Lynne Brindley
Encyclopedia
Dame Lynne Janie Brindley, DBE, FRSA
(born 2 July 1950) is a British professional librarian and has been the Chief Executive of the British Library
, the United Kingdom
's national library
, since July 2000.
ca. 1975 and then began her professional career as a library trainee at the Bodleian Library
, University of Oxford
. She studied librarianship at the School of Librarianship, University College London
, where she was awarded the Sir John MacAlister award as the top student on her course. She first worked for the British Library in 1979, in the Bibliographic Services Division and by 1983 she led the chief executive's office. She moved on to be director of library services at the University of Aston, and spent some time as a consultant for KPMG
. She was librarian of the British Library of Political and Economic Science
at the London School of Economics
(LSE), before moving to the University of Leeds
as Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection, and later as Pro Vice-Chancellor.
On 17 November, 2011, Brindley announced that she will step down from her post as Chief Executive at the British Library at the end of July, 2012.
If this means that readers and libraries lose touch with real books and treat their content as 'information', it becomes plausible to worry that a significant element of Western civilization will have been marginalized. Brindley is also forced to reassess deeper issues revolving around the distinction between information and knowledge. An index is the work of a mind with knowledge: however, all search engine results are the product of an algorithm with information.
s of D.Litt
from the University of Leicester
on 11 July 2002, the University of Reading
in 2004 and the University of Leeds
on 14 July 2006. In April 2006 she was awarded an honorary degree from the Open University
as Doctor of the University for "Public services and exceptional contribution to the educational or cultural well-being of society".
A full list follows:
She chairs the UK Online Learning Task Force.
and
became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in the 2008 New Year's Honours List
for services to education.
Until December 2007 she would be formally addressed as Ms. Lynne Brindley; since then the formal style has been Dame Lynne Brindley (less formally Dame Lynne).
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
(born 2 July 1950) is a British professional librarian and has been the Chief Executive of the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's national library
National library
A national library is a library specifically established by the government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books...
, since July 2000.
Career
Brindley gained a first class degree in music at the University of ReadingUniversity of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
ca. 1975 and then began her professional career as a library trainee at the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. She studied librarianship at the School of Librarianship, University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, where she was awarded the Sir John MacAlister award as the top student on her course. She first worked for the British Library in 1979, in the Bibliographic Services Division and by 1983 she led the chief executive's office. She moved on to be director of library services at the University of Aston, and spent some time as a consultant for KPMG
KPMG
KPMG is one of the largest professional services networks in the world and one of the Big Four auditors, along with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and PwC. Its global headquarters is located in Amstelveen, Netherlands....
. She was librarian of the British Library of Political and Economic Science
British Library of Political and Economic Science
The British Library of Political and Economic Science is the main library of theLondon School of Economics and Political Science, and the world's largest political and social sciences library .-Description:...
at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(LSE), before moving to the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
as Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection, and later as Pro Vice-Chancellor.
On 17 November, 2011, Brindley announced that she will step down from her post as Chief Executive at the British Library at the end of July, 2012.
Context of Change
A switch from print to digital publishing by the year 2020 is anticipated; which implies that readers will have diminishing physical contact with books, the primary experience and foundation of civilization for the last 500 years. In this context of change, Brindley is committed to ensuring that the Library does not become little more than “a book museum”. Brindley's point-of-view is forward-looking when she explains"Most people are aware that a national switch to digital broadcasting is expected by the end of this decade. Less well known is the fact that a similar trend is underway in the world of publishing: by the year 2020, 40% of UK research monographs will be available in electronic format only, while a further 50% will be produced in both print and digital. A mere 10% of new titles will be available in print alone by 2020."
If this means that readers and libraries lose touch with real books and treat their content as 'information', it becomes plausible to worry that a significant element of Western civilization will have been marginalized. Brindley is also forced to reassess deeper issues revolving around the distinction between information and knowledge. An index is the work of a mind with knowledge: however, all search engine results are the product of an algorithm with information.
Book preservation
Brindley's BL has long been the conservator of historic print collections and regarded as a place of quiet study; but with the explosion of the internet and electronic publishing, users are increasingly turning their backs on libraries as a physical space, using them as virtual, digital environments instead. In this context, the BL role in warehousing large book collections is at risk.Research
As head of one of the largest libraries in the world, Brindley accords special priority to the needs of researchers and believes that libraries should also play a key role in helping to teach information literacy skills. In this context, Brindley observed that,"[That t]he younger generation is technologically more literate but not more information literate is a challenge that must be tackled by libraries and education more widely. Students who simply want to use Google and take what it says as gospel do a real disservice to the skills people will increasingly need to survive in the digital economy. Libraries add a degree of sophistication, support and richness of content, all of which will encourage creativity, quality research and participation of the citizen in the global digital world that we are in."
