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May 14, 2007
Pouring oil on troubled SYRUP
Poor Bob McKee in last week's Bookseller is forced to admit defeat. In response to a question about Hampshire's decision to stop using the word "librarians" for the staff in its library service, all Bob could muster was "that he was less worried about the name change and more worried about the skills the sector may lose"; "what employer's have got to ask is "Where is the evidence of competence?"
Quite right-- where is the evidence of competence? Can councils depend on CILIP to help them run decent library services? Of course not. CILIP have no idea how to run a public library service any longer. They have killed it off
What about some leadership Bob? Why don't CILIP respond to the challenge made by the Select Committee two years ago? How many councils are still paying CILIP subscriptions for their staff?
One of my commenters below says that CILIP could make a contribution to make to improving the service. That's right - they could : the terrible waste of money lies in their failure to: they don't.
No more CILIP conferences; no more expensive seminars. No more world tours for the executives. Shut it down. Stop your subscription, or you'll find the press asking councillors why they pay for this nonsense out of council tax.
Posted by Tim Coates at May 14, 2007 5:10 PM
Comments
No more conferences? No more training then? Of course not. But Umbrella- a CILIP conference- is a good place to meet share ideas etc. The jollies, well, that's a different matter and not an issue confined to CILIP (hello councillors!)
I think there has been a failure of leadership at CILIP; to lead the profession though. It is not CILIP's job to run libraries, any more it is the BMA's job to run hospitals. In both cases, yes, you would expect a lead in promoting good services; in respect of public libraries this is possibly where CILIP as an organisation has failed.
Discussing this issue with colleagues, I have mooted the possibility of sectoral associations, along the lines of the School Library Association. This would in no way preclude wider professional involvement, or cross-sector work, but might get more focus.
CILIP's key role should be as a training and broad standards/coordinating body; money saved on a lot of present functions could then be used to support events such as Umbrella.
Calling for CILIP to be abolished is one thing; there needs to be a suggestion of something to put in its place. Unless, of course, librarianship is to be abolished too ;)
Speaking as a council tax payer, I'm not worried at subs to professional bodies being paid out of my CT. I'm more concerned at expense claims and other low level gravy training.
Posted by: Pete Smith at May 15, 2007 9:03 AM
A rider; I don't know that Bob Mckee is admitting defeat. Rather he is saying 'call them what you will, professional librarians are valuable.' he could say it more forcefully, that's the problem with CILIP leadership; rather given to meekness.
And if the press asked why my employer pays subs (which they don't, I've never asked them to- I could) I'd be happy to explain how I benefit from it and how I pass those benefits to customers/users. I don't doubt that training could be cheaper, but I wouldn't see it abolished altogether. More less well-trained staff won't make for a better service.
Oh, and is it true that you were thinking of buying Borders, Tim?
Posted by: Pete Smith at May 15, 2007 9:51 AM
Tim, you ask "how many councils are still paying CILIP subscriptions for their staff?". I thought previous discussions had established that no local authorities do so. if you have evidence that that is not the case, let's see it.
I have worked for 29 years in libraries of many different types. In none of them has my employer ever paid my CILIP, or before that Library Association and Institute of Information Scientists, subscriptions.
Posted by: Tom Roper at May 15, 2007 11:40 AM
Our friends in Wales have told us that their local councils pay the subs and the last two councils in which I have been involved also do.
Posted by: Tim at May 15, 2007 2:05 PM
Thanks Tim, reposting as requested. I asked if you were able to name the councils your friends in Wales say reimburse CILIP subs, and the two you know of in England.
Posted by: Tom Roper at May 16, 2007 12:28 PM
I've put a little poll together at http://digbig.com/4sxhf. The methodology is nowhere near robust enough to provide any conclusive data, but it should suffice as an indicative straw poll.
And to echo Tom's requests, which councils pay their librarians' CILIP subs?
Posted by: Michael at May 16, 2007 2:59 PM