"We've got to change the way people think about library and information professionals," declared Ian Snowley, CILIP's new President, in his inaugural address to CILIP Council today.
Ian likes to see things moving forward at a fast pace. As a motor sport enthusiast and a runner who plans to cover 100 kilometres for charity during his term of office he, not surprisingly, wants to see CILIP and the library and information profession accelerating into the future.
"Our profession makes a valuable contribution to education, health, the economy and local communities - and we need to get that message across," he emphasised.
Ian speaks from personal experience. His professional career to date has included work in public libraries, in government dealings with a major industry sector, in health at the Royal Society of Medicine and, currently, in education at the University of London.
"There are library and information professionals in every sector of society and the great thing about CILIP is that it brings them all together in one community", said Ian who outlined the themes of his Presidential Year as "Professionalism, activism, and helping the CILIP community to flourish."
"I want to make sure our colleagues have the skills needed in the information age, and that CILIP members play a full part in their professional community. I am also determined that CILIP itself has a sound basis and a strong future," Ian concluded.
During his term of office Ian hopes to meet as many colleagues as possible, in all parts of the country and all areas of the profession. He is also keen to ensure CILIP's message about the value of the profession gets out to the wider world.
Notes to Editors
Ian Snowley is Director, Academic Services in the University of London, Research Library Services. He was educated at the Sir John Leman High School, Beccles; The University of Brighton and The Open University.
CILIP: The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals is the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers. It forms a community of around 35,000 people engaged in library and information work, of whom around 22,000 are CILIP members and around 13,000 are regular customers of CILIP Enterprises. More information is available at www.cilip.org.uk.
For more information on CILIP contact: bob.mckee@cilip.org.uk
For more information on Ian Snowley contact: ian.snowley@cilip.org.uk
Keep up with Ian as he hits the ground running on Ian's blog at http://snowley.typepad.com/.
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