NEWS Fellows and citations for 2025
THE 2025 cohort of Honorary Fellows and Presiden- tial Citations was announced at CILIP’s 2025 AGM. Established in 1896, Honorary Fellowships are CILIP’s highest honour, recognising individuals who have made an enduring and transformative impact on libraries, informa- tion, and knowledge management. Jo Cornish, the former Chief Development Officer at CILIP,
has been honoured for her outstanding contributions to the library profession in professional development, workforce diversity, and the modernisation of professional standards. She pioneered the introduction of apprenticeships in the sector, embedding CILIP’s definition of professionalism into new routes into the sector. Kevin Mehmet has worked at the British Library for over 45
years and received his award for the devotion, excellence, and enthusiasm in his service to the public and the profession. His tours, lectures, and seminars have become legendary, capti- vating audiences and promoting the importance of libraries as custodians of culture and knowledge. Julie Bell was recognised for her exceptional leadership and lifelong dedication to public libraries and the communities they serve. At Lancashire Public Libraries she steered the ser- vice through challenging and celebratory times, demonstrating resilience, compassion, and vision. Under her leadership, Lancashire’s Schools Library Service was transformed into a gold standard for educational support. She also championed library apprenticeships, recognising their power to build a skilled and diverse workforce. An Honorary Fellowship also went to LeVar Burton in recognition of his storytelling, advocacy for literacy, and his defence of intellectual freedom. For more than four decades he has inspired people to connect with books and ideas – from his role in Roots to hosting Reading Rainbow for 23 years, a show that made reading joyful and accessible to mil- lions of children worldwide. His work continues through the Skybrary app, fostering children’s literacy.
Julie Bell. Jo Cornish.
Presidential Citations 2025 The recipients of the Presidential Citation are awarded by the current President, Sue Lacey Bryant, to individuals who have shown exceptional dedication, leadership, and innova- tion in the profession. Maja Maricevic was honoured for her pioneering leader- ship in advancing the Green Libraries movement. Maja has been instrumental in transforming what was a public librar- ies initiative into the wider Green Libraries Campaign. As Director of Science and Improvement at the British Library, Maja plays a central role in driving the organisation’s sus- tainability strategy, embedding climate-conscious practices at the heart of library services. Phil Bradley is a renowned educator, author, and digital literacy advocate and receives the Citation for his immense contribution across all sectors of the information profes- sion. Twice serving as President of CILIP, Phil has been a tireless champion for the power of technology to enhance education and information access. His thought leadership, teaching, and media presence have made him an influential voice in digital librarianship. Skilled in unpacking compli- cated aspects of information science – specifically related to internet search, the use of AI tools and social media, Phil has run thousands of courses, and trained many tens of thousands of people, given countless talks, and visited more than 50 countries, sharing his skills across the world. Dr Carla Hayden is the first woman, and first African-Amer-
Kevin Mehmet with graduate students from Kennesaw State University.
6 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL
ican, to serve as Librarian of Congress in Washington. Carla is honoured for her global influence as a role model and her lifelong advocacy for equitable access to information. Speaking in Oxford in March 2025 via livestream, Dr Hayden said libraries were bastions of truth and centres of communities: “Libraries are the great equaliser and when you have a free public library, in particular, you are pro- viding an opportunity centre for people of all walks of life. And you are giving them the opportunity to make choices on which information, entertainment, and inspiration means the most to them.” Louis Coffait-Gunn, CILIP CEO said: “This year’s Honor- ary Fellows and Citation recipients exemplify the power of libraries to inspire, inform and empower people, transform- ing lives for the better. From global literacy champions to local leaders, their contributions remind us that the library and information profession remains one of society’s great- est forces for positive impact.”
Winter 2025
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