INTERVIEW ‘‘
Rob Green is Editor of Information Professional.
Intellectual Freedom sits at the heart of the library and information profession. So, in terms of impact on a wider society we can say, intellectual freedom is not a niche library concern, but a human-rights commitment the profession upholds. – Rónán O’Beirne
Intellectual Freedom at the heart of the profession
CILIP’s Intellectual Freedom Committee has a new Chair with Rónán O’Beirne taking over from David McMenemy, who helped set up the committee. In this Q&A, Rónán introduces himself and discusses the next stages in the committee’s evolution.
Information Professional (IP): Can you introduce yourself? Rónán O’Beirne (RO’B) – My experience as a librarian has been extensive. It all started as a library assistant with Haringey public libraries in 1986. Since then, I have held a range of library leadership roles in public, specialist, further education and university libraries. My experience beyond libraries is also rele- vant having directed large-scale construction projects and digital transformation programmes. I have been mentoring Chartership and Fellowship candidates within CILIP’s PKSB framework for over 10 years. I have been an active school governor at two primary schools and one academy. Since 2000, I’ve worked in a consultancy role as a Registered Expert for the European Commission, evaluating multi-agency digital proposals in the areas of civil liberties, artificial intelligence, open science and metadata.
IP – Why did you want to be part of CILIP’s IF Committee? RO’B – I was attracted to the newly established committee because I believe there is hugely impor- tant work to be done in this area. Specifically, I am fully aware of our profession’s challenges in balanc- ing access, privacy and intellectual freedom with the social responsibility to address censorship, data control, misinformation and dis-information, all
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against a backdrop of rapid technology advancement and shifting political pressures.
IP – And how do you see the committee’s work impacting on wider society? RO’B – We all know that the right to intellectual freedom is a foundation of a strong and representa- tive democracy, and of a society in which everyone can contribute to, participate in and benefit from the intellectual, creative and cultural life of their community. Intellectual Freedom sits at the heart of the library and information profession. So, in terms of impact on a wider society we can say, intellec- tual freedom is not a niche library concern, but a human-rights commitment the profession upholds. It is rooted in Article 19 of the UN Universal Dec- laration of Human Rights – freedom of opinion, expression and access to information for all.
IP – What do you think is currently the big- gest issue on the agenda right now? RO’B – Currently the biggest issue on our agenda is to raise the profile of the IF committee and by extension broaden the understanding of CILIP’s professional ethical framework and values. With this foundation in place, building appropriate training and resources to navigate – challenges relat- ed to censorship, is a priority.
August-September 2026
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