The Alan Hopkinson Award

Applications for the 2018 newly established Alan Hopkinson Award are now open.  Following his death, in 2016, a trust fund was set up to enable one CILIP member per year to attend the IFLA annual conference

The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and its International Library and Information Group (ILIG) therefore invite any ILIG member (nb: UK CILIP members can now join ILIG free of charge) or a CILIP member living outside the UK to attend the World Library and Information Congress organised by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) in Kuala Lumpur in 2018. 

Alan Hopkinson was an active member of CILIP ILIG from 2004 until his death.  As well as regularly attending IFLA conferences, he was very interested in assisting young professional librarians from developing countries.  He was involved in the Commonwealth Fellowship scheme and in training young professionals from Eastern Europe.

A panel comprising CILIP board member and Ian Stringer Chair ILIG plus Anna Jablkowska Secretary ILIG will consider applications. Their decision will be final and they will not enter into correspondence on it.

The award covers the IFLA conference fee and 200 GBP towards travel and accommodation. You are required to write a reflective report of 2- 4,000 words within six months of their visit, and a version for publication in Focus on International Library and Information Work, the ILIG journal.

You should submit a formal proposal in English of up to 400 words (equivalent to 1–2 pages of A4 paper) detailing how the visit will support your professional development and your organisation Headings such as Visit objectives’‘Planned approach and content' 'Application of learning post-visit’ may be used

You should attach a Curriculum Vitae of up to five pages in length, including the names of two referees in senior posts. You are encouraged to seek the support of your line-manager or organisation, prior to submitting an application. The deadline for the receipt of proposals for the 2018 Alan Hopkinson Award is 31st March 2018.  The successful applicant will be notified by the end of April 2018.

The proposal should be sent: by e-mail to Anna Jablkowska, the ILIG Secretary, at ilig@cilip.org.uk.

National Library of China becomes National Institution Representative of RDA Board

Last week, I received a message from Simon Berney-Edwards, Director of Improvement and Development, CILIP, the library and information association, which is based in London. He told me that at the meeting of the RDA Board last week, the National Library of China was selected to be the National Institution Representative: Asia (To serve 2018-2020).
RDA is a continually evolving standard that aims to reflect the requirements of the description, cataloguing and metadata community. One of its original aims was to be applicable across cultures, sectors and perspectives.
RDA is a package of data elements, guidelines, and instructions for creating library and cultural heritage resource metadata that are well-formed according to international models for user-focused linked data applications.

The role of the representative is:

• To provide RDA Board with insight about the impact, challenges and opportunities from the perspective of a national institution that has implemented RDA.
• To provide any relevant feedback from other National Institutions in the region.
• To contribute to the development and delivery of the RDA Board strategic plan for the development of RDA.
• To contribute to the overall governance of the standard including oversight of strategy, delivery, finance and risks.