Youth Libraries Group South West are offering a bursary to attend this year's conference.  Details can be found below.

This year the Youth Libraries Group National Conference will be held at The Quays Hotel in Sheffield, from Friday 16^th September to Sunday 18^th September. This year's theme is Reading The Planet: Libraries in a Changing Climate.  The conference will also include the gala dinner for the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals making this an unmissable opportunity for all interested in libraries and children's literature.

The Youth Libraries Group South West regional group would like to offer a full paid bursary to attend the YLG conference to a delegate who is a CILIP member, and works in a library role that is associated with working with young people between ages of 0 to 25 in the South West of England area. The bursary will cover your admission fee for the full conference programme, refreshments and all meals including dinner on Friday 16th and lunch on Sunday 18th and access to the virtual programme. The bursary will also cover up to £100 for train travel costs (receipts must be provided; standard class only.)  Accommodation will not be covered under the bursary.

If you like to apply for this bursary, we will need the following information in an email:

●       Full Name

●       Email Address

●       Contact Number

●       CILIP Membership Number

●       Job Role

●       Organisation Name

●       The county you work in (must be in the South West)

●       A short statement, of no more than 300 words, stating how a paid YLG conference place would be of professional benefit to you.

Please send your applications by email to Laura McIsaac-Bailey (Youth Libraries Group South West Secretary) at: ylgsouthwest@gmail.com and in the email subject header please include the following title: YLG Conference Bursary Application.

All entries must be submitted by Monday 15^th August at 5pm. Applications after this deadline will not be considered. Please note, if you have been awarded a Bursary from YLG South West in the last two years, you will not be eligible to apply this year.  The Youth Libraries Group South West committee will review all applications and decide on a winner for the bursary. The winner of the bursary will be notified by email by Saturday 20th August. We will also ask the winner to write a blog of their experience of the conference for the CILIP South West regional website.

All applicant details will be destroyed after the competition has ended under GDPR regulations.

We are delighted to welcome Jen Horan, Chair of the Youth Libraries Group to talk about all things Youth Libraries Group conference.

I have just been reading an article claiming that “summer FOMO” (that’s fear of missing out, for the kids who don’t speak acronym) will reach peak levels this year, after two summers of there being not much to miss out on.  I’m already finding myself envious of social media photos showing beach parties and cocktail soirees.  Gathering together with other people who share our passions and interests has become such a treasured occurrence that it enriches our lives now more than ever, and it is something I am valuing professionally like never before.  Now unfortunately I can’t promise sunshine and sky-high temperatures, but this September I can guarantee an opportunity to gather together at a live YLG conference for first time since 2018, and you do not want to miss out on what we have to offer.

This year YLG Conference heads to Sheffield, from Friday 16^th to Sunday 18^th September.  Reading the Planet: Libraries in a Changing Climate will focus on the environment and climate activism, and we are delighted to be able to offer an incredibly strong programme, which can be viewed below.  Here are just a few of my highlights.

Keynote speakers will offer a range of presentations including Environmental Activism in Picture Books, Empowering Young People Through Stories, the Earthwatch Debate, and Nicola Davis delivering the Robert Westall Memorial Lecture.  We have a host of spectacular speakers including new Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, who will share his love of libraries, SF Said, Emma Carroll, Michelle Paver, Sita Brahmachari, Louisa Reid and Dara McNulty.  We are also offering a great choice of breakout sessions including paper craft and activism workshops, storywalks, and digital & multiligual storytelling opportunities, giving you first-hand, practical ideas to take back to your own workplace.

As always, there will be plenty of opportunities to network, particularly over book-themed tea breaks and delicious Gala Dinners.  Michael Murpurgo joins us on Friday night to celebrate 40 years of War Horse, and Saturday night hosts presentations of our 2022 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal (which may feature the shortlist shoes that trended on ceremony day Twitter) and YLG Honorary Memberships.  And, of course, it wouldn’t be a YLG Conference without our incredible Publishers’ Exhibition and bookshop – leave space in your suitcases for all those irresistible purchases!

Early bird discounts end on 15^th July, so book your place now and leave FOMO behind as YLG Conference re-ignites our enthusiasm for our profession after two relentless years.  There has never been a more exciting time to join us.  Find out more and book here.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Jen Horan, YLG Chair

We are joined by Joy Court, conference manager for the group to outline changing plans for the 2021 Conference and the rationale behind these.

