NEWS
Journal founder and open access pioneer wins Farradane Award
THE winner of the 2020 Jason Farradane Award for an outstand- ing contribution to the library and information profession has been announced.
Thomas D. Wilson, Professor Emeritus, University of Sheffield, won the award for his work on promoting Open Access. Professor David Allen was among the nominating group, and he said: “‘Our primary reason for nominating Profes- sor Tom Wilson is his pioneering work in open access through the foundation and editing of Information Research, an international electronic journal. When the
journal was established in 1995, it was one of the earliest electronic journals to be created. It was originally intended as a channel for promoting research within what was then the Department of Infor- mation Studies at Sheffield University, but was developed into a peer-reviewed journal from 1994 onwards.” Professor Wilson held a number of roles
on the journal, including publisher until it was transferred to the stewardship of the University of Borås, in Sweden in 2017. He continued as Editor in Chief, and Professor Allen said: “As editor, web designer, and HTML coder, he has, single-handedly, built
the journal into one of the foremost journals in the field of information science. The jour- nal attracts contributions from all over the world, and its readership is also world-wide. Google Analytics reports 25,000 to 30,000 users a month for the site and the geographic distribution shows the significance of the jour- nal for the developing world: 14 of the top 25 user countries are classed as “developing” by the International Monetary Fund. In the past year there have been users from 151 countries – almost 80 per cent of all countries. There is little doubt that the truly open access char- acter of the journal is a major attractor for readers from the developing world.”
Nominate for Honorary Fellowships
THE nomination process for CILIP’s Honorary Fellowships is open and members are being asked to help identify potential recipients. Honorary Fellowships acknowledge peo-
ple who have made a lasting difference to the wider world — either through their work as a knowledge or information professional or librarian or more broadly through their support for the professional community. Recipients do not need to be CILIP members and can come from any walk of life – not just those working in the library, information or
knowledge management professions. CILIP Chief Executive Nick Poole said:
“This year, we are hoping to acknowledge some of the people – both in our profession and more broadly – who have gone ‘above and beyond’ during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nominees do not need to be a CILIP mem- ber, so if you know someone who has made a real difference, either through their work as an information professional or in pro- moting better use of information in society, please do put forward a nomination!” Honorary Fellowships have been awarded
by CILIP, and the Library Association prior to 2003, since 1896. Last year’s announce- ment included Honorary Fellowships for CILIP’s Library Champion Bobby Seagull, Margaret Casely-Hayford (CBE) who led a review into diversity for the CILIP Car- negie and Kate Greenaway Medals, and CILIP member Pamela Martindale for her work and support for CILIP’s Professional Registration and Accreditation Board. For full details on criteria and to nom- inate, visit
http://www.cilip.org.uk/honoraryfel- lowship before 30 June.
Cultural heritage course gets accredited status
CILIP has expanded the scope of its accredited courses scheme with a new inclusion from Aberystwyth University with a focus on the cul- tural heritage sector. The Bachelor of Arts Cultural Heritage Studies – Libraries, Archives and Museums becomes the first course of its kind to receive accredited status. It means that anyone taking the course can expect it to be a “solid preparation for professional practice and a suitable base for anybody
April-May 2021
entering the cultural heritage sector”. Dr Anoush Simon is the head of the Aberystwyth University’s Department of Information Studies and says the course helps to meet a need for students. She said: “[The course] seeks to fill a gap in the educational landscape, responding to and acknowledging the interest of stu- dents in information and cultural heritage – covering libraries and information ser- vices, archives, museums, and the wider heritage sector. This broad-based scheme
introduces student to key information providers in their historical and current contexts, and highlights important social, cultural, and ethical debates around the col- lection, preservation and provision of access to our intellectual and cultural heritage. “The degree is a professional qualifi- cation, allowing students to explore and develop their interests and skills in this area, and also acts as a route into more specialised study at postgraduate level.” For more details visit
www.aber.ac.uk/en/dis.
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