We are recruiting!

We're looking for two new members to join our Committee in the roles of Secretary, as Michelle is stepping down after two years of service, and Events Coordinator, to work alongside Karen. Please see the link to Information Professional Jobs for more information and to apply: https://informationprofessionaljobs.com/jobs/cilip-lgbtq-network-jobs/em-CILIP-LGBTQ~2B-Network Deadline is Tuesday 2 July 2024. 

CILIP LGBTQ+ Network - Conference raffle 2024

We're pleased to offer a bursary place for LGBTQ+ identifying staff to attend this year's CILIP Conference in Birmingham (Weds 10th - Thurs 11th July). Please note, this covers conference fees for both days but does not include travel or accommodation.

The conference will be held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole and you can find more information here: https://cilipconference.org.uk/agenda/ 

We have decided on the raffle format in the interest of fairness and to encourage applicants who may feel intimidated or excluded by the more traditional 'why should we pick you?' / written application format. We believe everyone deserves a fair chance to attend a conference, regardless of their status on the 'professional ladder'. We support LGBTQ+ applicants from all walks of life and career stages to register their interest, so if you feel you're 'underqualified' - trust us, you aren't! 

We'd love to hear from you and good luck! Please use this Google Form

Entries in by: End of Sunday 16th June
Raffle results by: Wednesday 19th June

(If you don't have a Google account and can't access this survey - please send us an email and we can register your details that way)

 

2nd Festival of Pride and Knowledge (7th - 28th June 2022)

We're pleased to announce our 2nd Festival of Pride and Knowledge running in June and July.

The events are:

• LGBTQ+ Community Engagement in Libraries & Archives (Di Stiff from Surrey History Centre talks about engaging and working with LGBTQ+ communities) – Tue 14 June, 6pm
  
• Queer Collections: LGBTQ+ Archives at Bishopsgate Institute (Stef Dickers shares highlights from the collection and the collection's context in LGBTQ+ History) – Tue 21 June,12.30pm
• Amie Taylor Author Event (author of The Big Book of LGBTQ+ Activities) – Tue 27 June, 7pm
• LGBTQ+ Censorship Panel (a discussion around LGBTQ+ Censorship in Libraries and related areas) – Tues 28 June, 7pm
• LGBTQ+ Staff Networks (a panel and open discussion around LGBTQ+ Staff Networks) – Wed 25 July, 1pm

All events are online and can be booked via this link. 

Applications Open for CILIP Conference + Expo 2022 Bursaries

The CILIP Conference + Expo (7-8 July, Liverpool) is one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated events in the library and information sector and we can offer two  full delegate places with one night’s accommodation as a bursary place.

For the first time in three years, the event will be in person, and will be taking advantage of all the benefits of meeting face-to-face. The sessions will encourage free-flowing conversations, collaborations with like-minded professionals, the sharing of ideas and experiences, as well as being packed with practical tips and inspiring presentations.

CILIP Conference + Expo brings together around 500 professionals from across the sector to share experiences, knowledge and expertise. The keynote speakers include Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Sayf Al Ashqar, and Vanessa Kisuule. The programme is being finalised but you can see an outline of the session content here. Keep up to date by following @CILIPConf22.

The LGBTQ+ Network will have a stand in the exhibition hall, so remember to come and say hello, find out about our event schedule and see you can get involved with our projects.

To submit your application for the bursary place, please send an email to cilip.lgbtqnetwork@cilip.org.uk with up to 500 words of why you're interested in attending CILIP Conference + Expo, and what you would get out of your attendance. Please note that we only take submission for bursaries from Network members. If you win a bursary place, we request that you write up your experience and send us the report by 31st July, which will be published on our website. The deadline for applications is April 21st.

We are particularly interested in hearing from people who have never been to the CILIP Conference + Expo before, and who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to go.

Alternatively, early bird discounts are available until 27 May and you can book these directly on the cilipconference.org.uk website. Remember to log in to the CILIP website before booking so that it recognises your membership status and offers you the correct delegate rate.

CILIP LGBTQ+ Network AGM and Lightning Talks (17th March 2022)

Join us for this year's AGM from 5 - 7PM, to hear about what we as a Network have achieved over the past year. You can also take the opportunity to talk directly to the committee, to make sure we tailor our support to your needs. The event will once again be held online and you can book your ticket here.

For our AGM we would also like to hear from you! Do you have an exciting project or venture that is aimed at improving access for LGBTQ+ library users? Or are you, perhaps, working towards improving LGBTQ+ library staff welfare? We are inviting applications for lightning talks from our members during our AGM. Please use this form to send us your ideas.

#uklibchat LGBTQ+ Session (9th November 2021)

Join us and the #uklibchat team on Tuesday, 9 November 2021 (7-8:30pm) for a Twitter discussion focused on LGBTQ+ equity and discrimination in library, knowledge and information workplaces. Take a look at David Bennett's excellent feature article on the subject. You can also add questions to be discussed to the agenda.

Bursary Available for CILIPS Conference 2021

CILIP in Scotland is hosting its annual conference online on 7th & 8th June, and we are very pleased to be able to offer a sponsored conference place to a member of the CILIP LGBTQ+ Network. The bursary is open to any network member who hasn’t been to a conference before or would not be able to afford to go without this bursary.

To apply please email CILIP.LGBTQnetwork@cilip.org.uk with an application of max 500 words by 5pm on May 2nd. The winner will be announced on 10th May.

CILIP 2020 Conference Report

LGBTQ+ Network bursary recipient Ashleigh Weir has provided us with an insightful write up of the CILIP 2020 conference held online in November. You can read their report here.

