NEWS


Last chance for BAME bursaries


AS part of CILIP’s commitment to diversity it is offering six bursary places to BAME professionals to attend CILIP’s Manchester conference, giving a full two- day delegate place and accommodation for the night of 3 July. Keynote speakers include Liz Jolly, Patrick


Lambe, Hong-Anh Nguyen and Kriti Sharma. The outline programme is at cilipconference. org.uk. To apply for a bursary place, send 300 words on what you will get out of the conference and how you would share it to events@cilip.org.uk with the title “BAME Bursary Application” by 10 May. For more details visit https://bit.ly/2DmichN


Wellcome moves to


tackle AI bias WELLCOME Data Labs has set out a method to spot negative consequences of algorithms such as bias.


Daniel Mikhailov, head of data and innovation at Wellcome said the challenge was to apply a process “that measurably reduces ethical issues, like inadvertent bias, but does not reduce the energy and effectiveness of our Agile product teams” A potential solution is to embed a user researcher in product teams who can work itertatively and be paired with an external social scientist to prevent “loss of their professional detachment and objectivity”. Read more at https://bit.ly/2ZxF8Eb


ALPSP conference looks to future


THE Association of Learned and Profes- sional Society of Publishers is holding its annual conference from 11-13 September in Old Windsor. This year’s conference looks at the oppor- tunities and challenges facing publishing today, including a focus on Open Research and transparency; business models and innovation; and internationalisation and diversity.


To book a place visit https://bit.ly/2W2jLZG. 10 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL


Pen&inc. – writing a new chapter on inclusion


THIS month CILIP launches a brand new magazine aimed at forging a better understanding of inclusion and diversity in chil- dren’s books. Pen&inc. looks at different aspects


of the children’s book industry from creation, to publication, to supply and asks “what can be done to improve the landscape?” Currently just one per cent of lead characters in children’s books published in the UK are from Black or ethnic minority backgrounds. Sexuality, disability, class and religious diversity also suffers with a lack of representa- tion.


There is a lack of diversity among chil-


dren’s authors and illustrators, which is reflected in the books that are being pro- duced. But the picture is not all doom and gloom, with publishers, agents and booksellers all looking at the importance of being inclusive and what can be done to make it happen. Pen&inc. is about highlighting the pos- itives that are already happening, with the first issue featuring more than 450 titles that are available now or in the near future. The aim is to make it easier for booksellers and libraries to look at their stock and collections and bring in new titles that better reflect their local communities, while also opening doors to new experiences for young readers. The magazine has been produced in association with CILIP’s Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals and CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group (YLG). It includes interviews and features from inside the industry – including authors Aisha Bushby and Catherine Johnson. Editor Rob Green said: “It is so import-


ant for young children to feel included in the books they read, and diversity is a key part of that. Representation helps children feel like they belong and see- ing characters who are like them in the books they read can have a huge, positive impact. It also helps build empathy and understanding, allowing children to see new perspectives and different lives. “We all know how important a love of reading is for children, and it’s not sim- ply about enjoyment – it’s about literacy, attainment, health and wellbeing, and improving life chances. “Our first issue is packed with diverse


titles and we’d love to see more of them on the shelves at local libraries and book shops, so take a look and see what your library service can do to help deliver change.” l www.cilip.org.uk/penandinc


Grant to train BAME illustrators


A PROJECT to develop black, Asian and minority ethnic and disadvantaged illus- trators has launched with a £300,000 grant. Pop Up Projects, a not-for-profit chil- dren’s literature agency, hopes to build a next generation of industry-prepared, commercially viable artists. Pathways into Children’s Publishing


received £192,000 from Arts Council England’s National Lottery Projects Grants and £108,000 from publishers and universities. Applications for Pathways will open


on Friday 10 May but illustrators can email pathways@pop-up.org.uk to register their interest.


April-May 2019


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