The worlds of country music, and the library and information profession collided today as global superstar and philanthropist, Dolly Parton was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from CILIP, the library and information association, alongside library professional Pamela Tulloch and CILIP’s former CEO, Nick Poole.
Also announced at CILIP’s AGM were the recipients of the 2024 Presidential Citation. This is a tradition in the gift of the CILIP President who honours two people who have excelled in their work in the sector, and to celebrate their achievements. This year’s citations go to Liz White and Sarah Mears.
Liz White is cited in recognition of her services to partnership working across the library sector, both nationally and internationally. She is the Director of Library Partnerships at the British Library and has overseen groundbreaking work in support of developing the sector such as the hugely successful Living Knowledge Network and also for leading the initial pioneering work on LibraryOn, the digital platform funded by Arts Council England.
Sarah Mears, a Chartered Fellow of CILIP and Programme Manager for Libraries Connected is awarded the Presidential Citation in recognition of her services to library services for children and the development of Empathy Lab. Sarah is a strong advocate for the work of public libraries and is a brilliant ambassador for Empathy Lab, promoting empathy amongst children and young people and the role that books and reading can play in developing this.
Louis Coffait-Gunn, CILIP CEO commented: “I am delighted that today we are recognising these five very different individuals who have all contributed, in their different areas, so much dedication, expertise and energy to the library and information profession, to literacy and to the wider sector. The positive impact that our Honorary Fellows and those awarded the Presidential Citation have made on the lives of people they may never meet, cannot be under-estimated.”