NEWS


Chief Executive looks to capitalise on opportunities


NEW Chief Executive Louis Coiffait- Gunn says he is looking forward to leading CILIP as the profession stakes its claim as being an integral part of economic growth. With a general election to take place by January, Louis is keen to position CILIP’s members as part of the wider solution to transforming the current low-growth economy. He sees the knowledge, skills and expertise of information profession- als as a crucial part of leading growth, especially as new technology impacts the lives of all of us. He says: “It’s a particularly exciting moment to be joining CILIP, as the pro- fession navigates the upcoming elections, rapidly improving AI-powered tech tools, and other headwinds. “On the former, the next Westminster government will inherit a low-growth economy, high costs, and dire public f­inances,­i as­i indicated­i by­i the­i 74­i local­i authorities now requiring additional support and supervision from Whitehall, and 50 higher education institutions cutting­i staff­ior­icourses­iwith­imulti-mil- lion­ipound­idefcits­iacross­ithe­isector.


“But­idifferent­ipolitical­ichoices­iare­iavaila-


ble, and we’ll be working hard to make the case for investment in public services and public sector workers, and for a renewed commitment to inclusion and cohesion. “If economic growth is the number one priority, then CILIP members across every sector of the profession and across the country are already working hard to unlock it using their unique skills and expertise – from job support services and the IP and Knowledge Network, to opening up access to the latest research, improving literacies, and supporting innovation inside workplaces.” Louis adds that in a world increasingly powered by data “this profession is uniquely well-placed­i to­i answer­i difficult­i questions­i such as how it is gathered, stored and accessed. Your knowledge and skills, com- bined with the ethics that should underpin its use puts you at the top-table in debates about AI and trusted information. “Information and knowledge manage- ment professionals are helping to drive evidence-based decision-making across the economy, supporting individual an d organisational decisions to deliver value at all levels.”


Connecting with members and the wider profession is one of Louis’ priorities as he settles into the role. He says: “We need to keep improving how we tell your story, so please keep the feedback coming. It will be particularly invaluable as I (re)connect with the people outside of the sector we want­ito­iinfluence.


“I know Jo Cornish has been leading on CILIP’s­i Public­i Affairs­i work­i to­i help­i tell­i that story, and I am looking forward to strengthening the case for librarians and information professionals with the current government and the next.” Louis also singles out work from CILIP’s


Chief­iCommercial­iOfficer,­iDuncan­i­iAnthony,­i highlighting the value it will bring to mem- bers.­iHe­isays:­i“Duncan­iis­inot­ijust­ibuilding­i the team we need to deliver for our mem- bers, but is also embedding an inclusive and performance-focused culture. He is building the structures and systems that will­i allow­imembers,­i staff­iand­i volunteers­i to focus their energy towards making pos- itive change.”


You can read a full interview with Louis in the next issue of Information Profes- sional.


University contract cuts Elsevier bill by a thirty per cent


THE University Libraries, Univers- ity of Colorado, announced that it has signed a new contract with Else- vier with a 30 percent cost reduction. The deal was reached after more than six months of negotiations by a coalition of 15 research universities in Colorado and Wyoming.


Last year academics signed a resolution pointing out that Elsevier’s was “the sin-


April-May 2024


gle largest and most expensive journal license package purchased by the Univer- sity Libraries amounting to about $2m, or roughly­i14­iper­icent­iof­ithe­ilibrary­imateri- als budget.” In­ithe­istatement­ithe­iDean­iof­iLibraries­i and Senior Vice Provost for Online and Extended­iEducation­iRobert­iH.­iMcDonald­i said “Academic publishing under its cur- rent model is unsustainable.”


Announcing the new deal last month,


Mr­i McDonald­i said:­i “I’m­i pleased­i with­i the outcome of the negotiations because I believe this agreement moves us closer to addressing the exorbitant cost of pur- chasing read access to academic journals whose content is created and edited by our own faculty.” He said: “This agree- ment­igives­imany­imore­iflexible­ioptions­ifor­i members of our library alliance.”


INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 5


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