Elgin Academy librarian appointed president of national library organisation
An Elgin Academy librarian has been named president of Scotland’s leading library and information organisation, becoming the first Moray-based school librarian to hold the position.
Shelagh Toonen, who has worked at Elgin Academy since 2012, will serve as 2026 President of CILIPS, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland. The role promotes the value of libraries and information services across the country.
Mrs Toonen is a long-time advocate for literacy and reading, having developed initiatives linking Elgin Academy with local primary schools and community groups. Her work has also included international collaboration, such as a UK-Ukraine school partnership supported by the British Council for which she received a letter of thanks from the Prime Minister.
Shelagh said: “It’s a great honour to be named President of CILIPS, and I look forward to championing the incredible work of school libraries and library professionals across Scotland in the year ahead.”
Neil Johnson, Head Teacher at Elgin Academy, added: “Shelagh’s dedication to literacy and her innovative work has made a huge difference to our pupils, and I know they would agree. Her appointment to this national role is very well deserved, and we are all very proud of her.”
Cllr Kathleen Robertson, Chair of Moray Council’s Education, Children's and Leisure Services Committee, remarked: “It’s wonderful to see someone from a local school take on such an important role, and it clearly reflects the high regard in which Shelagh is held across the education and library sectors.”
CILIPS Director Sean McNamara said: “We are over the moon to have Shelagh as our President this year. In the National Year of Reading and at a time when we need to ensure the value of school librarians is understood nationally it is very timely to have one of Scotland's best school librarians in this leadership role for the profession. Shelagh represents everything that is great about school libraries, supporting pupils' learning, providing access to reading and resources and ensuring the sector is well represented locally, nationally and internationally”