Committee Elections 2020 Update (26th October 2020)

Nominations for Committee roles have now been received, and as each role was unopposed, elections will no longer be taking place. Further details of the new Committee can be found here.

CILIP Conference 2020 Bursary

We are pleased to announce that the LGBTQ+ Network delegate bursary for the CILIP Conference 2020 in November has been awarded to Ashleigh A Weir. Congratulations Ashleigh, and we know you'll enjoy your first CILIP conference.

Bursary CILIP Conference 2020 - Reimagined

CILIP Conference is a highlight in the annual calendar and is an important opportunity to connect with your networks, share your work and build for the future. For 2020, the event has been reshaped and reimagined to be delivered virtually. CILIP Conference – Reimagined will be a series of satellite events through-out autumn, culminating in a one-day event on 19 November with all of the elements that you would expect if you were to come to a live venue – impressive keynote speakers, engaging sessions, chances to network and to meet and learn from exhibitors.

The LGBTQ+ Network can offer one full delegate place for the one-day conference on 19 November for any Network member who has never been to the CILIP conference before, and who would not ordinarily be able to attend. All costs will be covered by this bursary.

The Conference will be hosted on a virtual event platform, Pheedloop. This means that each registered delegate, including bursary winners, will have a visible profile on the site used for meeting other delegates and exhibitors.

CILIP Conference traditionally brings together around 500 professionals from across the sector to share experiences, knowledge and expertise. The keynote speakers include Richard Ovenden, Bodleian Library, Tracie D Hall from the American Library Association, and Jo Cornish, Head of Sector Development at CILIP.

To submit your application for the bursary place, please email: cilip.lgbtqnetwork@cilip.org.uk with information about why you would like the place in no more than 500 words by 9am on October 2nd.

If you have any queries, please email cilip.lgbtqnetwork@cilip.org.uk or message us on Twitter @ciliplgbtq.

Alternatively, early bird discounts are available until 23 October. You can find out more about the programme and book your place on https://pheedloop.com/cilipconf20/site/home/

Remember to log in to the CILIP website before booking so that it recognises your membership status and offers you the correct delegate rate.

We look forward to your applications. Best of luck, LGBTQ+ Steering Group.

CILIP LGBTQ+ Network Committee Elections (October/November 2020)

Details and timetable for the inaugural elections for all roles on the CILIP LGBTQ+ Network Committee have been finalised and can be found here.

LGBTQ+ Lives Online Collaboration (31st July 2020)

We are delighted to announce that The British Library, CILIP LGBTQ+ Network and UK Web Archive are now collaborating on the development of the LGBTQ+ Lives Online UK Web Archive project. The project concentrates on identifying and archiving regular snapshots of public facing UK websites with an LGBTQ+ focus. Anyone can nominate a site to be added to the archive. Do you have, or know of a UK website with an LGBTQ+ focus? Nominated UK LGBTQ+ sites can include anything from personal perspectives, to corporate and campaign sites. If it’s LGBTQ+ focused, publicly visible and UK based, it’s relevant. Private forums are not in scope. Find out more about the project and how to nominate LGBTQ+ sites via the blog on The British Library website.

#uklibchat - LGBTQ+ representation and support in libraries (6th July 2020)

Binni Brynolf and John Vincent, co-chairs of the CILIP LGBTQ+ Network, have written feature articles for the #uklibchat website to tie in with July's #uklibchat Twitter discussion, LGBTQ+ representation and support in libraries. Binni discusses the importance of libraries supporting LGBTQ+ users, especially under the current wave of misinformation and falsehoods about trans people. John talks about his experience of working in public libraries during the time Section 28 was in force, and how its legacy still remains. The #uklibchat discussion took place on 6th July 2020, and you can catch up with it here.

Network development progress

The following provides details of the timeline for the development of the LGBTQ+ Network.

• Terms of Reference of the Network sent to CILIP Board electronically: January 2020
• LGBTQ+ Network launched: February 2020
• Steering Group review meeting (virtual meeting to review progress and plan conference events): 24th April 2020
• Progress report from Steering Group to CILIP Board: In time for July Board Meeting
• Steering Group review meeting (virtual meeting to review progress and finalise preparations for election to the Network’s committee): July 2020
• Election details announced, including timeline for nominations, voting and results: September 2020
• Call for LGBTQ+ Network member nominations to stand for election to the Network’s committee: October 2020
• Elections held: end October/beginning November 2020 - notify candidates mid November 2020
• Progress report to CILIP Board: In time for November Board Meeting
• Steering Group handover to Network’s committee: November/December 2020

 

As you can see, the next big step for the Network Steering Group over the summer is to prepare for the upcoming committee election. The call for candidates will go out in August and the election itself will happen in September. Committee roles open for election include (as a minimum) Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Communications and Web Co-ordinator. Those standing for the roles of Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary must be CILIP members. CILIP membership is not required for other Committee members.

Requests to speak at other events

To help spread the word about this network and its aims, we are available to speak at events organised by other organisations. This includes, but not only, CILIP special interest and regional groups; Library, Knowledge and Information workers groups beyond CILIP membership; LGBTQ+ and other groups with a diversity focus. Please get in touch if you would like any of us to speak at your event via: cilip.lgbtqnetwork@cilip.org.uk 

Your News

Do you have any news that you feel is relevant to the work of your CILIP LGBTQ+ Network? Let us know and we can share it more widely with the community. Contact us on: cilip.lgbtqnetwork@cilip.org.uk