Unfortunately this type of downgrading is happening more and more. Public
Libraries use senior library assistants to run branches on a day to day
basis, having an area manager to look after a whole group, rather than each
branch having their own librarian. But rather then seeing this as
deskilling professional posts and using cheaper labour, it's seen as giving
career opportunities to library assistants. (Yes it gives them experience,
but is it fair to them?). At Brunel some senior assistants have staff
supervisory duties, although librarian at my level do not.
CILIP is looking at broadening access to the profession, which is not
necessarily a bad thing, but then again, would professions such as medicine
or teaching be downgrading professional posts?
Rowena
On Mon, 17 Jun 2002 19:52:59 +0100 Judi Rumble <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
> Having a vested interest I would like to see them work towards every local
> authority employing trained professionals as School Librarians. I get
> really annoyed when I see a local authority not a million miles away from
> where I live, downgrading a Librarian's post to that of a Library assistant
> (with a resultant decrease in salary offered).
>
> Judi Rumble
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bye, Dan J" <[log in to unmask]>
Rowena Macrae-Gibson
Subject Liaison Librarian
Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex. UB8 3PH
tel: 01895 274000 ext2788
fax: 01895 203264
email: [log in to unmask]
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