2022 End of Year (nearly!) reflection, by Rebecca Dorset

 Rebecca Dorset currently serves as the Chair of the CILIP GIG Committee.

I never thought I would be one of those people talking about festive breaks just as December hits, but as I gaze at my calendar I realise how close we are to the end of the year, which seems the perfect time to reflect on 2022 before the in-person celebrations finally take place this year!

This year saw CILIP launch a new five-year strategy and action plan, setting out the key themes and priorities that will define the future the library and information professional community, titled 'We Are CILIP'. I am sure most reading this will have had the opportunity to view now.

The past two years have seen CILIP review and reflect on their existing values, membership and future vision, and has seen a lot of changes been proposed to ensure professionals across different professional communities are truly being represented and understood. This also took place during the peak of the pandemic where the ethics of information, the role of public libraries in supporting society, misinformation and media literacy came firmly into focus under a wider public lens. This highlighted the need to acknowledge the role that librarians, knowledge and information professionals really have in bigger social and organisational spheres.

It was, also, refreshing to see a nod to the different areas of the profession linked together and acknowledging the role that our profession has in wider programmes such as digital transformations. There is still a way to go in larger organisations realising the bigger value of Knowledge and Information alongside Data for achieving 'digital success'. We are all too aware of the struggles libraries face in having to market their value on a rolling basis. Sometimes these professional worlds can seem very far apart and yet so many struggles are the same and we are stronger as a profession for being more connected.

As events unfolded in Ukraine and information (and misinformation) began to spark debates about its global impact, the release of 'We Are CILIP' seemed very timely in understanding the real power of information and libraries in a modern world. At the same time the role of libraries and their support of society in times of need was ever present as the cost-of-living crisis began to be felt across the world and it has become another timely reminder of the core role our professions play in all walks of life.

Inspired by talking to so many of you throughout the year and the launch of 'We Are CILIP', CILIP GIG is looking to launch a brand new strategy in 2023 to really focus on building a strong professional community that supports, champions and helps develop each other to grow stronger as a professional group. Our aim is to help members come together from a variety of different backgrounds and experiences to share collective knowledge and, also, to help each other navigate through the intriguing world of government.

I hope you all have a wonderful festive season however you will be spending it; it's been an absolute pleasure to be part of CILIP GIG again this year with such a wonderful and caring committee alongside being part of the Knowledge, Library and Information profession in government and beyond.

Thank you all for a wonderful year and hope you have a great start to 2023!