It is with profound regret that we have to announce that we have had to cancel the live YLG national conference that would have been taking place on 17-19^th September in Torquay. This is not a decision we took lightly since we had received such superb support and backing from speakers and exhibitors, who were keen and willing to take part. Indeed, Exhibition bookings were at or above normal levels.

However, despite extending the Early Bird dates and despite the announcement of the Prime Minister relaxing restrictions it seems that people were still very reluctant to commit to travelling to a residential large-scale event such as a conference. Even the Prime Minister cannot deny the soaring rates of infection and so this attitude is completely understandable.

 We felt that it was financially irresponsible of us to gamble on numbers picking up over the summer and also felt that the location of the conference in Torquay meant that we were not surrounded by a highly populated area that might generate more day delegates. We also felt that it was morally wrong to accept the significant financial outlay by exhibitors and publishers supporting author attendance if we could not guarantee them our normal audience.

We have been extremely fortunate that the venue, the beautiful and historic Imperial Hotel in Torquay, have acted with great understanding for our position as a small charity and have agreed to release us from the contract and refund our deposit.

We realise this will be a huge disappointment to those of you who had booked and who were looking forward to the inspiration, comradeship and networking that we all so richly deserve after a tremendously difficult period.  We want to say a huge thank you for your support for YLG. Again, we are extremely grateful for the swift action from CILIP to repay in full all of those bookings.

The only good news we can offer is that we know that we can deliver a good virtual conference having done so very successfully last year and so I hope you will all be relieved and delighted to hear that we are fully intending to deliver as much as we can of the brilliant programme for Representations of Place- New Lands and New Ways of Looking as a virtual offering. Watch this space for details for how to book. 

I would also like to assure our colleagues in the South West region that we are still committed to bringing our conference to you as soon as it is viable to do so. We think that people need to re-establish the conference attending habit and so for 2022 we will be seeking a venue that is as central and accessible as possible.

We do firmly believe that our sector needs dedicated CPD about our specialism and that a residential conference provides so many benefits over and beyond the stimulating programme content. You never forget those inspirational speakers, meeting authors and illustrators and being able to pass on those enthusiasms to your young patrons, making professional contacts with colleagues and networking with publishers and partner organisations-  not to mention meeting like minded souls, fellow reading addicts and making friends for life! It can be a lonely job as a sole practitioner in a school library or as the only specialist in an authority and we all need positive reinforcement to do our jobs well.

However, we are all open to change and it maybe that the period we have been through will permanently alter how people want to access training. If you have any ideas or comments, we would love to hear from you. We are here to serve you, our members, after all! Please feel free to email me at events.ylg@cilip.org.uk

We are delighted to welcome Alison Brumwell to the blog in the first of a series of short interviews about this year’s conference, Representations of Place, to talk with us about her experiences of conference and to give some insights into this year’s exciting programme!  Alison has Chaired the Youth Libraries Group through two of the most challenging years in recent history, she is also conference secretary, a role that she has brought great energy and imagination to!  Welcome Alison…

Can you tell us a little about your role with the conference team?

My specific role within the conference team is as Conference Secretary, which is largely an administrative function. This involves, among other things, sending out author agreements and invoices and ensuring accommodation/dietary requirements are adequately noted. I’ve also been involved in organising Chairs and hosts for the programme sessions.

The Theme this year is around place, can you tell us a little about what delegates can expect?

The representations of place theme is broad in scope, so delegates can expect a wide-range of panel discussions, plenaries and breakout sessions which encourage them to explore “new lands and new ways of looking”. It’s also an opportunity to reflect upon the challenges which our profession faces: not just the physical spaces we work in, but how we can support children and young people as they navigate through school and life in general. Underpinning all this is reinvigorating delegates so they can share the value of reading and books, which is at the heart of what we do (regardless of our settings).

Are there any sessions you feel particularly excited by personally?

I am personally excited by the panel discussions which tackle two timely issues: masculinity and body image. The authors involved are known for challenging preconceptions and commonly-held assumptions about behaviour and identity, so I expect some thought-provoking discussion about this and how these feature in their own writing. After a virtual YLG conference in 2020 due to the pandemic, I think the Gala Dinner and CKG Medals presentations will be even more celebratory.

Do you remember your first YLG conference?

