Dear lis-medical people
Further to the flurry of e-mails about CILIP.. I have been asked to post the
following on the list for interested colleague to return to the LA as part
of a survey on pay and conditions. Your replies will help CILIP plan for the
future. As I am not allowed to include attachments it is all below:
Thanks for your help
Bruce
Bruce Madge
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
Tel (+44) 0207 412 7933
Fax (+44) 0207 412 7923
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Pay and Status - Spring 2002
The purpose of this "quick and dirty" survey, is to gather some general
data about the current state of information professionals working in the
various workplace sectors. By "professional", we mean those who are
qualified and chartered, or who have responsibility for significant service
elements (we recognise that many people in workplace libraries do not have
library and information qualifications).
The communication channel, and data set, for this survey will be the
Workplace and Solo discussion lists. This is a self-selecting group of
people who have shown interest in the wider community. However, we would
appreciate it if people would alert colleagues to it's existence, and
encourage them to participate.
There has long been dissatisfaction over the pay and status of library and
information professionals. In comparison with other library sectors,
librarians employed within 'workplace' libraries, or who are employed to use
their library skills within other areas of an organisation, can appear to be
better off than other sectors eg. public or school libraries. However,
apart from some notable exceptions, average salaries of qualified and
experienced librarians are still far from satisfactory.
In the early part of 2001 dissatisfaction with how the Library Association
was representing the membership in the areas of pay and status flared up.
After some lively debate on the discussion lists (set up by the LA during
1999 to encourage this sort of interaction and involvement), there was a
live discussion with Bob McKee (LA's Chief Executive). Since that time, the
issue has been raised at the highest level within the governance of the LA,
and will be a key strand for CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and
Information Professionals) when it starts it's work in April 2002.
At the time we challenged the profession to consider what the LA should be
doing to change the status quo. We asked questions such as "what would help
improve pay and conditions?", and "what sort of supporting documentation
would help you influence and advocate within your own organisation?". We
were certainly not inundated with responses!
It may be a general malaise, or that members are assuming that other members
will make the effort on their behalf. However, we can not do this without
your support. If things are to change, then you must help us by providing
the ammunition to fire the "big guns" amongst government, and industry.
In the meantime we would like to test the water, and gather some general
information about the current situation. This will serve several purposes:
* To discover what salaries are being earned in 2002
* To discover what job titles people are being known by
* To discover more about the variety that is "workplace
libraries"
* To support the development of a long-term programme
* To identify people who are prepared to help in any project
or working party
We have begun to address the concerns of members over jobs advertised in
Library and Information Appointments, by strengthening the disclaimer that
is printed at the bottom of p2. In addition the Advisory Team have begin
submitting a regular series of short pieces, which focus more closely on
individual sectors.
In addition to the series of salary guides that are currently being updated,
we are also producing a leaflet which gives guidance to staff at all levels
on pay negotiation, and a leaflet promoting the value to employers of
qualified staff. Both will be available shortly.
If the professional association is to enhance the status of members, then it
is crucial that relevant supporting information is gathered to support the
arguments for realistic salary levels.
This exercise will show how willing members are to help the wider
profession, by providing crucially needed information. We need your help.
We will, of course, circulate reports on progress and any outcomes to the
lists.
Thank you in anticipation
Lyndsay Rees-Jones
January 2002
Pay and Status
Information gathering exercise (questionnaire)
Spring 2002
These questions are aimed at discovering something about your current
employment. If you are between jobs, we would be interested to learn about
your previous post. Please complete the following questions as fully as
possible, and send to the address at the end of the form.
Place of work
1. Which sector do you work in?
eg. health, government, industry, law, voluntary, media,
finance, school, HE or FE, public
2. How many staff are employed in your organisation?
3. How many locations are covered by your service?
4. Are there other libraries or information services serving
the organisation?
a. How are you linked?
5. Mobility - how far do you travel to work?
Nature of the job
6. What is your job title?
7. What is the scope of your job?
eg. do you have full responsibility for providing an
information service, or do you have responsibility for a specific area ie.
desk research, acquisitions etc?
8. Do you have staff management responsibilities?
a. If yes - how many staff?
9. Please indicate which band your salary fits within (please
circle or highlight):
>£10000 £10000-£15000 £15000-£20000
£20000-25000 £25000-£30000 £30000-£35000
£35000-£40000 £40000-£45000 £45000>
10. Do you receive any additional benefits as part of your
employment package?
eg. Pension, car, bonus, private health insurance, gym membership
11. Working arrangements - do you work on a full-time or
part-time basis?
12. Do you experience any variation from the traditional
full-time (or part-time) working arrangements?
eg. flexible working, job-share, working from home etc
13. Perceptions of the job ie. how valued do you feel (please
circle or highlighting the most relevant) ?
Very valued
Valued
Accepted
Unrecognised
Under valued
14. What is the most satisfying aspect of your job?
Personal characteristics
15. Please indicate which age band you fit within (please
circle, or highlight):
>20yrs 20-29yrs 30-35yrs
36-40yrs 41-45yrs 46-50yrs 51-55yrs
56yrs>
16. Please indicate what qualifications you have:
17. What additional skills (ie. non-traditional librarianship)
do you draw upon to meet the demands of your position?
eg. management, personnel, marketing, budgeting, negotiation, etc
18. Please list the organisations (professional or other) that
you are a member of
a. How do they help you in your career?
19. What one thing could LA (CILIP) do to dramatically improve
your professional standing within your organisation?
And finally...
Please consider whether you would be prepared to help us further in our
mission to improve the pay and status of library and information
professionals. If you would like to help, please provide contact details:
Name:
Organisation:
Address:
Tel :
Fax:
Email:
Please return to:
Lyndsay Rees-Jones
The Library Association
7 Ridgmount Street
London WC1E 7AE
Or
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[Tel: 020 7255 0635]
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