Tribute to CILIP Chief Executive Bob McKee

ALCS would like to express our condolences to Bob McKee’s family and friends as well as the staff of CILIP after it was announced that their Chief Executive passed away over the weekend.

Mr McKee, who was well liked and highly respected in his field, started his career working in community and educational libraries and as a lecturer at Birmingham University. He’d worked extensively in organisations supporting libraries and was a member of the Governing Board and Executive Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), working tirelessly to raise literacy and reading standards.

Bob passed away whilst attending the IFLA congress in Sweden and was due to retire at the end of October. In a statement CILIP said: “CILIP trustees, the Presidential team and staff join together in sending their deepest condolences to Bob’s family at this traumatic time”. Yesterday would have been his 60th Birthday.

Scores of messages have been left on Mr McKee’s blog on the CILIP website. The Chief Executive was highly regarded and known for his fantastic sense of humour and gift for public speaking.

Speaking on behalf of ALCS, Chief Executive Owen Atkinson said; “We were very saddened to hear of Bob’s sudden death. He was a well liked and well respected man and his commitment to libraries and literacy was immeasurable. We’d like to express our upmost sympathies to his family, friends, and colleagues.”
 

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