Oliver Jenkins - Chair

Oliver has run the library of an 11–18 through school for three years. He has autism and is committed to ensuring people from all walks of life are welcome and catered for in libraries, be they staff or patrons.

Karen Berry - Treasurer

She was one of the founding members of The Diversity Group and served on their committee. She is committed to equalities and has been active in the profession for a long time. Currently she is not working but is actively volunteering in Coventry in her local park and for the Positive Images Festival which celebrates diversity.

Carol Smith - Secretary

Carol has degree in Anthropology (BSc Hons), University College London, specializing in West African and Caribbean anthropology and the genetics of Human migration; Post graduate Diploma in Library and Information Science, University College London. She is Diversity Champion Bedfordshire CCG, member of UNISON JSMC and Bedford Health Branch, as well as Education Officer, Equality Officer and Branch Education Co-Coordinator; Committee member regional Education and training Committee RETC. In 2015 Carol received The Sally Hernando Awards for Innovation in NHS Library and Knowledge Services for the Health & Ethnicity Collection.

Carol also holds:

TUC Diploma in Equalities

ILM Diploma Managing Diversity at Work

John Vincent - Committee Member

John has worked in the public sector, primarily with libraries, since the early 1960s. This has involved working at all levels, including an extended period as Head of Service in the London Borough of Lambeth. Since 1999, John has coordinated “The Network – tackling social exclusion” which works with libraries, museums, archives and cultural & heritage organisations.

In this role, John regularly runs training courses and speaks at conferences, disseminates information to support the work of the sector, and advocates the role of the sector in social justice.

Dr. Ineta Krauls-Ward - Committee Member

Ineta Krauls-Ward (PhD, Communication and Information) has been lecturer in Library and Information Science, Information Management, Archival Studies, Journalism and Culture Information Communication programmes at Klaipeda University and Vilnius University (Lithuania).

Before embarking on a career of independent consultant, she was a Director of Library and Information Science Centre at National Library of Lithuania.

Her research interests include social impact of library services and library profession, reading and book culture, Library and Information Science methodology.

Dr. Briony Birdi - Committee Member

Briony Birdi is a Senior Lecturer in Librarianship and Co-Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Sheffield. Much of her teaching relates to public, youth and school libraries and librarianship, and within these three areas her research focuses in particular on public libraries, social justice and diversity.

Tim Buckle - Committee Member

Tim is Acquisitions Co-Ordinator at Durham University Library and has worked in academic libraries since 2005. In addition his acquisitions role he is part of the library Communications and Marketing group at Durham. Tim runs the Staff LGBT+ Network at Durham and is a Bullying and Harassment Advisor for the University.

Bertha Calles Cartas - Committee Member

Bertha completed her philosophy degree at the Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla in Mexico before coming to the UK to do postgraduate studies in International Development. The focus of her studies was on indigenous peoples’ political organisation. She did her MSc in Library and Information Studies at Robert Gordon University. She is a member of various equality, diversity and inclusion networks at Oxford Health Foundation Trust, where she works as an Outreach Librarian. When she is not at work, she is very busy growing vegetables on her balcony, making crepe paper flowers and learning languages.