CILIP | YLG National Activities

YLG National Activities

A recognisable pattern was set quite early in the history of YLG. Once regional branches began having events and activities for members each year there was a focus on national activities and developments too.

These included:
A Youth Libraries weekend school
A summer outing related to children’s writers and books
A Youth Libraries session, run at LA Annual conference
AGM
Publications
Collection of children’s books
Advocacy for the specialism with relevant bodies
Close working with colleges of librarianship and courses of higher education

YLG International Work by John Dunne

The main role of the Library Association representative on an IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations )Standing Committee (the Children’s Libraries Section in this case) is to represent the views of your country, contribute to the international work the Committee undertakes and learn about library development from other colleagues. The experience of working with international colleagues is that you share a common aim and fund of knowledge and it is only the individual circumstances in each country (usually to do with funding) which differs.

One of the most interesting projects to work on was to produce the IFLA Guidelines for Library Services to Young Adults. One of the difficulties was trying to produce something which could be used in a number of different situations in both developed and developing countries.

The IFLA Conference itself is very much a working conference with committee meetings, organising your section’s contribution to the main conference programme, working on policy guidelines and planning for future projects. The opportunity to hear about libraries in the host country is always an important and enjoyable experience, as is the opportunity to visit local libraries and talk to staff.

The exhibitions at IFLA conferences are large and very much aimed at national and academic libraries, rather than public. For the IFLA Conference in Glasgow in 2002, the Children’s Section decided to create a model children’s library, complete with shelving, furnishing, books and IT. It took a mammoth amount of organising to set the whole thing up, ably done by Karen Usher, and there were storytelling events organised for nearby schools as well. The number of visitors was huge and it proved to be one of the most successful exhibits that year.

John Dunne filled this role for many years and our representative is now Karen Usher. For more information about IFLA go to: www.ifla.org

Early ground breaking work

From the earliest days of the group the content of training tackled interesting developments and working relationships. The records show services to teens; health and hospital library services to children, work with probation officers, a child guidance unit and work with children’s homes were covered in the 1940’s. The YLS was recognised as specialist experts from an early stage. It led on many developments and was an advocate for children and young people that was often consulted.

As early as May 1956, YLS had a joint meeting with the School Library Association that over 100 people attended - this good working relationship has continued. Currently, these and other partners work together through the Youth & Schools Panel. Eileen Colwell’s early work helped to acknowledge and develop children’s and youth librarianship as a recognised specialism and develop the Library Association’s role in developments for children nationally.

This was followed by new ventures in the late 1950’s and 60’s. YLG members and Marcus Crouch in particular are remembered for encouraging developments with the book collection, authors, publishers and the media. YLG played an important role in getting children’s books acknowledged generally. Much effort was put into promoting books, artists and writers in this phase. These early contributions succeeded in developing the influence of the group with publishers, artists and writers of the highest levels. Widening children’s experiences of the world was always at the heart of their work

A photo from the 1962 conference at Wye College shows many of the early chairs and interested people from the early years of YLG. They are (left to–right) Sheila (Bannister) Ray, Joan Butler, Nancy Dale, Bill Milner, Marcus Crouch, Phyllis Parrott, Eileen Colwell, Derek Lomas and Sheila Rawson.

Updated: 06 May 2008

Youth Libraries Group

YLG National Activities