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In August, Inspire reached a new landmark with over 300 library organisations now taking part in opening up access to library resources across the country. This equates to a total of over 2,700 individual libraries and includes libraries from most sectors including Further Education, Health, Public libraries, Specialist libraries and University libraries. It also includes libraries from Wales and Scotland and the Inspire Foyle group in Northern Ireland. Philip Payne appointed co-Director of Inspire 26 July - Inspire, the national library partnership and access programme, is delighted to announce that from 1 September 2006, Philip Payne, Librarian of Birkbeck College, London, will be taking over the role of co-Director, higher education (HE) of Inspire. Philip will represent SCONUL, the Society of College, National and University Libraries. The leadership of Inspire has until now been shared by Mary Heaney, Director of Learning Centres at the University of Wolverhampton, with co-Director Andrew Green, Head of Libraries & Information Services, Coventry City Council, representing SCL, the Society of Chief Librarians. Mary is now moving to a different role as Director of Services at Manchester Metropolitan University and is unable to sustain her commitment to Inspire at the level she would wish. Andrew will continue to lead the programme on behalf of SCL. Philip Payne is well known for his seminal role in supporting the access agenda across higher education libraries. He was one of the founders and first Chair, of the reciprocal access scheme 'UK Libraries Plus' which helps to provide library support for distance learners. Birkbeck College has a significant reputation for supporting adult learners and is already a member of the Libraries and Learners in London scheme - the largest forerunner for the Inspire Programme which will shortly become Inspire London. Philip Payne said: “Personally and professionally, I am committed to lifelong learning. So, I am delighted to be involved with Inspire. I believe that the Inspire programme provides the essential catalyst by which libraries can work together to support learners throughout their lives.” Suzanne Enright, immediate past Chair of SCONUL, said, “Philip Payne is highly respected in the HE library world. He will bring a great breadth of experience of the sector to the Inspire access programme. Sconul wishes him and Inspire well in this new partnership.” Mary Heaney said “We are delighted that Philip has agreed to take on the HE directorship. At this critical time in the development of Inspire, his experience and the regard in which he is held among colleagues makes him the ideal person to provide the HE lead for Inspire.” Andrew Green commented: “Mary has played such an important role in the development of Inspire. Her energy and enthusiasm in supporting the opening up of access to libraries for learners of all kinds has been hugely influential in the success of the Programme so far and will be a hard act to follow. Philip is the ideal successor and I and the rest of the Inspire team, look forward to working with him to take Inspire and the new Findit website forward to further success.” Wider access to LEARN
Inspire North East launches the InspireNE Passport From 13 February the Inspire NE Passport card will be launched in libraries throughout the North East . If you live in this region and your usual library cannot supply what you need, the Inspire NE passport will enable you to visit almost any libraries in the \North East. Libraries participating in the scheme include: all the public libraries; all the universities and many of the FE Colleges and specialist libraries and more are joining all the time. More details about the Inspire NE Passport can be found at www.nemlac.co.uk/inspire.htm Milton Keynes launches its local MKInspire database (click here for full details) Inspire supports LSC objectives Inspire and LSC Widening Participation group have created a brief review of the work and objectives of LSC Widening participation programme, indicating areas where Inspire can work with a range of agencies to help encourage people back into learning. Inspire in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight HATRICS, the long established Southern Information network, is leading the development of Inspire in Hampshire. This group is working to identify ways of drawing libraries in the Isle of Wight into the group and is also working closely with SASLIC, the equivalent service for Sussex and Surrey. The Hatrics group includes a wide variety of libraries and information providers and Hampshire is now actively exploring their willingness and the ability able to provide resources to the public. All of the Hampshire members have been contacted and asked whether they would be able to be part of the Inspire network and similar contacts have been made with other collection holders in the area. There are already enough organisations who have agreed to be part for work to be started on a database, giving details of access for the public to the participants of Inspire. Hatrics and SASLIC have agreed to work in partnership on a shared template for a website database of Inspire partners in their respective areas. Registrations underway in the South East The University of Buckingham and the Open University have both now registered with Inspire. These early adopters are both part of the Milton Keynes Learning City Libraries Network (MKLCLN) http://www.mkweb.co.uk/MK%2Dlibraries%2Dnetwork/. Newcastle University leads the way in the North East On 17 May, Tom Graham, University Librarian, the University of Newcastle formally completed the Registration of the Library with Inspire. Inspire is delighted to welcome the University to head the list of libraries signing up in the North East. Additional British Library support for Inspire Following discussions during the Inspire Steering Group (ISG) meeting in January, The British Library generously agreed to provide a grant to Inspire to support the development of the Inspire portal. A formal letter of thanks from the ISG has been written to The British Library.
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