The first YLG conference I attended was shortly after I became a CILIP member, at the University of Warwick. It wasn’t as overwhelming as my first London Book Fair, but I was amazed to see so many publishers, authors and illustrators together in one venue. I knew nobody, other than Jane Mellers (then a Development Librarian with Kirklees Libraries), so I stuck to her like glue and she kindly introduced me to a few people. What I remember most is that there was an unfortunate cancellation in the programme on the Saturday evening. The Alzheimer’s Society was also holding its conference at the university that weekend and Sir Terry Pratchett kindly agreed to substitute last minute. He spoke very eloquently to YLG delegates about the adjustments he had to make to the writing process as a result of his illness, and about his career in general.

The YLG conferences I’ve attended (six in total) have provided the best CPD of my career. They are invaluable in terms of networking opportunities and sharing good practice with colleagues. For school librarians, who are often lone working on a daily basis, conference is an antidote to feeling professionally isolated. There’s no other conference or event I can think of which offers high calibre training, updates on current research, a well-organised publishers’ exhibition, bookselling and the chance to annually celebrate authors and illustrators who have won the prestigious CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals.

Do you have any tips for people wanting to make a funding case to their employers wanting to attend?

I’d recommend that anyone interested in attending YLG conference make a clear business case beforehand, rather than automatically assuming it’s a waste of time. Most delegates cannot afford to self-fund (and shouldn’t have to), so operate on the principle that if you don’t ask you won’t get. Evaluate the programme and outline clearly why a conference place will also benefit your library setting and wider organisation. If you’re a school librarian, it may be that there is a particular speaker or session which ties directly into your school development plan; other ideas are to offer to share your conference experience by writing a blog for the school website, delivering a twilight session for staff or a presentation to Governors. Demonstrating the wider benefits may prove convincing, as could a personal conversation with your school’s Bursar/Business Manager. If you can, break down the cost so that your organisation can see YLG offers value for money. If securing a paid full delegate place isn’t possible, ask about day delegate funding and remember that any library worker is eligible to apply for the annual Klaus Flugge Bursary. This is endowed by Andersen Press and provides a fully-funded delegate place to the successful applicant.

Conference wasn’t able to take place physically last year, what steps will be taken to keep delegates safe?

The YLG conference team is working closely with the Imperial Hotel in Torquay to ensure that the 2021 live conference is a safe one for delegates and in compliance with government COVID health and safety guidelines. Social distancing measures will be in place in the exhibition place, bookshop and conference rooms, if needed after the government’s next review on relaxing restrictions. Up-to-date information is available on the hotel’s website.

The Imperial Hotel is a short drive from Greenway, Agatha Christie’s holiday home. It was also the setting for her novel Peril at End House the National Trust is offering an optional guided tour of Greenway for conference delegates on Friday 17 September prior to registration. I am sure that delegates will appreciate this opportunity.

Thank you to Alison for the interview!

Chair of the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway working party and Youth Libraries Group blog editor Jake Hope shares his first experiences attending National Conference...

My first job in libraries involved working on the Lancashire Book of the Year award.  It was an amazing experience and a chance to really excite and engage young people in books and reading, showcasing that both can be vibrant, creative and social!  It did feel isolating, however, as much as I'd hoped to share experiences and enthusiasm with colleagues, with the exception of my line-manager, there were rarely opportunities for that. 

Joining YLG was the most incredible tonic, at last, I felt like I'd found 'my people'and 'my spiritual home'!  The group was so friendly and welcoming and my first conference was brilliant - I well remember having breakfast with Wendy Cooling and talking with her about BookStart, being invited to join the Random House crew on their table for evening meals and hearing about their forthcoming titles,hearing then Children's Laureate - Jacqueline Wilson - talking about the plans she had for her tenure and talking with Janetta Otter-Barry (then of Frances Lincoln) and Nicky Potter around representation in children's books.  

I came away buzzing with ideas and with bags chock-full of books, posters, resources and more and having made new friends - and indeed future colleagues!  These are not easy times for librarians working with children and young people and this year has been particularly challenging.  Connections and community become ever more important against this context and that is one of the deeply special things about conference, it's a chance to network and to connect not only with other professionals, but also with ideas and creative ways of working.

Our conference this year is called In the Frame: Putting Readers in the Picture and it is scheduled to take place at the impressive Imperial Hotel in Torquay from November 20 to 22.  There will be an astonishing range of authors, illustrators and experts attending.  Over the coming weeks we will be teasing more content.  For further information about the conference, including its programme, visit here

We hope we can welcome you to what promises to be an incredibly special and memorable weekend.

Special thanks to sponsors Nosy Crow and the National Trust and to illustrator Britta Teckentrup for the conference cover.