THE organisation charged with providing strategic direction to support and develop library and information services in Scotland has appointed high profile businessman, Alan Clarke, as its new chair.
Mr Clarke (62) will lead the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) – the independent advisory to the Scottish Government on library and information related matters – taking over from current chair, Professor Ian Ruthven, who is stepping down in November at the end of his term in office.
An experienced chief executive and chair, Mr Clarke has a proven track record of success in the private, public and not for profit sectors. Most recently, he led Quality Meat Scotland through a period of change in the role of chief executive, implementing a new strategy to support, develop, promote and protect the Scottish red meat sector at the helm of the levy body.
With an MBA from the University of Ulster, he has held various senior roles throughout his career, including the position of chief executive at Scottish Bakers, the trade association for production, retail and craft bakers in Scotland, where he established the first Scottish Bakers Export Group, increasing overall membership by 22%. His career has also included five years as director of Lifelong Learning UK and ten years as chief executive of a sector training council in Northern Ireland.
Skilled in business planning, performance improvement, relationship building, coaching, and culture change, Mr Clarke is also the owner of talentatwork.org, specialising in strategic consultancy, organisation and people development. He has stepped down from his role as chair of the Cue and Review recording service, a charity dedicated to providing talking newspapers for the blind and visually impaired, to focus on his new role with SLIC but continues to read and record for the organisation.
He said: “I am delighted to be appointed and look forward to meeting with our members and key stakeholders soon.
“The global pandemic, budget squeezes, artificial intelligence and sustainable development are some of the challenges facing the sector, however, the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) and its members have a proven track record of managing change through digital inclusion, providing access to learning, and sitting at the heart of communities across Scotland.
“I hope that my experience in strategic business development can assist in showcasing the economic, social, education and community impact of all libraries to our users and funders, whilst contributing to the Scottish Government’s Green Recovery Plan.”
Current chair, Professor Ian Ruthven, is SLIC’s longest serving chair, having led the board since 2017. A Professor of Information Seeking and Retrieval at the University of Strathclyde Information School, Professor Ruthven is passionate about reducing the digital divide and increasing access to information and information services.
During his tenure, SLIC developed ‘FORWARD’, Scotland’s public library strategy, ‘Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools’, the first national strategy for school libraries in Scotland, and ‘A Collective Force for Health & Wellbeing’, the first collaborative strategic action plan of its kind. SLIC also commissioned a number of research pieces, such as ‘Libraries on the Move’, gathering evidence on the use and impact of mobile libraries; and ‘Health on the Shelf’, investigating the health and wellbeing offer from public libraries.
He led SLIC’s 30th anniversary celebrations, including the introduction of the SLIC Excellence Awards which recognise the outstanding contribution library teams make to support their members; and the launch of National Mobile Libraries Day, an annual celebration of the valuable contribution they make to the communities they serve. During this period, SLIC also helped member organisations navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic, established a successful coworking network, and collaborated on a series of climate-based projects in line with COP26.
Professor Ian Ruthven said: “Serving as Chair of SLIC has been one of the highlights of my career. The contribution made by SLIC to education, culture, and social wellbeing in Scotland is profound and wide-ranging and I am very grateful to have shared in the many successful initiatives created by SLIC and its members over the past six years.”
The SLIC board launched a new strategic development plan in 2021 which sets out its vision and key priorities to 2024, including developing strategic partnerships, setting standards and best practice, and commissioning and undertaking sector research.
Mr Clarke hopes to continue the direction of travel carved out by Professor Ruthven, ensuring that Scotland’s libraries reach their full potential through collaboration, innovation, and national conversation.
The appointment follows a robust recruitment process, led by specialist sector executive search organisation Aspen People.
