Winner of Travelling Librarian Award to explore how American libraries put citizens at the heart of the democratic process (UK)

The English-Speaking Union and The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals have announced George Roe as the recipient of this year's Travelling Librarian Award. The award, open to CILIP Members, builds relationship between library and information professionals in the United Kingdom and their counterparts in the United States through a professional development study tour. The award of approximately £3000 will cover George's flights and some of his accommodation. Winners are encouraged to take up home hospitality with ESU branches in the US. George is Senior Indexer at the House of Commons Library and intends to use his grant to study how libraries in the United States can enrich the democratic process during the 2012 Presidential elections. He is keen to learn how US libraries have engaged people from a variety of backgrounds, especially those generally considered to be marginalised from the democratic process