I think there is need to balance our natural desire to help students as much
as we can and our rights to paid properly for work we undertake. Defining
what constitutes teaching is a first step. In conversation with fellow
librarians here who have been teachers the consesus is that to qualify as
teaching activities should have an element of assessing learning .
Demonstrating library equipment and software or talking about how the
library works as part of induction would fall outside this definition unless
students were active participants through, say for example, study skill
assignments devised and assessed by librarians.

This kind of thing was done in the past by "tutor librarians" paid on the
academic scale, but if we do it now more often then not there is no
additional pay. Unless librarians press for a proper definition from
employers of what constitutes teaching they will be used as cheap
substitutes. This also true for information technology and other
technicians. A national agreement between employers, teaching unions, and
unions representing librarians and technicians is desirible. CILIP should be
involved too, but I have yet to notice any willingness on their part to
assist their members in gaining better conditions.

(By the way Amanda, I was a student at Worcester College of Higher Education
from 1980 to 1983 and remember the Pierson Library with affection).

Owen Thomas
De Montfort Universiy Bedford Library
-----Original Message-----
From: Amanda Quick [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 30 September 2003 11:36
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: teaching qualifications: something to put into your portfolio?


Having a teaching qualification certainly 'looks good' in a job application,
particularly if the job involves training or user education of any kind. I
was a teacher originally and that has been a positive factor in getting both
my professional library posts.

Academic sector library staff do a *huge* amount of teaching! At the moment
I do about 12 hours a week, not counting preparation, materials and
planning, varying from individual sessions to full lecture theatres.

Many academic librarians are applying for membership of the ILT (Institute
of Learning and Teaching) or completing courses such as SEDA which accredit
Higher Education teachers.

My concern in all of this is: how many hoops do we have to jump through to
still get a less than average salary? First degree, Master's degree,
chartership AND now teaching and I.T. qualifications. I think we should be
asking some challenging questions here.

all the best

Amanda

Amanda Quick
Subject Liaison Librarian (Psychology and Health Sciences) Peirson Library,
University College Worcester