Community Managed Libraries National Peer Network is recruiting a Regional Network Co-ordinator
The purpose is to build up and support regional networks of Community Managed Libraries (CMLs) within the South West, West Midlands, Midlands, Wales, North Midlands.
Working with the Network Manager and Trustees, Regional Network Co-ordinators will build relationships and regular communication with CMLs in the regions; capturing the needs and insights from CMLs to inform policy development and to help develop and grow the work of the Network.
The area covered will be:
• South West, West Midlands, East Midlands and Wales
Below you will find the job description and person specification for a Network Co-ordinator.
The Regional Network Co-ordinators will work from home, though from time to time you may work from a CML building or travel for activities or visits to other CMLs.
This role is funded thanks to the
Application Instructions
Please submit a CV and covering letter (using the Job Description & Personal Specification) to info@communitylibrariesnetwork.org.
Deadline: Friday 31st March 2023
Community Managed Libraries National Peer Network 
Hello CMLPN
I am a bit surprised about the areas that the two Regional Network Coordinators will be covering. Should I assume that London, East Anglia and the South East are going to be covered by the National Manager who is based in London? I cannot see how the South West, West Midlands, East Midlands and Wales can form one area a truly vast one for a part-time person to cover. When I worked as a professional Chartered librarian, the East Midlands were considered to cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. The latter county is where I live and where I act as Chair for the 21 Group Libraries Network (21GLN), set up in 2018 to give support to the CMLs in our county. Northamptonshire sits at the junction of the South-East (Bucks, Beds and Oxon), East Anglia (Cambs) and the West Midlands (Warwickshire). We also have borders with Leicestershire and a tiny one with Lincolnshire. I venture to suggest that we have nothing much in common with Wales, the South West or even the West Midlands.
So my question is just where would you propose to place Northamptonshire? I had hoped that 21GLN could develop a good relationship with the Regional Coordinator and perhaps make some useful contributions to his or her activities but if we are to be on the very edge of a region this may be difficult.
I look forward to hearing from you I have read the job description but my question still remains.
Kind regards
Alison Richards
Alison Richards BA(Hons) DipLib MCLIP Chair/Director, 21 Group Libraries Network
The purpose is to build up and support regional networks of Community Managed Libraries (CMLs) within the South West, West Midlands, Midlands, Wales, North Midlands and the North. Working with the Network Manager and Trustees, Regional Network Co-ordinators will build relationships and regular communication with CMLs in the regions; capturing the needs and insights from CMLs to inform policy development and to help develop and grow the work of the Network.
We are looking for two part-time Network Co-ordinators One for the South West, West Midlands, East Midlands and Wales One for the North and North Midlands
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Hello Alison,
Huge apologies for not replying to you sooner, I was digging through the website and found this in the spam folder for some reason.
Yes, the Network Manager role will be covering London & the South-East. The distribution of the other 2 areas is largely due to giving as equal a spread as possible between the number of CMLs covered by each role.
Northamptonshire is currently planned to sit with the South West, West Midlands, East Midlands and Wales, however this is always up for review- I think it’s also important to note that the Network Manager will be working very closely and collaboratively with the 2 Regional Co-ordinators and we hope to encourage networks and relationships between CMLs that span the country if that is best suited.
I definitely see existing networks like 21GLN fitting in to the way the CML Network develops and if that means working more closely with CMLs and regional networks in the ‘South-East’ or ‘North’ then that is absolutely fine.
I hope that gives a little more information, I’m happy to chat further on how you see the roles being most beneficial or just about the 21GLN if that would be useful?
Kind Regards,
Chris Neath
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Dear Chris
Thank you for your helpful reply and explanation of the reason for delay!
Although 21GLN does not include in its membership all of the CMLs in our two Unitary areas (North Northamptonshire and Wet Northamptonshire Unitary councils being the successors to the now-defunct Northamptonshire County Council) we do represent a majority of them. In the next few weeks Ill be discussing with our directors (we are a registered community benefit society) and others in our membership how we can work more closely with CMLPN. For us, the counties nearest to us and to which we can more closely relate are Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Cambs and Bucks. Possibly Oxon also.
Once the regional coordinators are appointed we can perhaps offer to host a physical meeting for CML representatives from those counties. Some of our members (me included) did participate in or watch some of the CMLPN Zoom meetings during Covid lockdown but I still very much believe in the value of face-to-face meetings. Our own 21GLN meetings are sometimes held in libraries but we do use several larger venues in the Northampton area from time to time and one of these could be suitable for a regional meeting.
I hope that the two regional coordinators will be appointed soon and then we can continue this conversation going forward.
Kind regards
Alison
Alison Richards BA(Hons) DipLib MCLIP Chair/Director, 21 Group Libraries Network
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Hi Alison,
That sounds absolutely perfect, I’ll email you directly to discuss further.
Thanks, Chris
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