On Thu, 17 Jan 2002 11:47:44 +0000 [log in to unmask] wrote:

> 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

I don't think that currently the charter shows you are a professional librarian.
It might prove you are a "Professional Librarian"  but that's not the same in
my eyes. It's a bit like the difference between being a conservative and a
Conservative. You can be conservative (small c) in your thinking without
holding "Conservative" party views and conversely not all members of the
Conservative party actually hold conservative (small c) views. Currently
Librarians can call themselves "Professional" without actually having to
demonstrate continued professional competence and attitudes. To me professional
(small p) means keeping up to date, developing, looking beyond the immediate job
etc. Currently Professional (big P) seems to mean paying LA subs but nothing
actually about what you do/are. The charter currently shows you have developed
since qualifying up to the date the charter was awarded. But what about after
that? I have worked with / come across people who can put ALA after their name
without even ever having to do a PDR (i.e. old people ;-) who have not kept up
to date with recent developments in the profession, new technology, etc. They
have less knowledge/experience of current/future professional issues than many
people fresh out of library school, yet they can call themselves "Chartered" and
the inference is that they conform to a particular standard of professionalism.
I want my ALA to mean more than that - when I get it... ;-) I don't think it
should (like  my BA or MA) say what I did once upon a time in the past, I think
it should say what I can and do, do NOW. Would you buy a car that passed its MOT
in 1993 but had nothing to say it would work well now?

I'm also currently studying to become a fitness instructor. There's a new
National Register which the qualification I get will allow me to be on.
However, I will have to accumulate a particular number of CPD "points" every 2
years in order to stay on the Register. So people will know that by picking
someone who's on the Register they can be more sure of the standard of
instruction and the currency of the professional guidance they'll receive. I
wouldn't pick a personal trainer who wasn't on the Register, and I'd pay more
for one who was (as will gyms).  Perhaps the CPD requirement of the new
qualification will result in an upward shift in our salaries too? e.g. if law
firms and businesses looking for info professionals pay more to get someone with
an ALA because they know that person will prove to be a consistently better
investment for their company, then there'll be more competition among the rest
of the employers for the remaining ALAs. Currently if a particular skill or
experience is required in a sector/geographical area where it's hard to recruit,
then more will be paid to attract the necessary candidates. If people can
demonstrate how much MORE having an ALA is worth, then it WILL mean something.

>>I think the value
is in having the charter and having the letters after your name, not the
process of writing it up.>>

I think the two should not be separated. The process of writing it up is "being
professional" and is therefore valuable as it's something you should be doing
anyway, not just to compile a portfolio/write a PDR etc. And the ALA
letters should be valued because they should mean that as you can prove that you
are "professional" you can therefore call yourself "Professional aka Chartered"

Just my thoughts

Lesha

--
----------------------
Lesha Fossey
Assistant Librarian, Circulation Services
University of Exeter
Stocker Road            TEL: 01392 263867
Exeter                  FAX: 01392 263871
EX4 4PT         E-MAIL: [log in to unmask]