLIP, HonFCLIP
Candidate manifesto
After three decades serving on and Chairing a variety of boards, professional, educational and charitable I have learned that the effectiveness, relevance and sustainability of any organisation rely on a balance between the inflow of new ideas, active participation of stakeholders and competent governance.
Practical skills are vital too or nothing ever happens beyond endless talk. Over time I have worked to develop the skills I believe are vital for turning ideas into action. They are the ability to analyse problems and evaluate opportunities, the application of sound business practices, in depth understanding of the context in which you operate and a willingness to be flexible and open to change. I believe CILIP is in need of these skills right now.
They would be entirely useless of course without the strong conviction that the cause I was giving my time to was worthwhile. By choice the Library Association/ CILIP have absorbed a large chunk of my life. It has not all been serene. I resigned in protest at what I saw as indifference to the depredations of the Thatcher era. Since rejoining, in Council, committees, working groups, in fact, in every area of my professional life I have contributed, challenged and championed. I only do that for causes I care deeply about.
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Nominators' Supporting Statements
________________________________________
Statement 1
Title: Mr
Forename: Peter
Surname: Griffiths
Post Nominals: BA(Hons) FCLIP MCLIP
I thoroughly endorse Sue Cook’s candidacy. Her experience on the Audit Panel since 2009 gives her in-depth knowledge of the issues facing CILIP and of potential solutions. She will hit the ground running. Sue’s extensive career makes her familiar with CILIP and library and information services, while the citation for her Hon FCLIP rightly drew attention to her tireless championing of the information professions. Sue will bring common sense and sharp analysis to the Council table, but also warmth and support for her colleagues, business acumen to help CILIP, and strong advocacy for all aspects of the profession.
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Statement 2
Title: Ms
Forename: Hettie
Surname: Jones
Post Nominals: BSc Hons, Msc DipEd, MCLIP
I support Sue Cook, having known her as a colleague within CILIP activities for the last decade. Always friendly and approachable, she combines common sense with a strong sense of values, including financial awareness. Her views are presented with clarity and balance. Using her ability to identify the core of any problem with speed and understanding she generates informed discussion before moving forward to find the best solution for CILIP members and the organisation. I consider the work of the trustees would benefit from her participation
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Statement 3
Title: Mrs
Forename: Stephanie
Surname: Kenna
Post Nominals: MA FCLIP Hon FCLIP
I have known Sue since 2003 when she was seconded to the British Library (BL) from Leeds Library and Information Service to develop a web-based training package about the BL for public library staff. Sue is a dedicated professional, having served CILIP members in a variety of capacities over a number of years. She brings common sense, leadership skills and practical experience to bear on issues, is much respected within the profession at all levels, and is a strong advocate for the library and information profession. I am delighted to have the opportunity to nominate her as a CILIP Trustee.
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Statement 4
Title: Mr
Forename: Nigel
Surname: Macartney
Post Nominals: MA, DipLib, MCLIP
I wholeheartedly support Sue Cook in her candidacy to CILIP Council. Sue has a truly exceptional track record as a committed library and information professional and is, as well, a colleague who has always recognised the importance of our professional body. Her realism, frankness and insight are among the skills which Council will value highly at this critical time.
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Statement 5
Title: Mr
Forename: Martin
Surname: Molloy
Post Nominals: OBE, MCLIP
In these challenging times for everyone in the Library and Information sector, CILIP needs a governance team with the skills to provide our membership with quality leadership. Sue Cook has acquired a wealth of practical knowledge both at strategic and operational level working in a number of large public library authorities. She has served and supported CILIP locally, regionally and nationally and has been a positive advocate for the profession through all the years I have known her. I am pleased to be able to recommend Sue to you for election to CILIP Council.
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Title: Ms
Forename: Sue
Surname: Westcott
Post Nominals: MA, Dip Lib FCLIP
Candidate manifesto
CILIP and its members face challenging and changing times. To continue to thrive and meet the needs of its members and its responsibilities to society, CILIP Trustees and staff must focus on being financially robust and retaining and attracting members. My experience in leadership roles, at work and in the profession, has given me a range of relevant skills in financial management, strategic planning, service delivery and project management, which I want to use to help CILIP achieve these goals.
