INDEPTH
New voices
CILIP Conference 2023 landed in Birmingham in July, bring people together to discuss new developments, share ideas and make new connections. The main theme was leadership – but speakers and delegates did not always fit into a traditional notion of leadership. Instead it was about recognising that anyone can be a leader, no matter what their job title.
THE event gave new leaders, aspiring leaders and everyday leaders the chance to connect with others and share their experiences, while learning from others. It provided a platform for leadership stories in all their forms and helped to break- down barriers to leadership within the profession, offering delegates the chance to view leadership from new and different perspectives.
Conference also had its fair share of estab- lished leaders, with job titles to match, helping to provide a mix of views and experiences. And no matter where delegates were on the career path, Conference was a welcoming space with a free exchange of ideas. As part of that recognition that leaders can emerge at any stage in their career, CILIP introduced its New Voices, New Ideas
strand at CILIP Conference 2022 in Liverpool. The idea was to create a space at Conference for first-time speakers, providing them with an opportunity to address colleagues from across all sectors of the information profession. This year’s New Voices strand continued with the theme of leadership, with three presenta- tions each looking at different aspects of what it means to be a leader. Topics included How might leader ship adapt to support change and foster both individual and organisational resilience? and How can good leaders develop their empa- thy and support for their colleagues? In this issue of Information Professional we hear from two of those speakers as they share their conference diaries. First up is Marlène Rak, and you can read Sarah Simpson’s thoughts on conference on pages 28 and 29.
An exhilarating milestone
MARLÈNE RAK, Subject Support Librarian, the University of the West of England (UWE) says sessions like this, which give new voices a chance to talk to sector-leaders and experts “is a testament to the maturity and responsiveness of our profession at large”.
I had not imagined being able to present at a conference so early in my career. I started employ- ment as an academic librarian at the University of the West of England (my very first position as a professional member of a library and informa-
24 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL
tion service) only 18 months ago; talking at a national event in front of industry experts was something I thought might happen at a much later stage in my professional journey, not as a newcomer in the field. Yet here we are, a few days past the CILIP Conference 2023, and I can happily report that taking part in the New Voices, Big Ideas: Lead- ership for Changing Times session was an exhilarating experience that I would recom- mend to anyone who is considering it. The amount of support received along
July-August 2023
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