Thriving in your career - a FREE face-to-face event for BAME colleagues and students
To book a place at the event click here
About this event
Kindly sponsored by ALN, EBSCO, RLUK and SCONUL
Date: Friday 10th June 2022
Time: 9.30 for a 10.00 start - 4.00pm
Format: In person, Manchester Metropolitan University, Business School
This free event is a rare opportunity for BAME colleagues and students to come together face-to-face in a collaborative and supportive environment.
Taking the mantle from the successful Talent Untapped: BAME Academic Librarians' Knowledge X that took place at UEL in 2019, this event is an opportunity for us to talk about how we can thrive in our careers, whether we are looking to progress into a new role or want to develop in our current one, and includes space for us to recognise the structural barriers that stand in our way.
The programme for the day will include:
- keynotes from two inspiring women: Sanchia Alasia, Acting Group Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at London South Bank University and Marilyn Clarke, Director of Library Services at Goldsmiths, University of London (please see below for further information)
- workshops on creating support networks and action learning sets and providing practical support for job applications, led by Jen Bayjoo, Josh Sendall and Shirley Yearwood-Jackman
- a panel Q&A featuring all our contributors, members of the organising committee and invited guests
The event is open to anyone who identifies as coming from an ethnic minority background, and we welcome colleagues and students from across library and information sectors, as well as library and information students. We encourage staff at all grades to attend.
Keynotes
Sanchia Alasia, a multi-award-winning specialist in equality, diversity and human resources, has over 15 years’ experience of working in this field across the public sector. She has worked across the public sector to help move organisations towards being truly inclusive, valuing their staff and creating a culture where staff feel supported, appreciated, and respected. She currently works as the Acting Director of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at London Southbank University. She is an associate member of the Chartered Institute for Personnel Development, fellow of the Chartered Management Institute and fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. Sanchia has won numerous awards including, being highly commended as a political figure in the Baton awards in 2020 and winner as outstanding public sector figure at the Precious awards in 2020. She was also named as one of fifty most inspirational Black women in the UK during Black history month in 2019.
Marilyn Clarke is Director of Library Services at Goldsmiths, University of London. She’s a member of the Goldsmiths HR and Equalities Committee, the Goldsmiths Racial Justice Strategic Board, and, co-Chair of the Race Equality Charter Self-Assessment Team (REC SAT), as well as co-Chair of the Goldsmiths Race Equality Group (BAME staff network). She is a member of the SCONUL Executive Board, and a member of the CILIP BAME Network. She’s recently been appointed to the Addressing Race Advisory Board, Bodleain Libraries, Oxford University. She co-leads the Liberate our Library Working Group at Goldsmiths; a decolonisation initiative. She’s been published in UKSG eNews, Art Libraries Journal (ALJ), and ALISS Quarterly. She’s spoken at several sector conferences including: NoWAL, ALISS, BLA, UKSG, CILIP, CILIPS, ILI, and Digifest, as well as at the publisher, Hachette, and to LIS students at UCL and City. In 2022, she was a Guest Lecturer on the MA LIS at UCL. She is a social justice activist, and has written chapters in, Critical library pedagogy in practice (Innovative Libraries Press), 2021, and Narrative expansions: interpreting decolonisation in academic libraries (Facet) 2021.
Workshops
There will be two workshops running on the day - full details to follow asap. Your workshop leaders are:
Jennifer Bayjoo - Jen has worked at the University of Salford since 2019 as Academic Support Manager (Research) and previously she worked in research support at Leeds Beckett University. As well as managing the University’s open research service, Jen also has a strong interest in staff development and recruitment, especially around diversity. She is the co-Chair of the BAME staff network, the Professional Services representative on University Council and has been running Diversity in Libraries of the North since 2018.
Josh Sendall - Josh joined University of Nottingham Libraries as Associate Director for Research in November 2021. He works within and beyond the institution to develop libraries' role as a research service provider, partner, and pioneer. He leads collaborative and enterprising teams who enable open research environments which maximise the reach, impact, and integrity of research. Josh is a member of the SCONUL BAME Workforce Group, Diversity in Libraries of the North, and the EDI Lead for University of Nottingham Libraries. He promotes equality, diversity and inclusion leading to productive, healthy, and resilient cultures and communities.
Shirley Yearwood-Jackman - Shirley has enjoyed an extensive career in libraries. Currently, she is a Liaison Librarian at the University of Liverpool but has held a range of professional roles. During her career she has actively supported library associations serving on the Executive Board and as President of ACURIL. Shirley is currently a member of the CILIP Board of Trustees, Chair of the CILIP BAME Network and serves on several other EDI committees. In addition to her CILIP EDI work, Shirley is actively involved with EDI work at Liverpool. Currently, she is a member of the Race Equality Charter Board at Liverpool. She holds a MSc in Information Studies, University of Sheffield.