I spent Christmas 2020 like most of you I imagine, with a single member of my family, making Zoom calls to other family and friends. It mirrored much of the year. And yet, apart from the obvious heartache and distress Covid-19 inflicted upon us all, especially those who lost loved ones, 2020 proved the durability, ingenuity and compassion of the population.

For Library, Information and Knowledge Services Professionals, 2020 may well be seen as the year others came to appreciate the pivotal role they can and do play in society and business. I see my role as incoming President of CILIP to help showcase some of those advances and build on the work of previous incumbents promoting professional excellence.

Together, Judy (Immediate Past President), Kate (Vice President), Nick (CILIP CEO), the CILIP Senior Leadership Team and I, have put together an ambitious (and flexible) programme for 2021 that attempts to align the role of the President more closely with that of CILIP’s strategic objectives.

I recognise, from representing CILIP as a Knowledge & Information Management Ambassador, the importance of the Royal Charter and history to a global audience, as well as a universally accepted Chartership & Fellowship accreditation for all professionals in our industry.

We see ‘my’ targets for 2021 as follows:

• Connecting us and our members to a sense of pride in our long heritage and our unique independence as an association operating under Royal Charter;
• Acting as the personification of the membership and the wider profession at the heart of CILIP’s leadership and direction (assuring the membership that we are and continue to be member-led);
• Opening up new opportunities, relationships and partnerships which help to move us forward;
• Raising the reach, influence and profile of the organisation with external stakeholders in the UK and internationally.

I expect to be judged against these as you would be in your roles. I’d like to pick out a few projected highlights that amplify these targets:

1. Presidential Debates: Available to all members, quarterly, virtual and lasting about an hour. Judy will host the first, I will host the second and third, Kate the fourth.
2. Presidential Musings: I will be inviting people whose work I admire / who are making interesting contributions to the profession to share reflections and experiences in a column in Information Professional.
3. “In conversation with…”: On a regular basis throughout the year, I will be calling a CILIP member (selected randomly) for a short chat to discover more about them, their role, how it’s been impacted and what they might tell someone else.

Undoubtedly 2021 will be a year unlike any other. What will the new normal look like? Will work be a hybrid of virtual and in person? Will it revert to being location specific? Will the communal spirit endure? Will dis/misinformation continue to undermine?

Whatever it shapes up to be I am convinced that those who succeed will be agile, collaborative, tenacious, excellent facilitators and a trusted resource, good at curation.

I am honoured to be assuming this role and look forward to working with you all.

Keep safe and well and best wishes for 2021.

Paul J Corney