Manager of the Cultural Service, Somerset County Council and President of the Society of Chief Librarians.
 
He moved to Somerset in 1991 from Essex and prior to that he had worked in Brent and Lambeth. He is a past Chair of the Public Libraries Group, founder Editor of Public Library Journal (1986-1996) and is President of the Public Libraries International Network.

He has served on the UK Advisory Council for Libraries which advises the Minister on Public Libraries and is currently a member of the Public Library Lending Right Advisory Committee.