Women in leadership: Carol Stump, Kirklees Council

Carol Stump is Chief Librarian at Kirklees Council and President Elect of Libraries Connected.

Tell us about your career in libraries and how it started?

I left school with only three O Levels having had some turbulent years as a teenager! I married very young and had two children before I was 25. I started my career at Huddersfield Library, part of Kirklees Council, as a library assistant in 1977. It wasn’t really a career choice, I had the chance of three different jobs and chose the library because of my love of reading.

Times were very different then, all senior management positions were held by men and if you didn’t hold a professional library qualification you couldn’t climb the career ladder. I was called a ‘clerical’ member of staff and librarians were called ‘professionals’. There was a glass ceiling that couldn’t be breached!

However, things did start to change for me. My children grew and as I embarked on a second marriage I felt supported enough to try to climb that ladder. I became the first librarian in Kirklees without a professional qualification.

I believe that we need more role models, more examples of women in leadership roles to show young people that they can achieve, and also that women can successfully balance having a family with a leadership role. As I climbed the ladder I did have two positive role models, strong women who gave their time to develop and mentor me and that made such a difference.

I believe that we need more role models, more examples of women in leadership roles to show young people that they can achieve, and also that women can successfully balance having a family with a leadership role.

Libraries are often far more than simply a place to access information or check out books… what role do you think they play in communities?

Libraries change lives for the better by providing access to books, events and activities that help people to help themselves and improve their opportunities. Libraries bring people together and provide practical support and guidance. Often found in the heart of the community, they are well-placed to respond to local needs and issues.

I think this quote from a young Kirklees library user illustrates the impact libraries have on people’s lives much better than I can:

“I’ve been coming to this library since I was a baby and to see my mother love this library so much fills my heart! I personally have grown as a reader and writer from coming here. When I was younger I still have memories of coming to the workshops and activities here on Thursdays and loved it. I love the creativity in the library”

Aside from being Chief Librarian at Kirklees Council, you are the President Elect of Libraries Connected. Can you tell us more about that work?

I am thrilled and honoured to be the next President of Libraries Connected and will take up this position in June. We are a membership organisation for public library leaders in England, Wales and Northern Ireland partly funded by the Arts Council as a Sector Support Organisation.

Our vision is for an inclusive, modern, sustainable and high-quality public library service at the heart of every community in the UK. We believe modern public libraries should be the cornerstone of the community and should deliver a diverse spectrum of local needs around information, learning, literacy, employment and digital skills, health, culture and leisure.

One of the key strengths of Libraries Connected is how it works with partners and stakeholders to share best practice, learning from and supporting each other locally, regionally and nationally. I work with these networks to ensure the future for public libraries is a bright one. This work means my working week can be very varied, from attending a board meeting of the trustees or chairing a meeting about workforce development, to presenting at a conference. I find I am on the train an awful lot!

Who are some female writers you admire?

I’m a great fan of the classics and I absolutely love Jane Austen! Her female leads were strong, intelligent women. She speaks to women of all ages and backgrounds and her characters love to gossip! They are funny, and clever, and are just as relevant today as they were 200 years ago.

The book that had the most impact on me was Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird. I read it at quite a young age, and I was shocked by what happened to Tom Robinson. I hadn’t really thought about racism or injustice before reading this, so it was a bit of an awakening for me.

I don’t get a lot of time to read but I am quite into crime writing now, so I’ve been reading Ann Cleeves and Val McDermid on my long train journeys.