Many thanks to the portfolio repliers - I have also been given the impetus to
start it (soon anyway!).
I've got to say (and no being rude or disrespectful to the writer of the
message below), I don't agree with this previous posting. I think the value
is in having the charter and having the letters after your name, not the
process of writing it up. I hate writing reports (always did at university)
as I much more practical-minded, and prefer just to get on with my job, and
having the chartership and the letters proves I can do my job and have been
doing it for 3 years. I really disagree with having to 'resit' the charter in
a few years' time - once you have got the qualification, as I say, it shows
you are a professional librarian. You wouldn't resit your BA or whatever
would you? Yes, you may add to it with a Masters or Diploma, which are then
with you for life too. I am hoping that after the merger, the new body will
become more worthwhile than the current LA. If I wasn't going for my charter
I wouldn't pay the ludicrously high fee every year for what is an awful
monthly journal really. The Vacancies (still prefer to call it that - can't
stand the Appointments title) is useful, but this is now available online.
Anyway, that's my moan over with! For those of us in schools, roll on half
term in 3 weeks!
Adrian
> I was pleased to see the volume of response to my posting questioning the
value of Chartership and the LA's weird and wonderful policy of taking away
ones ALA if we stop paying them. It is reassuring to know that list members
care enough about our profession to respond with some rigour when the value of
Chartering and the LA is questioned; 'though I note the LA has not put its
point of view yet. It was interesting that the only person to agree with my
point of view e-mailed me privately...
>
> Some people said they thought it was unhelpful and/ or depressing to
question the value of Chartering. I disagree: it represents a significant
outlay both in terms of our time and money. If you don't question its value,
how can you be sure it is worthwhile and therefore worth starting/ continuing/
finishing?
>
> I am in favour of renewing the Charter on a regular basis, maybe once every
five years. It would make it more valuable, give us all extra incentive to
keep our skills up to date and help us focus on our career directions.
However, a recapturing process would be complex and time consuming, and
therefore expensive to set up. There would, I imagine, have to be a rise in
fees to pay for it. And what happens if you fail or decline to take part? If
your job requires you to be an ALA, and you then stop being an ALA, would that
mean you were no longer qualified to do the job?
>
> Overall, I think that it is not the Charter that is worth while, but the
process of Chartering itself and what we learn about ourselves in the process.
>
> Andrew
>
>
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--
Adrian Warner
Librarian
Guiseley School
Fieldhead Road
GUISELEY
LS20 8DT
Tel : 01943 872315
Fax : 01943 872287
E-mail : [log in to unmask]
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