work has on people. Hearing the positive feedback from customers about how the library has changed their lives, or being able to support someone in such a positive way, makes everything seem worthwhile and vital, even on the dark- est of days.
Emma Campbell, Library Team Leader, Blackburn College
What made you want to be part of the profession?
I worked in the university library as an academic study skills mentor while I studied for my masters degree. Once I had finished I went into a career in sales which wasn’t really for me. I had never really considered being a librarian before until I saw a job as an academic liaison officer and I knew I wanted to go back into libraries again. Six years later, I’m still working in libraries and have pro- gressed into the role of team leader man- aging a team across both FE and HE.
What’s the best part of your job? Probably the variety it offers. Some days I’m working with our work experience volunteers, others I’m delivering a study skills session, and others I’m working with course leaders to develop our collec- tion for the future. Every day is different and I get to build great relationships with a wide range of staff and students from across the college.
How has being part of the CILIP community helped you develop? Being part of the CILIP community has opened up a new world of professional development. I’ve started my chartership this year which has given me opportuni- ties to be a more reflective practitioner, understanding areas I needed to develop in myself and also seeing a new side to librarianship. I started my role as team leader just over a year ago and to see how far I’ve come in that time as part of CILIP makes me really proud I’m a member.
What is your biggest hope for the future of the sector?
I really hope the sector can keep up with the pace of change at the intersection between education and technology. Libraries aren’t always seen as innovators when it comes to technology, instead we’re viewed in a very traditional sense of books and quiet signs, and actually librar- ies are full of opportunities for innovative integration of technology. Whether this is a straightforward digital book club, creating asynchronous resources for study skills, or even integrating AI into our working processes to free up staff time to develop and grow our services, I really hope as a sector we can really embrace the benefits and challenges at the inter- section between education and technology currently and in the future.
April-May 2024
Emma Grey, School Librarian, Forfar Academy
What’s made you want to want to be part of the profession? I really wanted to play a part in helping young people foster a love of reading and empowering them with the skills and free- dom to access and analyse information.
What’s the best part of your job? Working with amazing young people!
How has being part of the CILIP commun ity helped you develop? The CILIP community has enabled me to access a career and Chartership mentor. I benefit immensely from their extensive knowledge and experience. I’m also learning continuously from others through professional learning opportuni- ties including conferences and webinars.
What is your biggest hope for the future of the sector? That libraries are thriving, not just surviving, and are not considered the “easy place” to find cost savings. I really hope we can get to a place where they are considered to be a crucial investment and can be harnessed by communities who are empowered to have more of a say in how they work for them.
How has being part of the CILIP community helped you develop? The CILIP community has enabled me to access a career and Chartership mentor. I benefit immensely from their extensive knowledge and experience. I’m also learning continuously from others through professional learning opportunities including conferences and webinars.
Luke Oakes,
Library Development Manager, Cambridge- shire Libraries
What made you want to become part of the profession?
The money. No. Seriously. Don’t laugh. It paid better than my old job. It was only meant to hold me over until I went on to bigger and better things. Then I realised I could do those bigger and better things right here, right now.
What’s the best part of your job? Being helpful, to the public, to my colleagues, to the profession. Making a difference, big or small, really matters. If there’s one thing I hope people can engrave on my headstone with alacrity, it’s, “Here lies a helpful man.”
Heather Berry, Library Assistant, Lancashire County Council
What’s made you want to want to be part of the profession? I had always dreamt of working within libraries. My passion for reading started at a very young age and some of my earliest memories include a library or a book! I had just started to come out of a period of poor mental health and felt I needed a profes- sion more suited to my skills, passions, and aims in life, but I didn’t think library work would be possible as I didn’t have a specific library qualification. Six years ago, I was lucky enough to be able to become part of this profession and feel I have found some- where that I truly belong.
What’s the best part of your job? Seeing first hand the positive impact our
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 41
How has being part of the CILIP community helped you develop? Being part of a network of stupendously intelligent and passionate people has really upped my game. I’ve become more connected, informed and open to new opportunities.
What is your biggest hope for the future of the sector?
That we are masters of our own fate, able to shape the future. We have a vision. Join us. IP
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