Roger Farbey, the BDA's Head of Library & Knowledge Services, has recently been awarded a Fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), which is the professional association for librarians.

Fellowship is the highest level of professional qualification awarded by CILIP (formerly known as The Library Association) and recognises the highest level of personal commitment and achievement. It allows Fellows to add the initials FCILIP after their name.

Obtaining Fellowship of CILIP is a lengthy process which involves being a chartered member of CILIP for a minimum number of years and providing written evidence in the form of supporting documentation of substantial achievement in professional practice, significant contribution to the profession and active commitment to continuing professional development.

It signifies that a Chartered Member has developed the potential identified by that award and has applied an increasing level of professionalism both through personal professional practice and through the contribution made to the profession at large. Fellowship also requires written support from other Chartered Members or senior colleagues.

Roger is only the second BDA librarian to be awarded Fellowship, the first being the late Geoffrey Hipkins, who was appointed in 1946 as the Association's first professional librarian.