Digitization
Brindley's challenge in a digital world is to keep up with the demands of students and researchers for services that are integrated and consistent with their wider internet experience; the task is complicated by the fact that "information consumers" don't use services in the way libraries assume, and a one-size-fits-all policy towards the design of library systems will not be effective. In this context, Brindley engaged a process for monitoring and evaluating the way people use BL services.Academic awards
Brindley has received honorary degreeHonorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
s of D.Litt
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
from the University of Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
on 11 July 2002, the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
in 2004 and the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
on 14 July 2006. In April 2006 she was awarded an honorary degree from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
as Doctor of the University for "Public services and exceptional contribution to the educational or cultural well-being of society".
A full list follows:
- UCL – Hon. Fellow 2002
- Nottingham Trent – Hon. D.Litt 2001
- Oxford – Hon. D.Litt 2002
- Leicester – Hon. D.Litt 2002
- London Guildhall – Hon. D.Litt 2002
- Reading – 2004
- Sheffield – 2004
- City – Hon. D.Sc 2005
- Leeds – Hon. D.Litt 2006
- Open University – Hon. D.Litt 2006
- University of Wales, Aberystwyth – Hon. Fellow 2007
- Aston University – Hon. D.Litt 2008
She chairs the UK Online Learning Task Force.
Honours, styles and titles
She is a Fellow (FRSA) of the Royal Society of ArtsRoyal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
and
became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in the 2008 New Year's Honours List
New Year Honours 2008
The New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008....
for services to education.
Until December 2007 she would be formally addressed as Ms. Lynne Brindley; since then the formal style has been Dame Lynne Brindley (less formally Dame Lynne).
Sources
- Brindley, Lynne. "Comment: All this for the price of a latte and a muffin...; We cannot allow the British Library's peerless collection to be put at risk by potential funding" The Guardian. 23 September 2007
- Christiansen, Rupert. "A fine collection of headaches; Rupert Christiansen looks at the ups and downs of the British Library" Telegraph (London). 30 August 2006
- Curtis, Polly. "MPs push for online research library" The Guardian (Manchester). 9 July 2002
- Davies, Gareth Huw. "Bringing Bill Gates to book: A week in the life of Lynne Brindley" Times (London). 4 March 2007
- Day, Julia. "British Library seeks marketing head" The Guardian (Manchester). 16 February 2001
- Deeble, Sandra. "My work space: Lynne Brindley is the first woman - and the first librarian - to head up the British Library. She talks to Sandra Deeble about the places that inspire her" The Guardian (Manchester). 14 August 2004
- English, Shirley. "Library's archive fund gets £6.5m" The Times (London). 3 March 2004
- Ezard, John. "Anger grows after British Library junks rare books" The Guardian (Manchester). 12 August 2000.
- Ezard, John. "British Library halts dumping of newspapers" The Guardian (Manchester). 24 November 2000
- Brindley, Lynne. Response -- "Letter: Open book" The Guardian (Manchester). 27 November 2000
- McKie, David. "Library brought to book; The British Library is destroying thousands of books because it is short of space. But, asks David McKie, who decides which ones?" Guardian (Manchester). 14 August 2000
- Hunt, Tristram. "Comment: Scholarly squeeze; Allowing undergraduates into the British Library's reading rooms has led to exclusion, not inclusion" The Guardian (Manchester). 29 May 2006
- Brindley, Lynne. Response -- "Letters: The 'undergraduate masses' have not squeezed out our readers; The British Library has turned its back on elitism and can cope with its new influx, says Lynne Brindley" The Guardian (Manchester). 1 June 2006
- McLeod, Donald. "British Library puts sound archive online" The Guardian (Manchester). 16 April 2004
- McLeod, Donald. "Websites get legal place in national archive" The Guardian (Manchester). 4 November 2003
- Reynolds, Nigel. "Library to halt sale of historic journals" The Telegraph (London). 6 December 2000
- Reynolds, Nigel. "Staff culled as the British Library goes digital" The Telegraph (London). 24 November 2000
- Secher, Benjamin. "My week: Lynne Brindley, Chief executive, British Library; Inside the day-to-day life of Britain's cultural movers and shakers" The Telegraph (London). 27 September 2004
- Tran, Mark. "Microsoft teams up with British Library to digitise books" The Guardian (Manchester). 4 November 2005
- "Woman to head British Library" The Guardian (Manchester). 9 February 2000
- Young, Ken. "Reading between the lines: The British Library is working fast to upgrade its research services in the midst of a worldwide debate over open source publishing" The Guardian (Manchester). 16 December 2004
External links
- http://www.leeds.ac.uk/media/grads_2006/brindley.htm
- http://www.bl.uk/news/2005/pressrelease20050629.html