Ms. Debra Lowe is a Librarian III and the Deputy University Librarian at the University of Guyana Library with over 30 years of experience in the field of librarianship. She is responsible for the supervision of the Library in the absence of the University Librarian and has oversight for the Technical Services Division, the Learning Resource Centre and aspects of the Office of the Administrative Officer. She has administrative responsibilities for approximately 60 junior library staff members within the ambits of training and mentoring as necessary. Ms. Lowe also provides technical assistance to the operations of the College of Medical Sciences Resource Centre house in the College of Medicine, University of Guyana.

In addition to her qualifications of a Graduate Diploma in Education (Social Studies), a M.A. in Social Sciences (International Studies), a Graduate Diploma in Social Sciences (International Studies) and a Bachelor in Social Sciences (Sociology) from the University of Guyana, Ms Lowe pursued training in the filed of Library sciences. Her professional qualifications includes Training in Critical Thinking Skills for University Success, Information & Digital Literacy for University Success; both from the University of Sydney, Research Data Management Sharing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Edinburgh, and Library Development and Management for Developing Countries, coordinated by the Central Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration, Republic of China.

Her research interests are assessing library services, drug demand reduction and other social issues for which she has published several articles, including spearheading the publication of Guyana National Bibliography 1966-2016.

Mr. Bryan Nobrega, an Assistant Librarian, attached to the Technical Services Division, University of Guyana Library, has been employed at the University of Guyana for over thirteen years. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Library Science from Indira Gandhi Open University.  He is currently assigned to the Technical Services Division and has supervisory responsibilities for the Cataloguing Department.  He is a proud husband and father of two beautiful children. He enjoys photography and being actively involved in the political arena. He has a passion for empowering others and is a strong believer in lending a helping hand whenever the opportunity presents itself. He believes that a well marketed Library will attract the students, researchers and sponsors it needs to flourish and continue to be impactful to society. His interests are in Cataloguing of library materials, Collection Development and Staff Development in academic libraries. His hobbies include reading, photography, editing, and empowering others and he enjoys working with computers.

Dr. Juneann Garnett is a Senior Assistant Registrar at the University of Guyana, Registry with
responsibility for the management of the Committees & Archives Unit.

Rosemond Carroll is a Senior Assistant Librarian attached to the Technical Services Division at the University of Guyana. She has thirty-two years in the institution.

Tammy Hopkinson is a librarian I at the University of Guyana Library, who has been working

in the field of Library and Information Science for the past twenty-two (22) years, all in senior

positions.

Over her professional career, she has authored ten (10) and co-authored three (3) research

papers (unpublished), one of which has been published. She also presented

eight research papers at the University of Guyana Library’s Professional Seminar and

Research Day.

Tammy Hopkinson is a mother to four wonderful children and the wife of one husband. She

enjoys listening to motivational speeches and motivating others to live their best lives.

Ms. Somattie Sayrange is currently a Librarian 1 at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus Library and has been working at the UGBCL for over 18 years as the Acting Head of the Readers’ Services Division which is the main contact point with the library patrons and is the department responsible for assisting students with their search for information.

 Ms. Sayrange is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education through the Government of Guyana Scholarship. As an alumnus of the University of Guyana, she is serving the University as the President of the University of Guyana Alumni Association- Berbice Chapter and represents the UGAA on the University of Guyana Council and University of Guyana Foundation.

Ms. Bacchus is responsible for all the Registration and Protocol matters for all persons attending the conference. She is a Librarian II and Head (ag.) for the Caribbean Research Library at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.

Mrs. Gwyneth George, AA, University Librarian of the University of Guyana Library, has worked at that institution for the past thirty (30) years after working at the National Library, Guyana, for nineteen (19) years. She has also lectured on Guyanese History at the University of Guyana for three (3) years on a part-time basis. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree (Hons.) in Library Science from the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, where she won the Faculty Prize for year 1.  She also obtained a Master’s degree in Guyanese and West Indian history from the University of Guyana and was also awarded a Certificate of Library Studies from a University of Guyana/UNESCO collaborative certificate programme. Other Awards received were the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Fellowship and the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC) Scholarship.

