News Item 41 (February 28, 2000)

Plenary Speaker -- Bob Mckee

One of the original panel of plenary speakers for ICML, Lynne Brindley, has recently been appointed to be the new Chief Executive of the British Library. Lynne is the first professionally qualified librarian to lead the UK’s national library, and the first woman to do so in a predominantly female profession. Hers is an exciting appointment and one that promises well for the future of what can at times be a leaden and introspective institution. However her first day at work in her new post will be July 3rd, the very day she is scheduled to address our Congress. With great regret she has had to withdraw, although she will be joining us on the river cruise on July 4th as a guest of honour.

We have, though, been very lucky to secure Bob McKee to take Professor Brindley’s place. Dr McKee became the Chief Executive of the Library Association in September 1999 and is well known as a man with thought-provoking opinions which he expresses in a lively and sometimes blunt style. His broad understanding of our profession, and his views about health librarians showing the way in breaking down sectoral boundaries guarantee that this will be a paper well worth hearing.