Lynne Brindley 

Biography: Lynne Brindley has been the Chief Executive of the British Library since July 2000. She is the first woman and the first information professional to have held the post. Since her appointment Lynne has led a major strategic development and modernisation programme to ensure that the BL remains a relevant, innovative and accessible national institution in the 21 st century. The BL provides services that underpin UK competitiveness in research and contributes to innovation and creativity in our knowledge society. The BL reaches out to a wide public, increasingly through its digital services.

Lynne came to the British Library from the University of Leeds where she was Pro-Vice-Chancellor. Previously she was a senior consultant with KPMG and has held leadership positions in information technology and knowledge management at Aston University and at the London School of Economics.

Lynne is active in high level international, European and national bodies concerned with media and information society initiatives, digital infrastructure and libraries, and cultural and public sector leadership. She is a visiting professor at City and Leeds universities. She speaks and writes on digital society, copyright and IP, knowledge management and innovation, and leadership. She has received a number of honorary degrees, including from the universities of Oxford, Leeds, Sheffield and University College London. She is a Companion of the Institute of Management and has recently been elected to the Court of the Goldsmiths' Company.

She enjoys music and is a competent pianist and enjoys buying modern art, particularly abstract landscapes and ceramics with Cornish influences; she likes to walk in the Yorkshire Dales and on the Cornish coastal footpath.

Abstract: The British Library, partnership and services for public libraries

The British Library is always seeking new ways in which to share its collection with people across the UK, mindful of its role as the national library. In recent years, the growth of technology and the web have enabled huge strides to be made to widen access.

Public libraries are a key partner in this work, not only in making their users aware of the resources held by the British Library, but also helping the Library to better understand the local and regional context within which they operate. They are able to complement and enhance the services of the British Library through their local resources and expertise.

Lynne Brindley will assess the current opportunities offered by the British Library to allow wider access of its collection, and look to what the future may hold in furthering this work.