CILIP CEO Nick Poole looks at highlights from 2018 and what to look forward to in 2019.

1. Securing the Future – 2018 year in review
Nick Poole, Chief Executive, CILIP
CILIP Ireland Open Day (05.12.2018)
We represent and champion all information professionals

2. Our goal is to put library and information skills at the heart of a democratic,
equal and prosperous society.
We do this by being the best membership body we can be for everyone
working in knowledge, information, data and libraries.
So what did we do for you in 2018?

3. We made the case for Great School
Libraries:
• Joint CILIP/CILIP SLG/SLA initiative
• Encouraging Head Teachers to see
the value and impact of a
professionally-staffed school library
on attainment, inspection and the
‘value add’ for learners
• Developing an evidence base to
support better advocacy for school
librarians

4. We highlighted the social
impact of libraries:
CILIP contributed to the
investigation by the UN Special
Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty
and Human Rights to highlight
the impact of public libraries for
some of the UK’s most
marginalised communities.

5. We secured support for new library investment
Working jointly with the Big Issue, CILIP developed the first
comprehensive, evidence-based case for new investment in Public
Libraries.
We presented the Case for Support to the Libraries Minister Michael
Ellis MP and the Communities, Housing and Local Government Minister,
Rishi Sunak MP at a specially-convened session of the Libraries All-Party
Parliamentary Group.
We secured the Ministers’ commitment to championing library funding
through the 2019 Governmental Spending Review.

6. We highlighted the transformative work of
Librarians and Knowledge Specialists in
Health:
• Working with Health Education England
to make the case for librarians and
knowledge specialists in healthcare
• Developing proposals with the
Wellcome Trust to position libraries as
part of the frontline of healthcare
• Working with the Carnegie UK Trust to
support the Engaging Libraries
programme

7. We advocated for the role of Information
Professionals in business
CILIP led a joint research initiative with the CILIP
Commercial, Legal and Scientific Information Group
(CLSIG) and SLA to identify how information
professionals in the corporate sector (retail, finance,
manufacturing, law, support services) have made the
case for investing information as a strategic asset.
The research was published and shared through a
series of events including being presented at UKSG
2018 in Glasgow.

8. We coordinated the largest-ever Libraries Week
Working in partnership with the Libraries
Taskforce, Arts Council England, British Library,
BBC and others, we delivered the largest-ever
Libraries Week, focused on Health and Wellbeing.
With community choirs singing across the UK and
activities in all types of library, we secured a
social reach of over 12m people and positive
coverage for libraries across all platforms.

9. We stepped up for Prison Libraries…
CILIP worked with a number of library authorities
and library service providers to intervene with
HM Prison Services Inspectorate (HMPSI) in their
proposed changes to Prison Library Rules and
provision under the new Prison Education
Framework.
In the event, the Prison Library Rules remain
unchanged.

10. …and local library services
CILIP’s formal complaint in respect of proposed changes to
Northamptonshire Libraries secured a delay of implementation
which allowed a Judicial Review to find against the Council and force
a new consultation.
We have contributed advice and guidance to consultations to seek a
better outcome in 8 Local Authorities in England and 5 in Scotland.
We have done more than 35 local, regional and national radio and
media appearances to make the case for local library services.

11. We helped shape Labour policy
CILIP worked with APPG Chair Gill Furniss MP,
Shadow Culture Secretary Kevin Brennan MP and
Lord John Bird to run Libraries for the many, not
the few: Setting Labour’s policy for Libraries at
Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.
We have since liaised with politicians on all sides
of the Houses of Parliament to encourage them to
support libraries, literacy and information for
their constituents.

12. We launched a new Ethical
Framework
CILIP’s two-year initiative with
contributions from 1000’s of
librarians and information
professionals resulted in a
comprehensively revised and
updated Ethical Framework.
Setting out a much more ‘active’
agenda for our profession to
‘uphold, promote and defend’
human rights, equality, civil
liberties and creative and
intellectual freedom, backed by
CILIP as their professional
association.

