Ian
I would like more details please.
Victoria Pirie
Senior Arts and Museums Officer
Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum
East Cliff
Bournemouth
BH1 3AA
(01202) 451804
e-mail as above
thanks
Victoria
In message <[log in to unmask]>, Blackwell
Ian <[log in to unmask]> writes
>hi
>not sure if has been circulated - if you wd like more details of the NE
>Diversity work please let me know
>ian
>16 April 2002
>The Diversity Council Marks its First Birthday
>The Diversity Council celebrated its first birthday with a "Change the World"
>seminar, held at Hounslow Library on the 15th March. The Diversity Council is
>an organisation set up to address the issues of library and information
>services to diversity communities - defined as those communities which suffer
>discrimination and exclusion on the basis of gender, race, class, disability,
>sexuality and a range of other factors - as well as the issues of
>under-recruitment of members of such communities into the profession, their
>career progression, training, etc. within the public library services, the
>educational, and other sectors.
>
>The keynote speaker at the seminar was Professor Ismail Abdullahi of Clark
>Atlanta University, a regular visitor to the UK who has been instrumental in
>setting up the Diversity Council, Professor Abdullahi congratulated the DC on
>its first anniversary before saying that there had been 3 black presidents of
>the American Library Association. Only when the UK had similar role models
>would real change come about. We had, therefore, as an organisation, to confer
>status on those who were bringing about progress in this area, he said.
>
>Bob McKee (Chief Executive, CILIP) re-emphasised his personal commitment to
>diversity and promised that the new CILIP would carry on the work of the LA in
>this area. Speakers from the Government's Department for Culture Media and
>Sport, Resource and the Commission for Racial Equality all stressed the
>importance of encouraging diversity within the library profession and each
>expressed a wish to work closely with the new organisation.
>
>A number of initiatives to promote diversity within the library and information
>profession were highlighted, including the Quality Leaders project at Merton
>and Birmingham, and the Desired Staffing Profile project based at the
>University of Wolverhampton. Mary Heaney from Wolverhampton, spoke about the
>latter initiative and stressed the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration
>needed if academic library staffing profiles were to reflect the gender and
>ethnic profiles of an academic institution's user groups. As Hendie McNellie
>from the CRE said, such initiatives as this were justified not only by law and
>ethics, but by business practice too. While initiatives were taking place at a
>local level, too often they were taking place in isolation. The Diversity
>Council offered the chance, Mary Heaney said, of initiatives and individuals
>learning from each other and pooling their experiences and their growing
>expertise.
>
>Discussion during the day covered a number of themes: the importance of
>collaboration in this area between sectors which had a great deal to learn from
>each other, and the importance of building on the optimism and cohesion gained
>by the formation of the Diversity Council.
>At a meeting the previous day officers were elected to the new organisation and
>a constitution agreed. Application for the formation of a Diversity Group
>within CILIP will be put forward in the coming weeks. It is envisaged that this
>group will be a broad membership organisation within CILIP which will promote a
>wide range of issues of diversity within the library and information profession
>covering issues of race and religion, of culture and ethnicity, of social class
>gender, sexuality, age, disability and a range of other factors. In other words,
>it may evolve as an umbrella organisation to address this range of issues
>affecting CILIP members as well the user communities of library and information
>services.
>It is envisaged that the Diversity Council, as a federation of organisations
>dedicated to addressing issues of racial discrimination and
>under-representation of black and ethnic minority staff within the profession,
>will continue to operate as a body independent of CILIP, or as an Organisation
>in Liaison (OiL). This will give it the independence and flexibility to monitor
>progress in this field, and to work with other organisations in this area, such
>as the Commission for Racial Equality, Resource and the Department for Culture
>Media and Sport.
>
>
>*******************
>An email message from:
>Lorna Hibbert
>Information Development Officer
>North East Museums Libraries & Archives Council
>House of Recovery,
>Bath Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne
>NE4 5SQ
>Telephone: 0191 222 1661
>Fax: 0191 261 4725
>Email: [log in to unmask]
>********************
>NEMLAC http://www.nemlac.co.uk
>
>
>
>Ian Blackwell
>Access & Lifelong Learning Policy Officer
>North East Museums, Libraries & Archives Council (NEMLAC)
>House of Recovery
>Bath Lane
>Newcastle upon Tyne
>NE4 5SQ
>
>tel: 0191 222 1661
>fax: 0191 261 4725
>
>www.nemlac.co.uk
--
Victoria Pirie
|