I am Vice Chair of the Government Information Group with a remit to build relationships with other professional groups and to work with CILIP to develop its policy priority for information management. The first role has led to GIG hosting shared events with other groups ensuring that with limited time and resources we can be as effective as possible. The second role has enabled me to meet with a much broader range of professionals inside and outside CILIP. It is clear to me that there is tremendous potential for a much bigger CILIP community providing we create an organisation hospitable and of interest to those in new information roles.
At work I provide a knowledge management service in a government department, providing effective information to support to our senior management team as they implement new ways of working with citizens, businesses and parts of the public sector. I do this with limited resources by being flexible and imaginative in my approach and by building relationships with others inside and outside the department to meet my goals. I am able to constructively challenge colleagues and to take difficult decisions.
As a trustee I would use these experiences to help CILIP and its wider family transform itself.
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Nominators' Supporting Statements
________________________________________
Statement 1
Title: Ms
Forename: Veronica
Surname: Fraser
Post Nominals: FCLIP
Sue is an active member of the profession with a track record as a Group activist, Umbrella speaker and member of CILIP Council. In addition to working in government information services. Sue has worked in the voluntary sector and has a broad understanding of the contribution that our services can make. Sue is clear about what CILIP needs to survive and flourish. Sue embodies the clarity of thinking, ability to make difficult decisions and delivering on commitments that we need. I'm pleased to be able to vote for Sue - and urge you to vote for her too.
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Statement 2
Title: Mr
Forename: Peter
Surname: Griffiths
Post Nominals: BA(Hons) FCLIP MCLIP
I’m delighted to nominate support Sue Westcott for Council because of her experience and her understanding of CILIP’s activities and position within the wider information profession. Sue has a successful long-term track record of delivery as a CILIP activist (she has served as a Councillor, and is currently on the GIG committee) and she has proven business skills of the kind that will help lead CILIP to a new position of strength in the sector. Sue’s professional links will help CILIP spread its message across all sectors, and to build its reputation in areas where it currently lacks visibility.
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Statement 3
Title: Mrs
Forename: Gwenda
Surname: Sippings
Post Nominals: FCLIP
Throughout her career to date Sue Westcott has demonstrated a commitment to CILIP and the wider information profession. She is an energetic ambassador for information, and has willingly contributed time to committees and networks, taking an active role in organising events and writing for publications. She has taken opportunities to use her core skills in a variety of key roles in the public sector. Her experience gives her the authority to voice ideas and share best practice to inform CILIP’s future development as an effective organisation for its members.
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Statement 4
Title: Mr
Forename: David
Surname: Smith
Post Nominals: MCLIP
I wish to nominate Sue Westcott as a CILIP Trustee. Sue is an experienced member of CILIP, who is very active in its affairs both within groups and at a national level. In addition Sue is a CILIP Fellow, as well as Vice Chair of the Government Library and Information Group. As an integral part of her work as a senior civil servant, Sue would bring considerable strategic decision making skills, as well as a well developed understanding of the governance issues connected to this role. Sue is an excellent communicator, and a powerful advocate for CILIP issues
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Statement 5
Title: Dr
Forename: Sandra
Surname: Ward
Post Nominals: BSc Hons, PhD Cert, HonFCLIP
CILIP faces tough challenges. Trustees require business nous, courage, creativity, and real understanding of the breadth of activities now undertaken by LIS professionals. Having chaired CILIP’s council for much Sue’s time as a councillor and worked with her professionally since, I can confirm that she possesses these qualities and others.
Sue’s strengths include the ability to debate contentious issues dispassionately, working with others to reach sound conclusions and making wise decisions. Her experience in many government departments demonstrates capability in absorbing and making sense of complex information. Her boundless enthusiasm will inspire others. I am pleased to nominate her.
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Six candidates are standing for election to fill four posts on Council as Trustees of CILIP.