13. We promoted Information Literacy
Working with the CILIP Information
Literacy Group, we were proud to
support and promote the new
Definition of Information Literacy,
demonstrating the importance of IL
in health, learning, business and
everyday life.

14. We created a new vision for the Carnegie Greenaway
Awards with diversity at its heart
The Carnegie Greenaway Diversity Review, led by
Dame Margaret Casely-Hayford with support from the
dedicated CKG Judges and Working Party delivered a
comprehensive programme of change based on the
new mission to “empower children and young people
to imagine and build a better world through books
and reading”.

15. We made the case with employers
CILIP has worked with employers in
all sectors, public and corporate to
build the case for employing
registered professionals.

16. We delivered a completely new, more affordable, better value membership offer
(and grew our membership for 5 consecutive months for the first time in a decade)
Individuals Organisations
Student membership
For people studying Librarianship, Information Science
or a related discipline
Membership
For everyone working in knowledge, information, data
or librarianship, whatever their level or experience
Leaders Network
For emerging or established leaders who want to
develop their network & share their expertise
Employer Partners
For companies or organisations looking to build their
information capability & develop their staff
Learning Partners
For training providers or academic institutions looking
for authoritative recognition of quality and relevance
Enterprise Partners
For businesses or vendors providing products or services
for information professionals

17. We’ve delivered all-new Member Benefits:
• 100+ new e-learning resources
• 40+ CPD webinars
• Online community of 5000+ professionals
• Dedicated Legal Advice Line
• Information Professional magazine & app
• Join any of 20+ Special Interest Groups
• Access specialist journals (worth over £500)
• Social & CPD events through the year
• Career development opportunities
• Impact Toolkit
• Online Skills Mapping Tool (PKSB)
• Dedicated Relationship Manager in NI
• Advocating on your behalf
• Celebrating our profession
• Supporting new professionals

18. We helped our members find jobs
• CILIP supports nearly 50% of members with
professional registration or revalidation
• LIS-JOB-NET has helped 1000’s of members find
their next job in libraries and information
• We have accredited LIS courses in the UK and
internationally, including in Oman and Hong
Kong
• Our New Professionals Day helped c. 80 people
find the right career choice for them
• Our Employers Forum connected librarians and
information professionals directly with
employers and recruiters looking for talent

19. We launched our new website….
• Comprehensively revised, rewritten and
updated to support our new membership offer
• Clearer focus on helping our members find
information and support
• Soon to replace the out-of-date VLE with CILIP
Learning

20. Including a completely new ‘Careers
Information’ section…

21. …and 5 new ‘sector hubs’ – your one-stop shop for news,
resources, guidance, support and networks

22. We provided thought leadership through Facet,
the sector’s leading specialist publisher…
• 200+ titles currently in print
• 50+ new titles currently underway
• 30 preliminary discussions with new authors

23. …and through Information Professional, the sector’s
leading print and digital magazine for and about
information professionals in all sectors

24. And most important of all, we brought
people together to build their networks,
share ideas and develop their careers
• 23 Special Interest Groups
• 9 Regional Member Networks
• Dynamic committee in Northern Ireland
• Events across the UK
• Online webinars
• Informal and social networking
• Building on the Benevolent Fund

25. At CILIP, members matter. We care deeply about helping our members and
partners to succeed, whatever sector you’re in, whatever stage of your
career you’re at.
So what have we got in store for 2019….?

26. Highlights for 2019 include:
• More new benefits and support for members
• More advocacy and representation with policymakers and employers
• Becoming the first organisation worldwide to charter Knowledge Managers
• Launching Information as an Asset with KPMG
• Workforce Strategy 2019-2024 including a new strategy for Professional Registration
• New International Strategy, building support for libraries working internationally
• A year-long celebration of the new role of libraries in an age of Digital Transformation
• New Blueprint for Public Libraries jointly with Libraries Connected
• A new investigation into the impact of AI and Machine Learning for the sector
• Plus lots more besides!