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Catalysing Communities: the Library Asset
Thu 25 April 2013
The REC Centre, Towcester Road, Far Cotton, Northampton NN4 8LG
How libraries build social capital; accelerate improved social cohesion within and
between communities; and deliver wider economic, social and community well being.
Programme
0945 Registration Coffee and tea available
1015 Introduction &
welcome
Sue Grace
Assistant Director, Customers and Community Services
Northamptonshire County Council
1025 Keynote address:
“They should do
something: enter the
public service hero”
Prof Peter Latchford OBE
Black Radley Ltd
Prof. Latchford is the author of “African Igloos and Public Service Heroes” –
a call for enterprise to be liberated in the public sector, for the benefit of
society as a whole.
1100 “Where are we at in
catalysing
communities?”
How are library services approaching their catalyst role? This is an
opportunity to share and to find out more – in a speed dating
session
1115 Coffee break
1130 Scene-setting :
catalysing
communities –
today’s challenge
Grace Kempster
& Luiza Morris-Warren.
Northamptonshire County Council
Being a catalyst is local government’s new motto: what are the
implications, and how do we show impact? Northamptonshire will
share their journey so far and raise questions to explore during the
day.
1205 Experiences: impact
assets
(Panel session)
Ayub Khan, Head of Libraries (Strategy), Warwickshire County
Council
What does a catalyst library service look like? Perhaps when library
staff receive training from police partners so as to be able to deliver
services on their behalf – as is the case in Warwickshire.
1250 Lunch

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1335 After-lunch recap Facilitated plenary discussion of issues raised during the morning
sessions
1350 Experiences: health
assets
(Panel session)
Ciara Eastell, Head of Libraries, Culture and Heritage , Devon
Libraries are often quoted as safe, trusted places at the heart of their
communities. When it comes to health and wellbeing, do these
qualities make libraries natural partners? What are the
opportunities and challenges?
1435 Coffee break
1450 Experiences: learning
assets
Fiona Williams, Head of Libraries, Information and Archives, City of
York
Knowledge and skills are for life, not just for employment: they
provide individuals and families a greater measure of control over
their lives. York libraries will share their journey – both their recent
collaboration with a major sponsor and as it continues on to
alternative models.
1535 Closing remarks: the
Library Asset
Grace Kempster OBE
1545 End
(+) Programme subject to change.
For all enquiries related to this event please contact:
Jorge Solis
Principal Librarian - Transformation
01604 366162
jsolis@northamptonshire.gov.uk
Twitter: @enterpriselibs
Website: www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/libraryasset

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Speakers - biographies
Brian Ashley (Arts Council England)
Brian began his career working for Northamptonshire Libraries in 1979, before moving in a range of
roles in library services in Coventry, Warwickshire and Nottingham. Appointed as the ‘chief librarian’ in
Nottingham after local government re-organisation in 1998, he retained responsibility for the city’s
libraries until 2009 while undertaking broader roles covering other cultural and community based
services. During that time there were a striking range of reading and new technology based partnerships
to develop library services with Boots, Marks + Spencer/Prisons, and the universities, as opening
libraries in a number of co-located buildings.
Brian has played an active role in professional bodies including being elected as National Councillor to
Society of Chief Librarians, Chair of Libraries and Information East Midlands (as Chair), and as an active
CILIP member in the more distant past. He has led Peer Reviews of York City Libraries and Derby City
Museums, both of which were instrumental in transformational change.
In 2009, Brian moved to the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council to become the Regional Manager
in the East Midlands before joining Arts Council England as Senior Manager. From July 2013 he will
become the Director (Libraries) nationally, while also retaining local responsibilities based in the
Nottingham office.
Irene Campbell (East Sussex County Council)
Irene is currently Assistant Director – Community and Customer Services for East Sussex County Council.
Her responsibilities include registration services, archives, libraries, culture, and customer services for
the whole county.
Irene Campbell’s career has been in the fields of culture, literature and learning, facilitated by degrees in
Modern Languages (BA), Librarianship and Information Science (MA) and English Literature (PhD).
In both West and East Sussex she worked in the Public Sector, at various times in libraries, Customer
Service and E-Government and has played an active part in furthering take up and understanding in
these fields within the community.
Irene is a Trustee of the Asham Trust and of the RSA (whose Fellowship Council she chairs), Vice-Chair of
Governors at a Sussex secondary school and whilst in West Sussex was Chair of the West Sussex Literary
Society. She is interested in the development of Education and literacy, the influence of culture on the
quality of life and well being, and the crucial role of information and communications in society as a tool
for allowing people to make informed decisions.
Laura Caton (Local Government Association)
Laura has worked at the LGA since 2007 and currently leads the Association’s advocacy and
improvement work on culture, tourism, sport and Universal Credit. She has also worked on transport,