The six candidates are:
Go to the elections page to find out more about the candidates by reading their manifestos and supporting statements.
Ballot papers for the election will be posted on the 13 October and must be returned by the 30 November. The count will be held the 1 December and results will be announced shortly afterwards. Successful candidates will serve on Council from 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2014.
The candidates will be profiled in October’s Update magazine.
Lauren Smith will serve as Vice President for one year from 1 January 2012. Find out more.
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Learn more about the key legal considerations of using Facebook in education
Listen to the podcast (Duration 8:51)
JISC EMBEDDED OBJECT
via Jisc news
From October 2011 to late 2012 CILIP is running a joint campaign with the Association of Senior Children's and Education Librarians (ASCEL), and the School Library Association (SLA). We want everyone to start SHOUTING ABOUT School Libraries and Schools Library Services.
What is it?
Aim & Objectives Get involved What is a good school library? What are Schools Library Services? Campaign partnersWhat is it?
We believe there’s never been a more important time to SHOUT ABOUT the importance of libraries and librarians, particularly in schools and the Schools Library Services (SLS) in local authorities around the country.
While recent media focus has been on the closure of public libraries, ASCEL, CILIP and the SLA are asking people to lend their voices to a major new campaign to lead the fight to ensure children and young people across the country have access to proper library resources whether on-site, as part of a cluster of schools or through local authorities’ school library services.
School librarians and Schools Library Services expertise are essential in helping children navigate the digital world and improve information literacy skills. What use is a classroom of PC’s connected to the internet if children don’t know how to use them effectively?
Aim
The overall aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the value of school libraries and Schools Library Services to their communities (at both primary and secondary school level) amongst key stakeholders including government, head teachers, school governors and parents.
Objectives
There are two clear themes of the overall campaign and each has their own objectives.
a) SHOUT ABOUT School Libraries
We want to convince the relevant Ministers, senior civil servants, Ofsted and local government Members and Officers to include the provision of secondary school libraries in England in Ofsted inspections
b) SHOUT ABOUT Schools Library Services
We want to expand the coverage of the Schools Library Service providing, as far as possible, availability and access to every school in the UK and so, increasing the number of pupils who will benefit from it.
We also want to convince the relevant Ministers, senior civil servants and local government Members and Officers to establish a Future Schools Library Services project.
In Wales, campaigning is also underway to make school libraries statutory.
In Scotland, school library provision is determined by the COSLA School Library Standards and school libraries are considered as part of school inspection by Education Scotland.
We want CILIP members and people everywhere to SHOUT ABOUT the value of school libraries and Schools Library Services.
What can CILIP members (and others) do to get involved in the campaign?
Useful definitions:
What makes a good school library?
A good school library will have qualified and experienced library staff who work with teachers to provide learning resources that will support the curriculum. Below are questions to ask about your school library.
Is your school library:
Does your school library
What are Schools Library Services?
Schools Library Services are run by experienced qualified librarians who have knowledge of the curriculum and of children’s literature. The service is run by local authorities although the way it operates varies considerably. Schools subscribe to their local service on behalf of all their teachers. Some authorities pay for the service from central funds, so it is free at the point of delivery to schools. A Schools Library Service will:
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Lauren Smith has been elected unopposed as Vice President of CILIP.
Lauren will serve for one year from 1 January 2012. Lauren’s manifesto and supporting statements are available on the CILIP website.
Isabel Hood, Leader of Council, welcomed the appointment, “Lauren is a keen, well-known, and vocal member of CILIP who has clocked up a lot of experience in recent years through her advocacy activities. Her new role within CILIP will enable her to build upon that prior experience for the benefit of members and the wider profession.”
“I am looking forward to starting in the role of Vice President” said Lauren, “I hope to help CILIP achieve its goals of supporting new professionals, increasing its emphasis on advocacy and providing a significant voice for the profession."
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Following Lauren Smith's decision to step down as CILIP Vice-President, the position is now vacant.
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JISC-led Strategic Content Alliance and Ithaka S+R release final report on their Case Studies in Sustainability, revealing how different business models fared during the economic downturn.
