Helen Brazier   

Biography: Helen Brazier was appointed Head of RNIB's new National Library Service on 11 January 2007 following the merger of the National Library for the Blind and RNIB. Helen joined the National Library for the Blind (NLB) in 1997 and was appointed Chief Executive in 2001. At NLB, Helen was responsible for development and delivery of business plans that enabled the Library to take advantage of new technologies and opportunities for partnership work to meet customers' changing needs. Previously Helen worked in a variety of library and information management roles in the public and private sector (e.g. in the oil industry and pharmaceutical publishing). She also worked as a Librarian for the UN for two years in Vietnam.

Abstract: Turning sympathy into action

Public and voluntary sector libraries are failing blind and partially sighted people.  We all want to do better but we are making slow progress. Helen Brazier reviews developments in 2007 and proposes how we can work together more effectively in 2008.