Information Scotland The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland ISSN 1743-5471 Issue contents | Journal contents | About the online edition of the journal October 2007 Volume 5(5)

Career development

Interview. Career crescendo.

Chris Banks is the new Aberdeen University Librarian. Chris moves from the British Library to her new post as the university embarks on the creation of a new GBP 57million library.

Why did you enter the library/information profession?
I came to the profession through the field of music. I took a taught Masters degree in Historical Musicology – a skills-based course which included elements of paleography, transcription, editing, etc., – before entering the book trade working for an antiquarian music dealer. My first foray into librarianship was with the Library of English National Opera and then in 1986 a job came up on the British Library Curatorial Team in Music. This was a cataloguing post which also involved working with manuscripts, exhibitions and reader services. In 1995 I was appointed Curator of Manuscript Music at the British Library (BL) with a remit to implement the integration of the manuscript music collections with the printed collections and the move of the manuscripts to St Pancras where they are now available as part of a holistic music service. In 1999, I additionally became Deputy Music Librarian. In 2003 I was appointed Head of Music Collections. My last big move took me out of music librarianship to become Head of Reference and Research with additional responsibility for the budget for electronic resources. I moved from managing a team of 13 to a large staff of 95.

What do you consider to be your biggest achievements in your career so far?
I think these have been in the areas of opening up collections to wider audiences both from the resource discovery point of view (working in partnership with HE) and also through activities intended for wider audiences: exhibitions, public events and via the broadcast media. The BBC Radio 4 series Tales from the Stave, presented by Frances Fyfield, reached large audiences through the unlikely route of talking about one manuscript and examining it from the physical, biographical and cultural perspectives. Inter alia the programmes helped illustrate just why we keep such historic documents and what else, aside from the main intellectual ‘content’, those documents might reveal.

What prompted your wish to move to the academic sector... and to Scotland?
My last task as a Head of Music Collections took me to Aberdeen and while there I asked for a tour around the Library. Not long after it emerged that the job opportunity was there. I was very interested in the chance to move on to something bigger, and to be involved in such a landmark building project – a chance that few librarians get in their lives. I find the prospect enormously exciting: we are creating a national resource, one which will enable us to open up our historic collections alongside our main library resources. I have friends in Scotland and I adore the countryside. Everyone has been incredibly friendly and welcoming. I love Old Aberdeen and the way it has a collegiate feel and also that it is so close to a bustling and culturally-alive city centre. On top of that I have exchanged a three-tube commute in each direction for three minute walk!

What do you expect the biggest difference will be between working at the BL and working at the University of Aberdeen?
I’m sure it will be different in all sorts of areas – not least students that borrow materials! There will be the opportunity of working closely with the academics on developing the library’s collections so that they are immediately relevant to the research and student communities. As I have only been in the post a week it is too early to say much more at this stage!

What do you consider will be the biggest challenges in your new post?
I thought the greatest challenge would be building up a new network from scratch but that is happening really quickly. A big challenge will be working with the fundraising team on raising the remainder of the capital for the new building. Resource discovery is also very important in enhancing access to the heritage collections.

What will be your main priorities in your new post?
These are multifaceted. Getting to know the institutional priorities and who the key players are is important. As for the new building, we will be bringing together two elements of the collections which have been separate – historic collections and the main library collections and their associated staff and functions. Engagement with the wider community is another priority: the ground floor of the new building is designed as a public space and will have a wider role to play

What do you think are the current major threats to – and opportunities for – the academic sector of the profession?
For some there can be a general perception that everything relevant is available on the web, that it is full-text and that libraries are no longer ‘places’ – a challenge for an institution building a new one! We know that many students will start their research with the web and that alarming numbers don’t necessarily feel the need to know about library catalogues. There is the gap between aspiration and funding: electronic resources and digitisation programmes are expensive; increasing and varied demands on library spaces brings a cost; ensuring that we remain relevant don’t stand still has all sorts of resource implications and we shouldn't lose sight of ensuring that our unique items are discoverable. The technology brings opportunities – it is there to help us open up collections, especially for those not physically able to get to them.

How would you encourage someone considering entering the library & information profession today?
I love it that no two days are alike; that there are some really wonderful and talented people (worldwide) in our profession; and that the opportunity to be entrepreneurial in a public/’not for profit’ environment exists.

Information Scotland Vol. 5(5) October 2007

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