Dear Tristram Hunt,

We welcome the announcement made yesterday concerning proposals for service and staffing changes at the National Art Library and the Theatre and Performing Arts collections at the V&A.

As noted in our open letter, we fully understand the challenges that the museum has faced and we are glad that you have been able to find a way forward that preserves access to the collections and the professional staff and expertise that bring them to life.

We also recognise that the proposed measures will still generate a degree of uncertainty for the staff involved which is why I’m sure you will see the importance of sharing more detail about the V&A’s proposed Research Institute at the earliest available opportunity.

In the meantime, we would be very glad to make ourselves available to your team to support the V&A in whatever way we usefully and reasonably can. As a group of organisations and associations that advocate for the value of specialist expertise collections and research held in knowledge and memory institutions across the UK – a principle which we know you also hold dear – we are keen to ensure that these important collections and services can live on.

Yours sincerely,

Antony Loveland, MLAG
Sarah Mahurter, CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group
Nick Poole, CILIP
David Prosser, RLUK
Ann Rossiter, SCONUL
Amy Stubbing, SLA Europe
Jane Bramwell, ARLIS

Header image: V & A Museum London by lizsmith is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This week is Chelsea Flower Show – probably the best known gardening event in the UK and possibly the world. Hundreds of exhibitors are preparing right now to receive 150 thousand visitors including royalty and celebs from around the world – it’s a huge floral extravaganza and the social event of the year.

But how much do you know about the organisation behind Chelsea? What is the Royal Horticultural Society and why is information so important to it?

It’s just flowers – right?

In my talk I’ll give you just a little insight into the work of the RHS beyond Chelsea and in particular the vital role that horticultural information plays in its charitable mission.

Siân Tyrrell
Head of Horticultural Information & Advice
The Royal Horticultural Society

Book your place at the CILIP Conference now
CILIP Conference takes place in Manchester on 3 and 4 July. Joining Sue will be keynote speakers Liz Jolly (British Library Chief Librarian), Patrick Lambe (Straits Knowledge), Kriti Sharma (AI Technologist), Aat Vos (Architect) and Hong-Anh Nguyen (Kings Fund).

For full programme details and book you place, visit CILIP Conference 2019.