Anthony Thompson award
Anthony Thompson was the first full-time IFLA Secretary General, from 1962 to 1970, and following his death a trust fund was set up for the study of international and comparative librarianship. Calls are made for applications for the award periodically - approximately every 2-3 years. ILIG manages this Award for CILIP. The award enables a qualified librarian from outside the UK to visit and study some aspects of UK library and information work over a period of about 3 weeks. In evaluating the 2010 applications, the selection panel focused on applications from the African sub-continent enabling library services for children.
Anthony Thompson Award 2010
The winner of the 2010 Anthony Thompson award is James Massally, a teacher-librarian at Annie Walsh Memorial School, Freetown, Sierra Leone. He is also a Masters Student at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone pursuing an M. Phil. in Library and Information Studies. His motivations in applying for the award are to "use my knowledge and skills to contribute alongside others to national development in Sierra Leone….to help move school librarianship forward as the current Coordinator of School Librarians in my country… and to expand my knowledge in the area of Information and Communication Technology."
He has an interest in collaborating with other school librarians to organize book talks, annual library weeks and school competitions.
In his application he says:
As one of the major stakeholders in its implementation process, there is the urgent need to capacitate Librarians and information professionals, with particular reference to School Librarians as they are the harbingers of the learning process in schools.
My main objective therefore, is to acquire the requisite skills and techniques with regards the implementation of the advancement of information and communication in schools and public libraries in a developed country as England. I am also interested in enriching my knowledge on reader development as the reading culture is lacking among young people in Sierra Leone.
Furthermore, my expectation is that the visit would increase the level of networking with other able bodied institutions, department of children, school libraries and Associations, as well as National Associations, not only during but even long after the visit that would in turn help to open up opportunities for our own children and young adult institutions in my country
James arrives on 19th June and leaves on 11th July 2010. One item on his programme is to be our guest at a specially arranged ILIG Informal on 7th July.
ILIG Informals