www.cilip.org.uk
NEWS
CILIP members turn to government expertise in latest elections
CILIP members have elected a new Vice President for 2026 and a new CILIP Trustee, both of whom have significant experience in government knowledge and information roles. Over 700 members voted in the elections in which Anoja Fernando MBE was elected CILIP Vice President 2026 – becoming president in 2027 – and David Smith OBE was elected as CILIP Trustee and will serve on the CILIP board for an initial term of four years. Anoja, whose current role is Knowledge Exploitation Lead in the Ministry of Defence’s Human Resources function, began her career in Enfield Libraries and then moved to Barnet Public Libraries, before joining the Civil Ser- vice as a librarian. She has a distinguished record of leadership and service to the profession. Her dedication to interna- tional librarianship – for which she was awarded an MBE in 2022 – included raising £10,000 with CILIP colleagues to rebuild a tsunami-affected library in Sri Lanka. This work led to her involvement with the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), where she pro- gressed from a grassroots Officer to an elected Divisional Chair and member of IFLA’s Professional Council. She said: “At a historical moment for our profession, when CILIP prepares to host WLIC 2027 and IFLA 100 in London, it is an honour to be elected Vice President of CILIP. It is a privilege to give back to librarianship which has given me the intellectual stimulation and joys of networking in the UK and internationally. At the same time, the Chancellor’s investment in school libraries hints at an exciting time for CILIP and our profession. “With so much to celebrate, my goal is to inspire our mem- bership as the skills of librarians and information specialists are especially critical at this time to influence artificial intel- ligence governance and ethics.” She said: “During my Vice Presidency and Presidency, as a mem- ber of the Presidential Team, I will advocate for the profession to be bold in seeking Chartership given the ‘people investment value’ of Professional Registration. I will also seek to encourage more CILIP members to engage internationally and derive the benefits of engaging with their global counterparts.” David Smith, recently retired Deputy Director of Knowl-
edge and Information Management at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has been elected as a new CILIP Trustee. David, who was also Head of Profession for Government Knowledge and Information Management (GKIM), brings
Winter 2025
Anoja Fernando.
David Smith.
a wealth of expertise from his leadership of eDiscovery and KIM activities within government, including his pivotal role supporting the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. A Fellow of CILIP and recipient of an OBE for his outstand-
ing services to GKIM, David says he will focus his efforts on membership growth, strategic sector partnerships, financial sustainability, and advancing chartership and the profes- sional register. He is also committed to encouraging CILIP to adopt a more proactive approach in its advocacy efforts. He said: “I’d like to thank all those who took part in voting for the CILIP Trustee role: this is an important way in which the membership can signal to CILIP its expectations, and shape CILIP’s future direction. CILIP faces the challenges of declining membership, strengthening its relevance across the expanding information professional workforce, and the need to build new pathways for engagement.” He said: “If CILIP is not viewed as a key organisation in the sector by employers and employees alike, then its very pur- pose comes into question. It promises to be a bumpy time to be a CILIP Trustee, but there is much to look forward to and build upon, from the hosting of the IFLA conference in 2027 to the review of our skills standard and accreditation pro- cess. CILIP must be the go-to organisation for professional information matters, and with your support, I will work to make that a reality.” Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CILIP CEO said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Anoja Fernando as our next Vice Pres- ident, whose extensive cross-sector experience… will be a tremendous asset. Likewise, David Smith brings extensive senior experience across government which will be vital as we start delivering our new strategy Empowering Impact and preparing to host the World Library and Information Congress (WLIC).”
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