Cast Your Vote Now in the CILIPS Trustee Elections!
An election for roles on our Trustee Board is taking place between Monday 13th October and Monday 3rd November. You can view the candidates and then vote using this form – click here to access.
For the Trustee Board there are 5 vacancies and 10 candidates.
All CILIP members who live or work in Scotland are eligible to vote in the election and we urge you to participate if you are currently a member. Please read the supporting statements for each of the candidates included in the form (and below) and identify up to 5 preferred candidates for the role of Trustee before submitting.
The successful nominees will begin their terms on 1st January 2026. Trustees serve for 3 years. A full description of the role of a Trustee can be found by clicking here.
Please fill in your details and choose your preferred candidates by 12pm on the 3rd November.
See below to read all about our incredible nominees:
Sally Bell
I offer extensive experience in library leadership, collection development, EDI in libraries and user education. I have led staff mentoring, training, and cross-sector collaboration, demonstrating strong interpersonal and organisational skills. My commitment to professional development, including conference organisation and participation, reflects my advocacy for the sector and with a deep understanding of library values and ethics, I am well-equipped to contribute constructively, responsibly, and strategically to the Trustee Board.
Amanda Brennan
I am committed to advancing the vision and values of CILIPS by championing the essential role of libraries and the skills of information professionals. With fifteen years of experience in Further and Higher Education libraries, I bring practical understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. As a member of both the CILIPS West Branch committee and the University Science and Technology Librarians Group (USTLG) committee, I actively support collaboration, knowledge-sharing and professional development. As trustee, I would work to safeguard our profession, advocate for its future, and ensure CILIPS remains a strong voice for Scottish libraries.
Milena Dobreva
My research philosophy has always been to seek practical solutions that empower librarians to innovate responsibly. As a Senior Lecturer at the University of Strathclyde, I bring extensive experience in digital heritage and open science. I currently lead the projects DeCoGLAM (Community Building in Decolonising GLAMs) and RODEO (RespOnsible Digitalisation in EstOnia). As a member of the Scientific Board of DARIAH-EU and the Europeana Members’ Council, I also contribute to digital transformation efforts in eInfrastructures across Europe. As a Trustee, I would contribute to shaping CILIPS’s leadership in promoting inclusion, transparency, and innovation across Scotland’s knowledge ecosystem.
Jennifer Findlay
Since becoming a Trustee three years ago, I have been amazed by the volume and breadth of work delivered by a very small team of staff at CILIPS, with the support of the Trustee Board. I’ve been happy to be able to play a small part in that work while I’ve been a trustee, as this has educated me on the many places and ways that information professionals in Scotland are employed. I wish for the opportunity to continue to support the excellent work that CILIPS does to advocate for the importance of librarians and information professionals across all sectors.
Aileen Foreman
I have worked in the HE sector for over 30 years, from Library Assistant at the Reader Services desk at the University of Strathclyde, to I.S.Supervisor in Acquisitions Services and Financial Management at the University of Strathclyde gaining lots of experience and skills along the way. I have been Vice Chair and Chair of the SHEDL eBooks group and sit on the CILIPS West Branch Committee. A CILIP mentor and committed to sharing with fellow Librarians my experience and broadening my Library Sector knowledge from all sectors within Libraries and Information Management.
Jennifer Horan
I believe I am a suitable candidate for CILIPS Trustee having demonstrated my commitment to the profession as an active member of YLG, both regionally and nationally. I have attended CILIPS council meetings, demonstrating commitment to preparing for, contributing to and attending regular meetings, and have worked closely with CILIP CEO to develop CILIP strategy, service plans and finances, raising my awareness of CILIP governance. With experience of working in school and community libraries, I am skilled in engaging with library users and balancing their needs with wider sector priorities. I am currently working towards CILIP Fellowship.
Joy McLean
Having served as a Trustee for the past three years, I am keen to continue in this role which has given me a greater understanding of CILIPS governance and the work involved in its operation. Working in the further education sector for 20 years, I have developed skills and experience in teamwork and collaborative working, leadership, effective communication and presentation, creativity and advocacy. I also have experience of working with colleagues across the library sector, participating in groups including the Academic and Research Libraries Group Scotland and Information Literacy Group.
Jimi Mitchell
With almost 10 years of experience in academic libraries, I am a fierce advocate for free and unrestricted access to resources, particularly in Higher Education. I am a confident innovator and out-of-the-box thinker which I apply daily in my work such as a creating a free industry-standard Recording Studio in the library which can be accessed by all. I am a trustee for the arts charity ‘Acquire,’ and have a strong awareness of what is required for an organisation such as CILIPS to flourish. I frequently engage with other institutions and I’m a huge proponent for cross-sector collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
Dr James Kevin Matthew Ripley
Dr James Ripley (BA, BFA, MLIS, PhD) is an ALA Accredited Librarian with over 20 years’ service with academic, legal deposit, special, and public libraries, and who for the past 3 years has served as the Librarian at HMP Edinburgh. Furthermore, he has served on the Board of the Scottish Poetry Library, as an Academic Librarian for various universities on two continents, and as a cataloguer for the National Library of Scotland. He is also an Oral Narrative scholar, a poet, and a prolific Letterboxd reviewer (see zydecognome), whose professional interests include academic freedom, censorship, ethics, and professional development.
Kavan Stafford
I am a Senior Librarian at NHS Lanarkshire and have cross-sector experience, having previously worked for Glasgow Libraries. I brought this experience to my years on the CILIPS board. In that time, I have worked with the rest of the board on budgets, responding to library cuts, drafting statements for the press and in chairing events at the annual conference. In returning for another term, I would bring those years of experience in the board and seek to help incoming board members to develop their own skills and ensure CILIPS is in good hands for the years to come.