We are delighted that Alison Brumwell, former Chair of the Youth Libraries Group and past Chair of Judges for the Carnegie Medals is one of the candidates for the CILIP presidential elections.  Successful candidates become Vice-President before going on to be CILIP President.  We spoke with Alison about her relationship with libraries and plans.  Members of CILIP are able to vote here, each members can only vote once. 

(1)  How important have libraries been to you growing up?

The reason I value libraries as an adult, and appreciate the positive impact they can have on the lives of children and young people, is that they actually weren't a big part of my life growing up. There was no public library close to my house; while my parents both enjoyed reading and we had books in the house, they didn't read to me and my sister. So, I could easily have become a non- or reluctant reader.

(2)  Can you tell us a little about your career in libraries?

My career in libraries began when I moved back to the UK from Canada, where I worked in publishing. I started out as a Library Assistant with Leeds Libraries, and in various other roles with the service, before changing gears to work as a secondary school librarian and then as librarian for Kirklees' schools library service. I had some time out as Artistic Director of Morley Literature Festival before accepting a post with Kirklees College. I have worked across five of the college's six centres and am now based at its Sixth Form Centre where my focus is very much on promoting the college's well-being initiatives.

(3)  You've held a number of high profile positions within the Youth Libraries Group, chairing the judging panel of the Carnegie Medals and being Chair of the group itself.  How do you feel these experiences might have equipped you for the role as CILIP president?

My roles as YLG national Chair and Chair of the Carnegies judging panel in 2019 were both high pressure, front-facing roles that required me to manage my time and priorities effectively and to have a vision for what services for children and young people could (and should) look like. Learning to focus on what was achievable, while working to future-proof the group and the medals, was often difficult; however, I feel these experiences helped me to develop leadership skills and re-affirmed my belief that libraries should be considered an essential service. These are qualities I can bring to the role of CILIP Vice President.

(4)  How relevant is the library and information professional in today's world?

There's an increasing need for those working within the library and information profession to respond to dis/misinformation and fake news, particularly in terms of online content. It's vital that young people are supported to develop the critical skills they need in order to interrogate what they read and hear, and we are ideally placed to provide this support. In my view, our role has never been more relevant or critical.

(5)  What would you hope to platform if you were to become president?

I'd hope to platform issues that are of perennial concern to our profession: library closures, cuts to public spending and ensuring that reading is embedded across all school curricula. We will likely never regain the library services that have been lost in the past several years - the local branches, mobile library services, school libraries and schools library services - so halting this negative trend is crucial. There are many opportunities for growth within the knowledge and information sector, so I am hopeful that we'll have something to celebrate nationally in 2027 when CILIP marks its 150th anniversary.

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