Appointment of Board Members to Library Authority

Culture Minister Gregory Campbell today announced the appointments of Mr Patrick Carvill, Mr Alastair James McDowell OBE and Ms Jane Roberta Williams to the Board of the new Northern Ireland Library Authority: Libraries NI.

Welcoming the appointments Minister Campbell said: “I am very pleased to be making these appointments. We have entered a new era for public libraries with the creation, on 1 April, of one library service across Northern Ireland, and the transfer of responsibility to the Library Authority.  The successful establishment of these new arrangements will bring benefits to all citizens as potential users of this vital public service.

“The new arrangements will achieve greater focus for the library service from the creation of a dedicated, single issue body to manage and deliver it. A unified library service will be better placed to secure equity of provision across Northern Ireland, and improved quality of service through transmission of best practice.”

The Northern Ireland Library Authority will provide a central point for establishing professional and partnership links with a range of interests and sectors to reflect the many functions of public libraries in meeting peoples’ needs and enriching their lives. Such links include local government, education, adult learning, health, advice services and community provision.

The results of the competition for councillor members of the Board will be announced in due course. A new public competition will be initiated shortly to fill further places for members of the public on the Board.

The Board Members’ annual remuneration will be £3,000 per annum.

Notes to Editors:

Details of the new Board Members are:

Mr Patrick Carvill

Mr Carvill has extensive experience of the public sector.  He retired in 2003 from the position of Permanent Secretary of the Department of Finance and Personnel.  He is also a former Permanent Secretary of the Department of Education.  

He is currently one of the Commissioners for the South Eastern Education and Library Board.  He is also a Trustee of National Museums Northern Ireland, Chair of NI Clinical Excellence Awards Committee (NICEAC) and Board Member of NI Guardian ad litem Agency.

Mr Alastair James McDowell OBE

From August 2003-January 2004 Mr McDowell was acting Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Prior to that he was Head of Business Affairs (2001-2003) at the Policing Board and previously had held a similar post with the Police Authority for Northern Ireland.  Mr McDowell, who is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and a Graduate of the Open University, has wide experience of corporate governance and financial management.

He has been a member of the Board of Governors at the South East Regional College since August 2007 and is also Chair of the College Audit Committee

Ms Jane Roberta Williams

Ms Williams has been an Education Officer at National Museums Northern Ireland since February 1995. She lectures on the Museum Studies MA at the University of Ulster (since 2003 to the present).

She was formerly (1998-2007) a lecturer in the delivery of lifelong learning courses at Queen’s University Belfast.  Earlier, she taught English at Wimbledon High School, and prior to that at Methodist College (1979-82).  

She has been a member of the NI Committee of the Heritage Lottery Fund since September 2004.  She was a member of the Executive Committee of Bryson Charitable Group (2002-06).  Since 2001 she has been a board member of the South Eastern Education and Library Board where she was a library interest member and Vice Chair of the Library Committee before becoming the Chair.  

Background information

1. The Northern Ireland Library Authority : Libraries NI is a statutory body set up under the Libraries Act (NI) 2008. It became responsible for the management and delivery of the public library service from 1 April 2009.
2. The Library Authority will be managed by a Board of up to 19 members. The Board Members were appointed by Gregory Campbell, the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure. The appointments took effect on 1 April 2009 for a period of up to four years.
3. The appointments process was carried out in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice. A selection panel, which included an independent assessor as required under the Commissioner’s Code, considered the suitability of all candidates. The final decision on the appointment rests with the Minister.
4. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is requirement for the political activity of appointees (if declared) to be published.  No political activity was declared.
5. Media enquiries to DCAL Press Office on 028 90 258902 or email: press.office@dcalni.gov.uk
6. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.