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June 25, 2008
The problem lies not with librarians but with Chief Librarians
From Frank Daniels
Dear Perkins,
I think you look at this problem through the wrong end of a telescope: local councillors/the public cannot trust professional librarians to advocate/defend the role of books in libraries!???!!
On the contrary history shows that chief librarians from the mid 1970's onwards lost the respect of councillors and have allowed those local politicians to set their own agendas for libraries, running libraries to reflect their own political "isms". A right wing council thus outsources or privatises the professional work and deletes posts; a left wing council tends to push for political correctness a la Blair's vision for the UK these last ten years and more.
A true and strong profession does not allow political infiltration of its work, and it regulates itself with a code of ethics and conduct, like the other professions. Take a good look around and you'll see that nothing of the sort is happening. Chief librarians abdicated their responsibilities to the profession and rolled over for their political masters. I have seen this at very close quarters; to make matters worse, CILIP acquiesces in all this and then expects its members to "revalidate" their qualifications when local authorities are now talking about doing away with the need for professionally qualified library staff.
So, Perkins, do not blame honest, hard working professional librarians for the mess libraries are now in; blame those who really are responsible, chief librarians who are complicit and a professional body that is complacent...
Frank Daniels
Ex-librarian
Posted by Perkins at June 25, 2008 2:47 PM
Comments
I'd like to point out re my posting here that in order to make my point I generalised somewhat (a common enough thing to do but flawed). I am sure that if Perkins looks hard enough he will find some chief librarians who are devoted to their profession and place the values of the profession higher than those of politicians trying to invade their professional space, and who encourage professionalism in those librarians who work for them. I would not wish to be seen as tarring all chief librarians with the same brush.
Frank Daniels
Ex-Librarian
Posted by: Frank Daniels at June 28, 2008 4:05 PM
I think I'll have to agree with Frank Daniels on this one, Perkins. Especially as he has slagged off CILIP (AKA the Judean People's Front) and their hated revalidation. Some professional librarians are no doubt penpushing Herberts, but not all, and the buck does (or at least should) stop with the Chief. I'm also impressed with Karen Cunningham's recent defence of books and reading. At least one Chief has redeemed herself and, oh, how I wish more would have the guts to follow!
Posted by: James Christie at June 30, 2008 2:06 PM