In this issue of nw news

• Emma Suffield reflects on being a VIP

at the CILIP Big Day and AGM

• Shadowing the Man Booker Prize

• and the Bookstart Bear lights the

Olympic Flame

CILIP Big Day and AGM

Emma Suffield, Library Resource Assistant at Preston College, Lancashire reflects upon

her day as a VIP.

I was invited to CILIPs Big Day as a VIP by Michael Martin (a qualifications adviser) for completing my ACLIP… Wow! I had never been a VIP anywhere before, not even in a nightclub as a student!

The train journey up to Newcastle seemed to take forever, although it was nice for the event to be ‘up North’ instead of London (sorry to any of you from ‘down South’ reading this!) Even though I had seen the agenda I still had no idea what to expect and kept thinking about what the CILIP Big Day would entail.

As I walked up the steps to Newcastle’s new City Library I was overwhelmed by the 6 storey big glass building, it was amazing and certainly an asset to Newcastle and the main entrance is just two minutes walk from the Monument. I was greeted straight away by a friendly CILIP NE ‘volunteer’ and shown where to go. Badges were given out and I was given a special badge which identified me as a VIP, (this is when I should have ordered my champagne and blue m&ms!!) Straightaway a lady from a London Health Library came over as she too was an ACLIP VIP attendee…. I felt a sigh of relief that I had someone to talk to as so many people knew each other from previous events.

I can’t say I knew anyone, although I recognised a few names from my Twitter account that I have accumulated through #Chartership, # CILIP and #CPD23.

Once in the meeting room I felt privileged being seated near the front as a VIP. It was exciting to see so many people had attended as VIPs, (those having completed their ACLIP, MCLIP, FCLIPs and Honorary FCLIP's) from all over the UK. I hope we motivated other CILIP members to try for the qualifications if they haven’t already.

Being a VIP also entitled us to have lunch with Phil Bradley and CILIP Qualification Assessors in the viewing gallery on the 6th floor of the library. The view across the city was amazing but for people with a fear of heights, it's a long way up! This gave me the chance to have some lovely food but more importantly talk to people who have completed MCLIP as it is something I am working towards and talk to the assessors about what they expect from portfolios. Celebrating qualification success is something that CILIP are proud of.

A supplement to Update/Gazette from

the CILIP NW Branch

North West News, No. 41,

October 2012

Registered Charity no. 313014

nw news

AGM Voting © Emma Suffield

Throughout the day we had several guest speakers and the AGM, but I have to say the presentation from Phil Bradley will always stand out in my mind and it is great to know we have a President who is so passionate about libraries and the library role and how we can keep libraries alive for the future. This made me motivated to keep improving our libraries at Preston College and make sure we keep them a valued service for our students.

The close of the day involved my participation….. awards and pictures time …. Argh! Once I heard about having my picture taken with Phil Bradley (CILIP President) I became a little nervous! But he is very down to earth and put me at ease and it was really nice to be recognised for our hard work in gaining our qualifications.

After a long day my phone kept me busy and awake for the journey back home, with tweets constantly being sent and received and gaining new followers. I certainly felt a very popular young lady and I know these people will help guide me through my professional development. I met some fantastic and inspirational people and I look forward to catching up with them again at further CILIP events.

Shadowing the Man Booker Prize

Bury Reading Group

In my role as Reader Development Librarian, I keep an eye on the many literary prizes which are run every year. A key event in the bookish person’s calendar is the announcement of the Man Booker list so I was delighted to receive an email from The Reading Agency offering the opportunity for reading groups to shadow the Man Booker Prize. We would receive copies of the shortlisted books to read and share our feelings before the prize is announced.

I applied stating the many reasons why I thought the Reading Group I support in Bury is special and was delighted when I heard that we had been chosen as one of only 4 local authorities to shadow the prize.

Emma with CILIP President Phil Bradley

Guest speakers

Introductions - Councillor Ged Bell - Deputy

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure

Leading in the Big Society - Penny Wilkinson

Chief Executive, Northern Rock Foundation

Digital Access for all—Mark Taylor

Society of Librarians & Ann Rossiter - Executive

Director, SCONUL

Presidential Address—Phil Bradley

CILIP President

The first benefit of shadowing was an invitation to the Shortlisting Party at the beautiful Holland Park Orangery in London, there the literati gathered to hear which six books were shortlisted. It was strange and rather daunting being in a room full of names that I usually see on my library’s shelves or on the pages of the newspaper’s review sections. As I walked past a familiar-looking man I gave him a warm, northern ‘Hiya!’

assuming that I knew him, only to realise moments later that it was actually Will Self, o ne o f t h e s h o r t l i s t e d authors.

