Announcing joint-winners of the CILIP Mentor of the Year Award 2025

This year, the judges found it very difficult to choose between the many excellent nominations, but after a lot of deliberation they settled on two nominees - both of whom had received nominations clearly demonstrating how impactful their support had been to their mentees throughout their Professional Registration journeys.

Having agreed on the final two nominees the judges were still failing to choose between the two finalists. As a result, the judges felt they should both be awarded the Mentor of the Year Award jointly, and so this year we are celebrating two Mentors of the Year.

Ruth Curtis receives the award for her support for the Chartership process, for her flexible and accessible and supportive approach that guided the mentee through particularly difficult times as they progressed along their professional registration journey.

John Dolan is awarded for his mentorship for the Fellowship process, providing an open environment to discuss ideas and freely share knowledge and experience, tailoring it specifically to the mentee's situation.

More about the 2025 Mentors of the Year

Ruth Curtis is Senior Learning Development Librarian at the University of Nottingham, leading on the design and delivery of information skills teaching and learning for taught course students. Ruth has worked at the university since 1990 in a variety of roles, from Cataloguer to Medicine and Health Sciences Subject Librarian to Teaching and Learning Librarian, before moving to her current position in 2019. Ruth is a long-time member of CILIP and has been a Professional Registration mentor since 2006.

Ruth sees this role as a privilege to mentor and support Professional Registration candidates through their journeys, but she also continues to learn and develop herself through her conversations with mentees.

John Dolan OBE MCLIP has had an extensive library and information career from a graduate trainee in Manchester Public Libraries, to leading St Helens then Head of Libraries and Archives in Birmingham Libraries to Head of Library Policy at the Museums Libraries and Archives Council. More recently he has worked as a consultant working internationally in libraries and regeneration.

Throughout his career John has been a CILIP member and joined every CILIP special interest group that would inform his increasingly diverse roles. He also served two terms on the CILIP Board, one as Chair and over some 12 years he has supported a number of chartership candidates.

John says that mentorship helps him stay engaged and up to date. As much as with any conference or publication, he takes learnings from new and experienced professionals.

Stand out with Professional Registration

In today's competitive world, standing out has never been more important. Professional Registration is your mark of distinction — recognised by employers across industries and around the globe. It validates your skills, knowledge, and experience, showcasing your commitment to professional excellence.

Whether you're just starting out or leading in your field, there's a level to match your career stage: Certification, Chartership, or Fellowship — including a dedicated pathway for Knowledge Managers. With the guidance of a mentor and a flexible, portfolio-based process, you can achieve recognition on your own terms and at your own pace.

Find out more about the Professional Registration process and how to find a mentor