Ian bids farewell to the University

When Ian Butchart arrived at Teesside two decades ago, there were just six computers in the library for students – today our Learning Resource Centre boasts 400.

Mr Butchart, Director of Library & Information Services (L&IS), is retiring from the University having seen major development on campus since his arrival as Chief Librarian at what was then Teesside Polytechnic in 1986.

He’s witnessed the creation of the LRC along with immense changes in technology and the way information is accessed by students.

The Learning Resource Centre is an icon Mr Butchart said: ‘The LRC has become quite an icon. It was a proud moment to have someone as charismatic as Mo Mowlam open the building. She charmed everyone.’

In 1974 the library at Teesside had just 300 study places, today 1,300 are available in the LRC, which this year celebrated its tenth anniversary.

He said: ‘We have needed to be very flexible and respond to the changing curriculum and needs of students.

‘When I arrived there were major challenges to face. The library wasn’t big enough for what we required and we needed to establish a new staffing structure to enhance our work with academic staff and students.’

Ian is married to former head teacher Judy, who now runs the Graduate Teacher Programme at Redcar and Cleveland Council. The couple, who live in Eaglescliffe, have four sons.

Along with ‘cataloguing my books!’ Ian is looking forward in retirement to enjoying his main interests of fell walking and watching football, especially with his Sunderland season ticket.

One of the top four university libraries in the country His many memories include Teesside making the transition to university status in 1992, seeing the building programme develop on campus and the National Student Survey ranking L&IS as one of the top four university libraries in the country.

He also recalls one blustery morning in 2005 when severe weather blew part of the LRC roof off. He said: ‘Within a week we were available to students and staff, which is a great example of staff going beyond the call of duty.’

Ian added: ‘Friendship has been really important at Teesside and I have made some very good friends. The friendliness which the library staff show to students and staff is important – we can talk about a great building, but it is the people who really make a difference.’

Born in Sunderland, Ian spent the first few years of his life in Aruba in the West Indies, where his father worked for an oil company. His family returned to Sunderland when Ian was aged eight.

Ian remained in his native North-east until leaving for Reading to study History, before returning to the region for postgraduate study in Librarianship at Newcastle Polytechnic.

His started his career in 1969 as Assistant Librarian at Putney College of Further Education, before heading to Venerable Bede and St Hild’s College in Durham and later Newcastle Polytechnic, where with Richard Fothergill he wrote Non-Book Materials in Libraries.

He later moved to New College Durham where he developed a learning resources unit which embraced the library, computing and audio-visual departments. Eight years later he came to Teesside.

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