Dr Audrey Sutton, CILIP Scotland President 2013

The last duty of the outgoing president is to introduce his successor and for me this is a very real privilege.

I have known Dr Audrey Sutton for many years since we were both undertaking doctoral research at RGU and we completed our PhDs within a year of one another. Subsequently, I have had many professional links with Audrey and I always look forward to my visits to North Ayrshire when we spend a not inconsiderable amount of time, usually over dinner, putting the world to rights.

Audrey is quite simply a remarkable person and I count her as one of my dearest friends. She is someone who is held in the highest respect by her peers in the library and information sector in Scotland and, indeed, beyond, for her commitment to the provision of high-quality customer-focussed services and for her creative and imaginative approaches to delivering services.

From my regular visits to North Ayrshire, I have had a number of opportunities to observe how Audrey managed the library service and how she has innovated in service delivery. She has successfully combined the ability to provide the practical management of services with wider strategic thinking. It is this combination of talents that has taken her on to her new role with its wider remit for community and cultural services.

Audrey has provided consistently clear and effective leadership of her team. The respect in which she is held by peers elsewhere is mirrored by those who work with her in her own organisation. It has always been clear to me – and no doubt to most of you here – that she has earned respect and loyalty from all levels of staff in a quite extraordinary way.

This is done, in my opinion, in two ways; firstly, Audrey provides an unambiguous and lucid sense of direction; secondly, she is one of the most effective communicators I know and her ability to get on with everyone ensure that commitment and enthusiasm are maintained by those around her.

Many of us, myself including, have often benefitted from Audrey’s advice and wise counsel. Audrey is one of the most incisive and insightful people that I know.

CILIP Scotland is very lucky to have Dr Audrey Sutton as its president for 2013 and I know that she will inspire us with her vision, her dedication, her enthusiasm and her sense of fun over the coming year. She will also have, walking two steps behind her, an inestimable consort in the shape of Harry and I look forward to some references to Mr Sutton on the blog.

It is my pleasure to welcome Dr Audrey Sutton as President of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland.