This year our seminar programme will explore the topic of ‘resilience’ thinking about how we can build robust public services and workforces to support community cohesion and social reform.

This year we are delighted to be joined by an amazing line up of speakers from the sector and beyond.

We will be joined by:

Lucy Banks is Programme Manager for ASCEL, where she leads their Youth Engagement Network. This network, built co-creatively with children, young people and libraries, aims to centre young voices at the heart of national policy- and decision-making.

Previously, Lucy supported reading development among children, young people and adults at Libraries Unlimited (Devon and Torbay). She's an advocate for inclusive, youth-centred practice and co-creation, with fun and inspiration placed firmly at the heart of everything she develops and delivers."

Frank Cottrell-Boyce is a multi award-winning children’s book author and screenwriter. Millions, his debut children's novel, won the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal.

His other books include Cosmic, Framed, The Astounding Broccoli Boy, Sputnik’s Guide to Life on Earth, Runaway Robot, Noah’s Gold and The Wonder Brothers. He has enjoyed a long-time collaboration with award-winning illustrator Steven Lenton. His books have been shortlisted for a multitude of prizes, including the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, the Whitbread Children’s Fiction Award, The Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Blue Peter Book Award.

Frank is also a highly successful screenwriter. He has written for the hit TV series Dr Who and his script for Michael Morpurgo’s Kensuke’s Kingdom won a British Animation Award. Along with Danny Boyle, he devised the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics. Frank has been the judge for the 500 Words competition and the BBC's One Show As You Write It competition.

Frank is a lifelong champion of children’s books. In 2023 he launched a successful podcast with Nadia Shireen, The Island of Brilliant!, celebrating writing and illustration for children of all ages.
He lives in Merseyside with his family.

Kelly Fowler is the Chief Executive of the Belong Network, and she draws on over 25 years’ experience in roles leading the development of cohesion policy and overseeing the research and delivery of programmes that challenge hate, counter extremism and promote dialogue. Kelly has worked nationally and internationally from grassroots to government level and her experience includes her role as Director of Programmes at the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation (formerly the Peace Foundation), co-chair of the European Commission’s RAN network and Policy Advisor to the Mayor of Greater Manchester.

Liz Green has been a councillor for Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames since 2002. She has been Leader of the Council and Leader of the Opposition and held numerous portfolios and positions over the period. She is chair of the Culture, Tourism and Sport board at the LGA, working cross party to promote local government and share best practice. She is also a peer mentor and trains councillors and officers across the country in leadership.

Isobel Hunter is the first Chief Executive of Libraries Connected. She established and grew the organisation from a small team of six to one that now has a dedicated programmes and regional team, with a high profile in national media and with government.

She believes that libraries are central to people’s lives and communities across the country and is committed to working with members to help develop and advocate for the public library sector.

Ed Jewell is President of Libraries Connected and Chief Librarian for Jersey Libraries. He has led Jersey’s library service since 2014 and has worked in libraries across the Channel Islands for 25 years. In 2020, Ed was given the Jersey Bailiff’s Award for services to the community during the pandemic. Ed is the first Libraries Connected President from outside England.

As President, Ed advocates for libraries as essential public services within wider policy and funding frameworks, contributing to national goals including literacy, lifelong learning, community wellbeing and digital transformation. 

A passionate believer in intellectual freedom, Ed emphasises the importance of libraries as open, inclusive spaces that reflect and serve their whole communities.

Jon Knight is the Chief Executive of /together, a charity that works with some of the largest organisations across the country to help build kinder and more closely connected communities. Working with everyone from Meta to the Church of England, via the FA and PWC, /together run mass participation campaigns like the Big Help Out and Thank You Day. Jon has previously worked in leadership roles at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and St John Ambulance, and as a Board Member for South Tyneside Homes.

Jane McKelvey is Citywide Services Manager for Manchester Libraries, responsible for 15 neighbourhood libraries and 6 community partnership libraries. Originally from an economic and urban policy background, Jane has been in this role for 9 years and currently has around 130 brilliant library staff working across the city. Jane is passionate about the role that libraries can play at the heart of Manchester’s communities, and the social regeneration that we can achieve in our amazing spaces

Amanda Naylor OBE, CEO at Volunteering Matters, has 27 years’ experience in the third sector, international development and statutory social care and criminal justice sector. Her work has focused on supporting and safeguarding child victims, disabled children, looked after children, young people subject to safeguarding procedures and young people in youth justice system. At Volunteering Matters she leads an organization that has over 150 projects across England, Scotland and Wales delivering impactful change in communities through place-based volunteering programmes.  

Formerly Amanda was CEO at Manchester Youth Zone based in Harpurhey. A vibrant youth and community provision with world class facilities, working with over 1,000 children and young people aged 8 -25 years and families per week in North Manchester. Prior to this Amanda headed up the national DFE funded COVID-19 response Barnardo’s service ‘See, Hear Respond’ coordinating across over 84 VCSE partner organisations to get immediate support to over 100,000 children who were identified as most in need, and prior to this held the UK child sexual abuse and exploitation portfolio at Barnardo’s who delivered almost 100 CSA services.

Amanda is a Co-Chair at Vision for Volunteering. A collaborative initiative looking at developing a volunteering landscape that meets the needs of volunteers, organisations and communities.

She is also the Co-Chair at Respond (an organisation specialising in psychotherapy for children and adults with learning disabilities who have experienced trauma and abuse), has sat on the Centre for Expertise (CSA), NPCC child sexual exploitation by gangs, and National Contextual Safeguarding advisory boards and NOTA Advisory Board, and NWG policy forum.  She also sits on the England National Advisory Board at Action for Children. 

Simon Smith has worked in public libraries for 25 years, in Reading, Harrow and Slough, in a variety of different roles. He currently works for Reading Borough Council who are moving Reading Central Library to a Civic Centre location in 2026.

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, MLS, LEED AP, is the Co-Founder and Board President of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, a worldwide project to empower library leaders to advance environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically feasible practices to intentionally address climate change and co-create thriving communities. 

Rebekkah is the principal author of the award-winning Sustainable Library Certification Program, the Resolution for the Adoption of Sustainability as a Core Value of Librarianship, and the recently released National Climate Action Strategy for Libraries and its companion implementation guide. Rebekkah is Library Journal's Sustainability columnist and has authored three books on the topic of sustainability: Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library's Future in an Uncertain World; Resilience (ALA Library Future Series); and Libraries & Sustainability: Programs and Practices for Community Impact. Rebekkah's "day job" is leading the Mid-Hudson Library System, a cooperative public library system working with 66 member libraries in New York State.

Kathy Thake has a diverse background in social housing, contact centres, and, for the past five years, the world of libraries. Currently, she serves as an Area Manager for Essex Libraries, overseeing 20 libraries, including a city library, several mid-sized and small village libraries, and a prison library.
With a passion for getting the best from people and enjoys coaching, Kathy is dedicated to her role and strives to make a positive impact. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two teenage children, and her gorgeous Red Fox Labrador, Honey.

Kathy is dyslexic and thrives on challenging herself. She is currently undertaking an apprenticeship in operations management, continuously pushing her boundaries and growing both personally and professionally.

Kathy is committed to making a difference in her community and is always looking for new ways to improve and innovate.

Jacqueline Widdowson has worked in the public libraries sector for 16 years and has experience of both London and North West library services. She was a senior executive of the CILIP Public and Mobile Libraries Group for 11 years, variously occupying vice-chair, chair and co-chair roles. As well as being a qualified and chartered librarian, Jacqueline holds a level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management and is a qualified data technician.