1 December 2023
Long ago and far away* a group of people were sitting around a table discussing how to make the world a better place, when they realised that some important other people were missing from the group. They asked a sorcerer** what they should do to find the missing people and bring them into the group, because they knew that they could make better decisions when more ideas and experiences could be brought to bear on their challenges. After using the sorcerer’s spells*** the missing people were found and the group was able to change the world.
Thinly veiled metaphors aside, the UKSG Board has spent a lot of time this year working with an EDIA consultant. You’ll hear more about our updated EDIA policy and some other initiatives soon, but my job in this editorial is to introduce a small but impactful change to our Board elections. It might not change the world, but we believe it will make a real difference to our ability to deliver on UKSG’s strategy to Include, Connect, Innovate and Deliver.
So what’s the change? Simple: we’re introducing designated categories for Trustees. This means that where a particular group isn’t represented on the Board one of the spots in the upcoming election will be reserved for that group.
You may ask why we need to do this – elections are open to every member, right? Take a look at our current Board (https://www.uksg.org/committees) and you’ll see libraries, industry groups and consultants, but no publishers or intermediaries. As equally important parts of our community we have to make sure these groups have a voice in UKSG’s decision making processes, or we’re simply not properly representing everyone. Similarly, we haven’t historically had a member of the Board representing early-career members of our community, which we want to change so that we can better serve the needs of this group. There won’t necessarily be a designated category spot in every election, and it’s unlikely that the designated categories will be the same every year. When we announce the next elections we’ll include information about places that have been reserved for Trustees in designated categories.
Being a member of the Board has been a fabulous experience. Yes, it is a bit of a time commitment but in return for what is usually a few hours a month, I’ve had the opportunity to get more deeply involved with a group that brings real benefits to everyone across the knowledge community. If you think you might be interested in standing for election, get in touch with a member of the Board – we’re all happy to chat about what the role of Trustee entails and how rewarding it can be!
Tasha Mellins-Cohen, COUNTER and Mellins-Cohen Consulting
*London, June 2023
**an EDIA consultant
***new election policies