LONDON.- The British Library’s Chief Librarian, Caroline Brazier, has announced that she will be stepping down from her role next year, having decided to take early retirement. The exact date is still to be confirmed but it is likely to be in the early summer of 2018.

“Caroline Brazier has made a truly exceptional contribution over her 15 years of service at the Library,” said Chief Executive Roly Keating. “Since 2011 Caroline has served with extraordinary distinction first as Director of Scholarship and Collections and more recently, with expanded responsibilities, as Chief Librarian. In that time, she has overseen the integration of culture, learning and business as core purposes alongside research services and custodianship of the collections, and has been one of the leaders of the post-2013 implementation of digital legal deposit regulations, which will stand as one of the great legacies of the current generation of librarians.“

Before joining the Library, Caroline had over 20 years’ experience in the academic library sector in the UK and Ireland, including Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University.

Caroline joined the British Library as Head of Collection Acquisition and Description in 2002, based initially at the Library’s site in Boston Spa. As Head of Resource Discovery from 2007 she focussed particularly on development of major library systems including the Integrated Library System, search and discovery systems and working towards regulations to make non-print legal deposit a reality. Between 2009-2011, as Associate Director of Operations and Services, she worked on the future of Document Supply and on-going change management relating to the Library’s Collection Management operations. She became Director of Scholarship and Collections in 2011 and the role was subsequently expanded to Chief Librarian.

In parallel with her work at the Library, Caroline has played a very active role nationally as a board member of Research Libraries UK, SCONUL and the UK Research Reserve, all of which are working towards better collaborative and shared services to support libraries. She is also actively involved at European level collaboration through the Conference of European National Libraries, where she currently serves as Treasurer.

Caroline will continue to play a full role at the Library until she leaves in early summer 2018. The process to appoint a successor will begin early in the New Year.

Caroline Brazier said: “My time at the British Library has been the highlight of my professional life. It has been a huge privilege to work here with one of the greatest library collections in the world. But, even more importantly, the Library has given me the opportunity to work with some of the most talented and dedicated people I’ve ever met, across all departments and teams. I shall really miss working with everyone, but I know the Library will be in great hands.”