‘‘ S
The festival also featured the launch event for LGBTQ+ Positive Voices – an online creative exhibition celebrating positive perspectives and experiences of LGBTQ+ people from around the world.
INCE launching in February 2020, the CILIP LGBTQ+ Network has been busy making plans, raising its profile
and running events. We held our launch event at Bishopsgate Institute just before the pandemic. Since then we’ve hosted and collaborated on a number of online events with an LGBTQ+ Library, Knowledge and Information (LKI) theme. These include a #uklibchat collaboration (LGBTQ+ representation and support in libraries); Meet the LGBTQ+ Network Steering Group; CILIP LGBTQ+ Network AGM with a keynote from author, L. D. Lapinski; and CILIP London and LGBTQ+ Networks Joint Social Event with a presentation on the LGBTQ+ Lives Online UK Web Archive project and a quiz.
And in June, the CILIP LGBTQ+ Network, in partnership with other CILIP groups and organisations, ran its first series of Pride events as a celebration of Library, Knowledge and Information workers. Under the banner of Festival of Pride and Knowledge 2021: Know Pride (FPK), the free online events were co-hosted with CILIP partner organisations around the UK, including CILIP Scotland, CILIP Cymru Wales, and CILIP Yorkshire and Humberside. We chose to use the tagline “Know Pride” because of its dual meaning in referencing the LKI profession, and also as a statement highlighting that, as LGBTQ+ people, we each come to know ourselves and form a sense of pride in who we are, despite the struggle and obstacles that we often encounter, including those outside the community who might suggest there should be no pride. In total, seven events took place over a two-week period, and CILIP members and non-members were welcome to attend, as were LGBTQ+ allies.
July-August 2021
The festival kicked off with a launch event on 14 June, and featured representation from all the partner organisations, along with a fun LGBTQ+ themed quiz, and the reveal of the Network’s new logo. This was followed by a talk from the founders of Edinburgh’s first lesbian and gay bookshop, Lavender Menace, in collaboration with CILIP Scotland. We were also joined by CILIP Scotland Students and New Professionals’ Network. During the talk Sigrid Nielsen and Bob Orr spoke enthusiastically about the history of the bookshop and their most recent queer books digital archive and blog. “The event provided such a wonderful opportunity to come together as book lovers from all over the world and it really highlighted the importance of bookshops and libraries throughout history as safe, inclusive spaces where we can all support each other,” said Elisabeth Nagy from the CILIPS Students and New Professionals Network. “It was amazing to hear about the beginnings of the first LGBTQ+ bookshop in Scotland and their plans for the future. Especially for those of us who have just started out in this profession, it was amazing to feel the warm welcome the CILIP LGBTQ+ community provided, and I am sure the CILIP LGBTQ+ network will continue to be a space of inspiration for library professionals and students alike.”
Kirsten MacQuarrie, Membership
Ash Green is a CILIP LGBTQ+ Network Steering Group Member.
Officer for CILIP Scotland added: “Libraries are places of safety, acceptance and inclusion for all: spaces (physical or virtual) where ideas can be expressed, identities can be explored and connections can be formed between people who would never otherwise meet. The CILIP LGBTQ+ Network’s Festival of Pride and Knowledge is an inspirational initiative, making the most of that unique library magic - I was quite literally proud to be a part of it!” We also hosted the Decolonising the Library Catalogue event, with an international panel featuring May
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL 31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
