INTERVIEW
Getting a handle on sector development
As Arts Council England’s Director, Libraries, Luke Burton has a broad and strategic role across England’s Public Library sector. In this Q&A he discusses how the Arts Council works with library services, and where his role fits into the bigger picture.
Information Professional (IP): How is Arts Council’s view of the sector formed?
Luke Burton (LB): Arts Council England supports the library sector in a number of different ways using the knowledge, skills and experience of a range of colleagues and teams. Our understanding of the sector is, in part, formed by my visits to library services and conversations with Heads of Service and colleagues from other sector support organisations. These organisations are also members of the English Public Libraries Stakeholder Working Group, which I chair and includes CILIP, Libraries Connected, The British Library, The Local Government Association (LGA), The Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians (ASCEL), The Community Managed Librar- ies Network and a range of Heads of Service. This is an invaluable sounding board and group of organisations working on projects and programmes together. Colleagues in our Library Development Team bring sector-based skills and knowl- edge and have strong relationships across libraries, local government and the cultural sector. In our five areas across England, the Library Relationship Managers are key in understanding the day-to-day working and challenges of services.
It is important to note that there are also a number of other colleagues aside from library specialists in the Arts Council who
26 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
Rob Mackinlay (
rob.mackinlay@
cilip.org.uk) is a journalist at Information Professional
help understand the role libraries have to play in place shaping locally. These include our local area teams, based in nine offices across the country, along with our Children and Young People, Policy, Communication and Innovation teams, along with our trailblazing team of Tech Champions from the Digital Culture Network and our Executive Board. Finally, there are our Area and National Councils made up of culture sector experts who govern and shape the direction of the Arts Council and give insights into their localities and specialisms.
IP: What does your role at the Arts Council involve and how much autonomy do you have in it? LB: Director, Libraries is a wonderful role and it is a privilege to work with services and organisa- tions nationally. While we are led and guided by
September 2023
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