Barbara Band is an award-winning and Chartered librarian with over thirty-five years of experience working in the education sector from primary through to secondary levels. She's currently Treasurer and newsletter editor of the CILIP School Libraries Group and was previously CILIP President and Vice Chair of the Great School Libraries Campaign. In addition, she contributed to the work of the School Library Association as editor of The School Librarian, wrote several SLA publications and was Chair of the SLA Berkshire branch. She is also Chair of the Library Services Trust, and founder and Chair of the UK Pupil Librarian of the Year Award (PLAA). She is known as an influential library campaigner and has worked with BookTrust, the National Literacy Trust and the Open University, amongst other organizations, to advocate for the value and benefits of reading, and the role and importance of school libraries.