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CILIP Conference 2018: Spotlight by Information Management student Xindi Jiang

I was very honoured to have the opportunity to attend the 2018 CILIP conference in Brighton with a student bursary from the Information School at the University of Sheffield. The CILIP conference is one of the most important events for the library and information professionals in the UK. As an international student from China, this is not only an opportunity for engagement and communication with library and information professionals, but also a chance to learn more about the history and development of library and information management in the UK. During the conference, I found that the professionals’ discussions and speeches focused on the UK while also focusing on the worldwide library and information field. This made it easy for me to understand the discussions of the professionals.

This was my first time attending the CILIP Conference. What excited me was not only the conference, but also the Information School’s exhibition stand. During the two-day conference, I not only discussed the conference with others through Twitter, but also shared my experience at the Information School with many people in person at the stand.


The two-day conference schedule was packed with different keynote presentations and nearly 30 group seminars. Each session was very appealing and triggered intense thinking about related topics. The most attractive seminar to me was ‘Knowledge and Information Management’, delivered by Knowledge et al Managing Partner Paul J. Corney, Morgan Stanley Global Head of Business Information Services Stephen Phillips, and CJ Anderson. The House of Commons Librarian Penny Young also participated in this seminar. 

During the Knowledge and Information Management seminar, Paul J. Corney mentioned that ‘today’s digital workplace is a rich, diverse, shifting environment’. Then, he talked about three issues addressed by Artificial Intelligence (AI). For example, he said that “by leveraging the power of algorithm-driven automation and data analytics to 'productize' aspect of their work, a number of innovative firms are finding that, like Google and Adobe, they can increase margins as they grow, while giving clients better service at prices that competitors can’t match”

This was a good point of inspiration for me. Although I have not really worked in this field, this view has caused me to think about innovative companies from the perspective of information and knowledge management, and wonder how they can do better.


Paul J. Corney also give a definition of the ‘Knowledgeur’, which is ‘an entrepreneur who makes use of his/her/others’ knowledge in one activity or market and applies it for beneficial use in another'. He also outlined the core skills of a knowledgeur, and future roles of the knowledge manager: Investigate, Navigate, Negotiate, Facilitate, Collaborate, Communicate, Curate and Celebrate. I am lifelong learner. These seven core skills will guide me in my future career. I will continue to think deeply and draw on them in my future studies and work. 

Overall, this conference is a memorable and valuable experience. I would like to express my sincere thanks to the University of Sheffield Information School for this valuable opportunity and student bursary. I also hope that I can improve my learning ability and professional knowledge through more such learning opportunities. 

Xindi Jiang
MSc Information Management student

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