I totally agree with Jen. If they have not already got an official
comments and suggestions procedure, and I do not know of one, then they
should institute one and publicise it widely.
CILIP could then publish an annual diagnostic of comments and
suggestions, hopefully from the whole profession not just the
membership, and what measures were taken or responses given as a result.
This way CILIP's responsiveness to issues would be transparent.
Ta!
Steve
Steve Lee
Information Librarian
Applied Sciences
LRC
University of Glamorgan
Pontypridd
Mid-Glam
CF37 1DL
Tel 01443 483391
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-----Original Message-----
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and
discussion. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jen Delasalle
Sent: 10 August 2004 12:50
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Responding to CILIP members?
Regarding gathering of feedback...
Does CILIP have a way of logging members' comments? I know that this
issue of advertising jobs for little pay has been around for ages, and I
get the impression that loads of people have commented on it in various
different forums, but is anyone logging these opinions? Is there any
kind of policy as to how members should express an opinion on CILIP's
work in order for it to be logged? Is monitoring lis-link to find out
what members think part of such a policy? Does discussing such an issue
with a member of CILIP staff in person count? Or should we put our
opinions in writing to a particular person at CILIP in order for them to
be logged?
I guess that what I am asking is, what is the official way that we can
make ourselves heard, if lis-link is not the place?
As for making such feedback gathering representative, maybe there should
be a policy that once a particular issue has had so many officially
logged comments, it should be investigate further, following a policy
that does involve techniques such as focus groups and questionnaires, or
debates amongst branch groups or similar. Such a policy could stipulate
that an issue would not be revisited for a period of 2 years or
whatever, once it has already been investigated to avoid a constant
cycle of investigation.
Maybe there is such a policy and I don't know about it, but I think it
would be great for everyone on lis-link who has such strong opinions to
feel that there is a way they can make themselves heard officially, and
possibly even see a change as a result.
I am more than willing to admit that I don't know if there is already
such a mechanism, but if there is, now would be a good time to advertise
it!
kind regards
Jen
Matthew Mezey wrote:
>Possible 'complacency' in the face of CILIP members' needs, and alleged
>failure to effectively gather representative feedback from members are
>some of the issues that have come up in recent e-mails.
>
>But what *is* the best way to constructively take things forward?
>
>Can anyone suggest what the best ways for CILIP to effectively gather
>and assess the views and desires of its whole membership are? (Perhaps
focus groups?
>questionnaires? online feedback forms? CRM system? Branches and groups'
>feedback? CILIP Policy Committee?...)
>
>It's all very well for one person on this list to say that CILIP should
>change course on issue X, and another to say it should change direction
>on issue Y, but unless there's a way to find out how representative
>such personal opinions are, it doesn't seem that sensible for CILIP to
>change course. (At least not to me - though I'm not speaking in any
official capacity, as Tim Owen was).
>
>And perhaps we also need to know which services that other professional
>bodies are offering are proving most valuable to their members?
>
>How do we find this out? I don't know. Is there a memerbship body for
>membership bodies that will know, I can't remember? I know Tim himself
>has been making great efforts to negotiate various offers that are of
value to CILIP members.
>
>I can't help wondering - and all this e-mail is in a wholly personal
>capacity, and speculative - that there might be some kind of connection
>between the concerns of CILIP members on this list and the concerns
>raised by some CILIP staff themselves in a recent staff survey here -
>over the issues of consultation, communication and participation.
>
>Becoming the totally responsive and highly agile organisation we might
>like to be is certainly something for CILIP to aim for - but how on
>earth do we make sure we're going in that direction, in the most
appropriate way we can?
>
>I promise to pass on any good ideas....
>
>Cheers,
>
>Matthew Mezey
>(News Editor, Library and Information Update magazine)
>
>PS Please send me your LIS news to go in the magazine....!
>
>
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