The event was a who’s who of literary circles where we had the opportunity to talk about books and libraries with some fascinating people and promote Bury positively as well. As a result of attending the event and speaking directly with publishers I am hopeful that at least some of the shortlisted authors will visit us in Bury to talk about their work

The judges, along with Sir Peter Stothard, Editor of the Times Literary Supplement include Dan Stevens best known as Matthew Crawley in the hit ITV drama Downton Abbey, Dinah Birch an academic and literary critic, Amanda Foreman an award-winning historian and international bestselling author and Bharat Tandon an academic, writer and reviewer. It was so interesting to meet these figures and find out what they think of public libraries and the role we play in supporting reading.

Dan Stevens was particularly vocal in his support of libraries telling me how he thinks we do a ‘Marvellous Job’.

Christine Almond, Principal Libraries and Adult Learning Officer (Learning Support) said “Being invited to an event such as this is a great coup for us as a library service”.

Most Library Services routinely purchase copies of the shortlisted books for the Man Booker Prize as well as other significant literary prizes. However shadowing the prize has given us a real relationship with the books and an insight into the selection process. The next adventure for the Reading Group is a trip to the cinema to watch a live Q&A with the Judges and authors the night before the Prize is announced. I am particularly looking forward to reading the reviews from the reading group members and finding out if we agree with the judges final decision.

Will Self displaying a rare smile for the

camera.

Dan Stevens takes time off Downton Abbey to talk books with librarians Christine

Almond and Alison Bond McNally

The winner from the six shortlisted books

• The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng;

• Swimming Home by Deborah Levy;

• Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel;

• The Lighthouse by Alison More;

• Umbrella by Will Self

• Narcopolis by Jeet Thavil

will be announced at a ceremony at London's Guildhall on 16

th October.

Bookstart Bear in Blackburn

An extra-special torch bearer joins in the

Olympic festivities in Blackburn with Darwen

The build up to the Olympics and the Games themselves may seem a distant memory but I couldn’t resist these photos when they were sent to me by Isabel Ormerod of Blackburn Libraries she writes “The Bookstart Bear caused quite a stir when he visited Blackburn to publicise Bookstart, reading and the library as part of the borough’s ‘Olympic Torch’ celebrations on Saturday June 23. The bear popped in and out of the library, mingling with the crowds and encouraging people to call in for a special bear-themed, under-5s story time session. He was invited to the Town Hall for the Olympic torch bearers’ photo-call, where he also met the Mayor and other civic dignitaries. He had a busy schedule, but gained many new friends, eager to say “hello”.

Having spent many happy (and hot) hours inside that blue suit, I am always pleased to see him out and about the North West.

CILIPNW Training Event

Enhancing Customer Experience Using

Social Media

Thursday 22nd November 2012

(10:00 - 16:00)

You’ve heard the hype, but what’s it really all about? Learn how you can start to use social media for your own professional development and how to engage with your users.

Aim: To introduce participants to a range of social media tools and how they can be used enhance their customers’ experience.

Objectives: At the end of the course participants will have:

1. Discussed how customers (users, clients) want to be treated

2. Examined a number of social media tools

3. Explored ways in which these social media tools can be used to engage with users and meet customer needs

4. Considered the strengths and weaknesses of social media

Photographs © Blackburn with

Darwen Council

Course content:

• Basic customer service principles in relation to:

• Twitter

• Blogging

• Social bookmarking

• Facebook

Session facilitator: Lisa Jeskins

Course type: The session will include a mixture of group discussion work and hands on experience of using the tools.

22nd November 2012

C811, Allerton Building, Frederick Road Campus, University of Salford, http://www.salford.ac.uk/library/using/sites#allerton-tab

£40 CILIP members, £70 non members

Booking form: http://goo.gl/9plPB

A word from the Editor

Despite having been involved with CILIP at a regional level for a few years now, I had not previously participated in any kind of national event. The cost of the train fare and the thought of heading down to London made events like the AGM seem out of my reach.

So when I read that this year the AGM would be in Newcastle (and I had been wanting to go there to see the new City Library for a while) it seemed the perfect time to attend. I booked a day off work and a cheap train ticket and looked forward to my day out.

The day proved worth the investment. The speakers were interesting and engaging, even if I didn’t agree with all that they said. The Presidential Address in particular gave much twitter-fodder and I met people who had until them only been names in Update.

Upon reflection, I enjoy being involved at a local level. I can attend meetings more easily and build a stronger relationship with the rest of the committee through meeting regularly. However the AGM was an opportunity for me to see how things work on a bigger scale, and I was glad I went. I came back fired up with enthusiasm for my profession and feel inspired to push on for Chartership with renewed vigour.

The old eco-slogan of ‘Think globally - act locally’ can apply to CILIP as well as to the planet.

As always I would be delighted to receive feedback on the newsletter. All submissions whether of articles or photographs are welcome..

All new issues of NW News are being put up onto the website ‘Issuu’. I will, in due course also upload back issues. You can find us there at

www.issuu.com/cilipnw

Copy dates for next issue of NW

News.

Editorial Copy Deadline: End of

December

Cover date: No. 42.

Contact the editor: Alison Bond

McNally

Email: a.e.bond@bury.gov.uk

Tel: 0161 253 7345

Twitter: @BuryLibraries

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Find us there @CilipNW