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September 9, 2007
MacSyrup and Bob McCrow
It has taken along time to arrive by Scots post-- but this blog was admonished by the Policy and Resources Committee of Mac Syrup in May 2006. It's a shame they never said. Here is the minute from their meeting, kindly sent to me by an old age pensioner in Fife.
It's concerning to see so little attention of the meeting, with Bob McKee and Elaine Fulton, to the heart of the matter of the lousy state of the Scots public library service and so much devoted to the funding of the executive pension pot. SCILIP is not just a trade union for so called 'professionals'- but also the main adviser to the Scots Govt on public libraries as the people at this meeting appear to have been anxious to remind each other This is a very strange alignment of roles and similar to that which Londoners would recognise if Bob (let's-all-take-another-day-off) Crowe were put in charge of running the London Underground.
For blog readers to whom this is all technical jibberish-- take my word for it- it's another rip off that goes under the holy and pious pretext of running part of the UK public library service
(SCILIP stands for Scottish Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals)
SCILIP
POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Minute of the meeting held in the Mitchell Library on Wednesday 3rd May 2006
Present: Christopher Phillips (Chair)
Alistair Campbell, Keith Fraser, Ivor Lloyd, Moira Methven
Sheila Miller, Marilyn Milligan and Audrey Walker
Apologies: Alastair Johnston
In attendance: Elaine Fulton, Bob McKee, Rhona Arthur, Catherine Kearney (Minutes)
1. Minutes of the previous meetings held 7.2.06 and 16.3.06
The minutes of the meetings held on 7/2/06 and 16/3/06 were approved as true and
accurate records of business conducted on those dates.
2. Matters arising from the Minutes
There were no matters arising from either set of minutes.
3. Financial Report
The Treasurer introduced the tabled report, the first of the new financial year. The CILIP
Chief Executive, Bob McKee, stressed the importance of reconciling the accounts of
CILIP in Scotland with those sent to Ridgmount Street HQ. Following discussion of the
report Committee approved the following proposals:
a) To raise advertising rates for Information Scotland by the current (April) Retail Price
Index (RPI) measure of inflation.
b) To implement new subscription rates for Information Scotland of £40 per annum in
the UK and £42 per annum overseas.
4. Business Plan update
The Chair referred members to the meeting of 16th March where the key message had
been the need to adapt business planning to respond to external factors. Discussion
ensued regarding a recent CILIP Executive Board which had looked at creating a 3 year
planning framework and had offered various models for consideration. The CILIP budget
was divided into 5 headings and the Executive Board discussion had concentrated on
two – professional services and Branches and Groups - noting that the cost to CILIP of
CILIP in Scotland exceeded £140k per annum whereas the figure for the rest of the UK taken together was £115k. The CILIP Chief Executive explained that CILIP needs to cut
costs and the CILIP Council is the body that will progress that process. Members agreed
that CILIP in Scotland had to ensure costs were kept reasonable and that core business
continued. CILIP in Scotland would articulate to CILIP Council their unique role and
interactivity with SLIC and those factors that differentiate Scotland from the other Home
Nations by using specific examples such as the different legislative and governance
structures. Committee agreed:
a) to convene a meeting on 19th May in Cardiff following Conference to progress
these matters
b) To request that the Director prepare a note of all the CILIP budget sub-headings
to aid that discussion.
c) To send a letter from the Treasurer and Chair to Executive Board articulating the
unique role of CILIP in Scotland.
5. Annual Report 2005
Committee approved the final published version of the annual report noting the
typographical error contained on page 9 which misaligned figures relating to costs
recovered from CILIP.
6. Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
CILIP in Scotland were awaiting learning outcomes information from CILIP HQ in order
to progress the mapping exercise. The Chief Executive made it clear that he was keen
to have this work done as soon as possible and would relay that message to staff at
CILIP HQ.
7. Home Nations Forum
The Home Nations Forum was due to meet in Cardiff on 15th May. Members agreed that
an item on Scotland’s uniqueness be included on the agenda.
8. Celtic Conference 2006
Members noted that 29 Scottish delegates had registered and all the exhibition space
had been sold.
9. Centenary of foundation of Scottish Library Association 2008
Members discussed whether and how this occasion should be marked. Committee
remitted it to LIS and MS to discuss further and would receive their suggestions in due
course.
10. Any other competent business
Committee discussed content related to CILIPS/SLIC which had appeared on a blog run
by Tim Coates. The content appeared to misrepresent the views of Policy and
Resources Committee and CILIPS Council. The Chair reminded Committee that views
expressed should reflect policy decisions agreed by Policy and Resources Committee.
Members discussed the Heather Tait bequest and how it should be spent. It was agreed
to remit discussion to LIS and MS and receive their suggestions in due course
Posted by Tim Coates at September 9, 2007 10:29 AM
Comments
I had an interesting chat with a recently retired Chief Librarian yesterday. Naturally we talked about the latest idiocy from MLA and in my naivety I opined that CILIP would lead the fight to protect not only their members but also the future of the service.
The reply I got, amid gales of laughter, referred. not to my naivety but to my 'bloody stupidity'! She predicted that, after the usual pious platitudes, CILIP would regretfully state that it was a professional body concerned with qualifications and maintaining standards, NOT a trade union...and therefore would remain hors de combat, above the fray.
So that's all right then!
Please prove her wrong - so then she'll have to buy the drinks next time.
Posted by: Charlie Main at September 10, 2007 9:44 AM
Well sadly it is true. CILIP is not a trade union. It does exists for information workers, not the services they work in. As a member organisation it must be careful about what it says. And so on.
This is often used as an excuse not to get involved. I've made the point in numerous ways, on my blog and on CILIP boards- but I doubt any difference will be made.
SO why do I still pay my CILIP fees? Change from within, I hope!
Posted by: Pete at September 10, 2007 1:18 PM