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growth and localism. Prior to this Laura spent six years at Portsmouth City Council in a number of
corporate roles.
Ciara Eastell (Devon County Council)
Ciara Eastell is Head of Libraries, Culture and Heritage with Devon County Council, where she has been
for the last four years. Devon has 50 static libraries, 8 mobile libraries, 3 prison libraries and a range of
outreach services for more vulnerable groups. Ciara has previously worked for The Reading Agency and
local authorities in Somerset, Cambridgeshire and Gateshead. She was the first Library Fellow to
participate in the Clore Leadership Programme in 2004/5.
Grace Kempster (Northamptonshire County Council)
Grace has worked in libraries in London Boroughs, UK cities and counties and internationally, and is
currently Customer and Libraries Manager for Northamptonshire County Council.
She has led the transformation of Northamptonshire libraries to achieve one of the lowest per-visit cost
in the UK, attain the coveted Customer Service Excellence Award and develop a track record for
innovation – from the introduction of self-service with 95% take up across the county, to the
development of ground-breaking partnerships to support employment and enterprise. For this work
Northamptonshire libraries received the EDGE 2013 award for innovation in the ‘social’ category.
Her previous work has involved delivering consultancy to the Thai Knowledge Park in Bangkok;
partnership with a leading community-based literacy organisation in Argentina and shaping the initial
People’s Network in libraries across the UK – for this pioneering work she was awarded an OBE in 1999.
Ayub Khan (Warwickshire County Council)
Ayub Khan, BA (Hons) FCLIP, is Head of Libraries (Strategy) for Warwickshire County
Council and is overseeing a major transformation programme of the Library & Information
Service. He has held a number of posts in public libraries specialising in schools, young
people’s and community librarianship. He previously worked for Birmingham City Council
as Principal Project Officer for The Library of Birmingham.
A former CILIP Trustee Ayub now chairs CILIP’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity panel.
He is a past President of the Career Development Group and chaired the CILIP committee
which produced guidelines on public library provision in England for local council portfolioholders.
He led the development of a national positive action scheme for the library and
information profession (ENCOMPASS) and is currently Chair of the West Midlands Society
of Chief Librarians.
Ayub has an interest in international library affairs and sits on the International Federation
of Library Associations (IFLA) Library Buildings and Equipment Committee. Until recently
he was a member of UNESCO’s UK Culture Committee.
Ayub was awarded a Centenary Medal from the Library Association in 1998 for services to
Librarianship and in 2003 was highly commended in the personal achievement category of
the Diversity awards by CILIP. He achieved his Fellowship in 2004.

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Prof Peter Latchford OBE (Black Radley)
Peter Latchford has infiltrated the public sector and lived to tell the tale. He has been Chair, Chief
Executive and troubleshooter in a variety of public service organisations, in health, housing,
regeneration, community cohesion, enterprise, infrastructure, local authority, museums, skills, business
support, and crime.
Peter is a Director of Black Radley Ltd, the fairness and effectiveness specialist. His writing on public
sector solutions has been published widely in the mainstream and specialist press. He is a visiting
Professor of Enterprise at Birmingham City University, Chair of Urban Living (the housing market
renewal pathfinder), Chair of a LIFTCo (a public-private partnership in the health sector), Vice Chair of
the Community Development Foundation, and Fellow of the RSA.
Anne Lovely (Northamptonshire County Council)
Anne joined Northamptonshire Libraries and Information Service in 2003. In addition to strategic
management of the county’s north area libraries, Anne has county-wide programme responsibilities
including mobile libraries, friends and supporters, volunteering in libraries and intergenerational work
Earlier in her career, Anne spent 15 years the City of London with both PriceWaterhouseCooper and
Deloitte, including responsibilities for the management and marketing of tax library and information
services.
Anne has a BA (Hons) in Library and Information Studies from Loughborough University and is a Member
of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.
Luiza Morris-Warren (Northamptonshire County Council)
Currently working in Strategic Management, Luiza has significant experience in project management and
change implementation in a public sector setting. This builds on extensive experience in the private
sector, an academic background in research as well as management studies.
Some of the projects Luiza has been working on have involved deep-dive market analysis,
implementation of new working systems and organisational structures, as well as implementation of
statutory frameworks in the private and public sector.
Nigel Thomas (Leicestershire County Council)
Nigel Thomas is the Head of Service for Leicestershire County Council's Communities and Wellbeing
Service that comprises of Libraries, Heritage, Arts and Adult Learning.
He has worked in both the public and voluntary sectors, chiefly in Library and Information roles,
working for Birmingham, Coventry, and for Leicestershire since 1998. He has chaired Cilip's Community
Services Group and the Libraries Change Lives Award.
Fiona Williams (City of York Council)

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Fiona Williams is Head of Libraries, Information and Archives in York. In her library work she is a strong
campaigner for recognition and development of public libraries’ contribution to formal and informal
learning and the social and economic return on investment of libraries. She is a past-president of the
Society of Chief Librarians.
Fiona began her career in libraries in Poole Central Library, where she was responsible for the children’s
library. Following that role she was lending librarian, and then operations manager for Poole unitary,
managing nine branches. She later became Head of Poole library service. In 2004 she moved to York and
to her current role.
A chartered librarian since 1989, Fiona holds a degree in History from the University of Canterbury in
Kent, a postgraduate diploma in Librarianship and Information Studies and a diploma in Management.
Fiona is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.