NFAIS Names Dame Lynne J. Brindley, DBE, as 2009 Miles Conrad Lecturer

Philadelphia, PA, February 23, 2009 - The National Federation of Advanced Information Services (NFAIS™), the premier membership association for organizations that create, aggregate, organize and facilitate access to authoritative information, has announced that Dame Lynne J. Brindley, DBE, Chief Executive of the British Library will be presented with the prestigious Miles Conrad Award on February 23, 2009 at the NFAIS 51st Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA.

According to David Brown, NFAIS President, the objective of the Miles Conrad Memorial Lecture, established in 1965 in commemoration of NFAIS founder, G. Miles Conrad, is to recognize and honor those members of the Information Community who have made significant contributions to the field of information science and to NFAIS itself. Dame Lynne Brindley is a well-known and respected member of the global Information Community," said NFAIS President, David Brown. "She is a strategic visionary who is shaping a new generation of libraries in order to meet the needs of information seekers in the 21st century. I speak for the entire NFAIS Board in saying that we are very pleased to bestow our organization's highest honor upon her."

Brindley expressed her pleasure when told about her selection as the Miles Conrad Lecturer. "I am delighted and greatly honored to receive the Miles Conrad Award," said Dame Lynne. "I would like to offer my sincere thanks to NFAIS for their recognition, not only of my own contribution, but also those of my many colleagues at the British Library, whose energy and innovation ensure that the U.K. National Library continues to operate as one of the world's great libraries, meeting the opportunities and challenges of the digital age."

Brindley is quite used to challenges. She has been the Chief Executive of the British Library since July 2000, and is the first woman and the first information professional to have held the post. Since her appointment she has led a major strategic development and modernization program to ensure that the Library remains a relevant, innovative and accessible national institution in the 21st century.

Brindley came to the British Library from the University of Leeds where she was Pro-Vice-Chancellor. Previously she was a senior consultant with KPMG and has held leadership positions in information technology and knowledge management at Aston University and at the London School of Economics.

Dame Brindley is active in high level international, European and national bodies concerned with media and information society initiatives, digital infrastructure and libraries, and cultural and public sector leadership. She is also a visiting professor at City and Leeds Universities and has received a number of honorary degrees, including degrees from the Universities of Oxford, Leeds, Sheffield, the London School of Economics, and the University College London.

She is a member of the Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property (SABIP) which has a remit to give Ministers strategic advice on IP issues, and has recently become a member of the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

Brindley was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honors List 2008 for services to education and the British Library.

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Founded in 1958, NFAIS is a membership organization of more than 60 of the world's leading producers of databases and related information services, information technology, and library services in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, business, and the arts and humanities. For more information on NFAIS and its member organizations, on NFAIS Annual Conferences and meetings or the Miles Conrad Memorial Lecture series, contact Jill O'Neill, Director of Communication and Planning (jilloneill@nfais.org or (215)-893-1561) or visit the NFAIS web site (www.nfais.org).

NFAIS: Promoting Communication and Collaboration Across the Global Information Community

1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1004, Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215-893-1561 phone, 215-893-1564 Fax, nfais@nfais.org, www.nfais.org).