6 October New York, NY and London, UK – Ithaka S+R, with funding from the JISC-led Strategic Content Alliance, released today “Revenue, Recession, Reliance: Revisiting the SCA/Ithaka S+R Case Studies in Sustainability,” a report that reviews the impact of tumultuous times on the business models of 12 digital projects first profiled by S+R in 2009.
Some of the projects profiled include the UK’s National Archives’ Licensed Internet Associates programme, which has shown major revenue growth in recent years despite budget cuts felt by the entire institution; Cornell University’s eBird, which has experimented with partnerships to develop new revenue generating offerings for users; and the University of Southampton’s Library Digitisation Unit, which has made strategic choices to better align its mission with that of the university.
Nearly all of the projects profiled live under the umbrella of larger institutions. One of the key findings to emerge is that many of these projects are relying on their host institutions for support to an even greater extent than two years ago. Whether this is a good arrangement and what this means for their future remains to be seen.
“While some project leaders have pursued an aggressive awareness-building strategy within their host institutions as a way of ensuring ongoing support, others have preferred to fly under the radar,” commented co-author and Ithaka S+R program manager, Nancy Maron. “Either way, where host support is a major part of the sustainability plan, aligning project goals with the host’s mission is especially important.”
Listen to a podcast with Nancy Maron (Duration 13:25)
JISC EMBEDDED OBJECT
The report notes that difficult economic times have called for deep across-the-board spending cuts at many organizations, which can deny digital resource projects the capital investment they need just as they are beginning to grow. Many of the projects studied had the intention of contributing revenue to their host, but only some were successful in doing so, and even those were unable to fully support their ongoing costs.
"This research concentrates on organizations coming to terms with the long term liabilities incurred in digital projects and post grant funding,” stated Stuart Dempster, Director of the JISC-led Strategic Content Alliance. “It’s not just the actions the project teams have taken but the reasoning behind those choices that will help others start to determine which strategies, or parts of them, might serve as models for their own projects.”
The projects that had the most success did not follow one particular business model but rather spent a tremendous time understanding all of their stakeholders – from their users to university administrators and volunteers.
“There is no single path to sustainability,” stated Kevin Guthrie, president of ITHAKA. “Successful projects understand the value they offer to their most important constituents and are able to adjust their approaches to meet new challenges and changing conditions.”
The cases covered include scholar-led initiatives (Electronic Enlightenment, eBird, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, the Department of Digital Humanities at King’s College London, the National Science Digital Library MSP2: Middle School Math and Science Pathway, the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae), library and museum projects (The National Archives, L’Institut national de l’audiovisuel, the University of Southampton Library Digitisation Unit, V&A Images), and publishing projects (Hindawi, DigiZeitschriften) with a diverse range of revenue models (e.g., subscription-based projects, endowment-funded resources, and open access digital libraries).
These case studies form part of a long term commitment by the Strategic Content Alliance to provide empirically-based evidence freely to education, research and cultural bodies in the development of digital content. This research is ongoing with the development of a new digital entrepreneurship syllabus due for delivery in summer 2012.
V&A Images: Scaling Back to Refocus on Revenue
The Thesaurus Linguae Graecae®: How a Specialised Resource Begins to Address a Wider Audience
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Launching a ‘Freemium’ Model
Electronic Enlightenment: Outreach or Outsource? The Benefits and Challenges of Partnership
L’Institut national de l’audiovisuel: Balancing Mission-based Goals and Revenue Generation
DigiZeitschriften: A Niche Project at a Crossroads
University of Southampton Library Digitisation Unit: Reimagining the Value Proposition
The National Archives (UK): Enhancing the Value of Content through Selection and Curation
The Middle School Portal 2: Math and Science Pathways, National Science Digital Library: The Challenges of Sustaining a Project as the End of a Grant Approaches
eBird: Driving Impact through Crowdsourcing
The Department of Digital Humanities (DDH) at King’s College London: Cementing Its Status as an Academic Department
Hindawi Publishing Corporation: Growing an Open-Access Contributor-Pays Business Model
via Jisc news
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