Published works include “The impact of modern information technology in the Caribbean: exploring the challenges for the Technical Services Division’ IN Caribbean Libraries in the 21^st century: changes, challenges and choices (launched at an ACURIL Conference) and “The Schomburgk bibliography and Schomburgk Literature” IN Essays in honour of an explorer and natural scientist. She was also a frequent contributor to the “History Today Series” in the Stabroek News of Guyana and has made several presentations to local and regional conferences and workshops. She has served on a number of Boards in the Ministry of Culture (Guyana) and other institutions in various capacities and was a member of the Advisory Board of the National Library of Guyana. At the National Library of Guyana, she worked with several literacy programmes which emphasize reading, literacy and numeracy. She is also currently an Institutional member of the Executive Council of ACURIL and works as a member of the DLoc Partnership team.

In May 2017, she was awarded the Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA) by his Excellency President David Granger on behalf of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

Ms. Donette Washington is a Librarian I attached to the University of Guyana Library.  Her career in Library Science started in 1986 at the National Library of Guyana, where she worked for a short period before joining the staff at the University of Guyana Library in 1989. 

Apart from a Commonwealth Masters in Public Administration, Ms. Washington holds undergraduate qualifications in English and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Guyana. Her professional qualifications include Training in Digital Library Practices and Information Technology Application for Knowledge Management obtained from Fluid Control Research Institute, Palakkad, Kerala, India; a Certificate of Proficiency in the Professional Development Programme in Resource Management which was jointly offered by University of the West Indies, University of Guyana, the ACP Secretariat and the European Union; and a Certificate in Webcasting.

Mr. Paul Muesa works closely with the chairs of several committees, those committees are as follows, Fund-Raising, Food and Beverage, and the Protocol Sub-Committee. He is responsible for planning and coordinating all of the events for the ACURIL Conference 2024.

Mr. Muesa is an Assistant Librarian attached to the University of Guyana Library.

Dr. C. Nigel Gravesande is the University of Guyana’s Sixth Registrar in the Institution’s history of 60 years. Previously, he served as Registrar of the T. A. Marryshow Community College in Grenada for over a decade. His undergraduate and graduate degrees in History and International Relations allowed him to serve in Guyana and Grenada at both Executive Senior levels in the public and private sectors including his appointment as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry in Guyana, Director of International Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Grenada as well as Director of Tourism in the Spice Isle. His successful record of leadership in various roles as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Regional Institution, Caribbean Export, headquartered in Barbados, Secretary to the Councils and Organs of the T. A. Marryshow Community College and the University of Guyana as well as a Council Member of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) for the past eight years, would have contributed to the on-going transformation of these national and regional institutions.

Dr. Gravesande was an active participant at the inaugural ACTI Training Leadership Institute that was held at St. Ann’s, Jamaica in June 2013 and continues to serve and represent ACTI at various fora. He is passionate and committed to playing a proactive role in deepening the regional integration process, particularly among the institutions serving the human resource needs of the Caribbean.

Ms.  Simmone La Rose Librarian II, is currently employed at the Berbice Campus Library (BCL) and currently has the responsibility for the general management of that branch of the Turkeyen Library which is referred to as the Main Library. With just about 20 years of academic Library experience, her journey began as an Assistant Librarian in the Technical Services Division.  She is the holder of a Master in Education (Curriculum Development & Instruction) from the University of Guyana, and a Graduate Certificate in Information Studies from Robert Gordon University, Scotland. Some of her short professional development engagements are among the following: Information and Digital Literacy for University Success, (University of Sydney, online) Research Data Management and Sharing, (University of North Carolina, online) and the Development and Management of Libraries Seminar (Republic of China, onsite).

Over the years, Ms. La Rose was engaged in various Professional Development activities in an effort to acquire new knowledge in her area of specialization given the changing environment of Libraries in order to provide quality service to the University.  She periodically researches and presents the research findings at various fora both in Guyana and overseas and also has a number of publications.  She contributed to the Guyana National Bibliography 1966-2016, a major publication of works written by Guyanese and on Guyana.  Additionally, she has developed test items in Social Studies for the Caribbean Examinations Council and conducts Information Literacy sessions for the university population as well as Secondary school students.   

In 2005 Ms La Rose was the recipient of ACURIL’s Alma Jordan Conference Scholarship Award for the English speaking Caribbean. She is keenly interested in the continued development of research skills, knowledge management, curriculum enactment, and technology and information services.