The issue of how to make an employer value us and our work is a tricky one.
When faced with detractors or people questioning the worth of my position, I
tend to try and draw attention to the breadth of my role (everything from
web authoring to research as well more library-specific roles) and point out
what might happen if these roles were neglected.  Information work underpins
and supports the objectives of many organisations, that we know, but I
suspect it will be down to us to draw attention to and prove our worth to
our employers ourselves.  Gaining as wide a skills base as possible is just
one possible method I can think of,  and having the support of the users is
also vital.  But certainly it is a subject that has and should attract a
great deal of discussion!

Mike Howe
Cruising Association
.  


-----Original Message-----
From: Jo Davies [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 09 January 2004 16:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Local job centre: from the horse's mouth


I hope I'm not stating the obvious here, but it now costs around
£3000 to do an undergraduate degree, and another £3000 to do a
Masters - and that's just the course fees.  Personally, I would not
be able to take a job on 15k.  I could not afford to pay off my
student debts and live at the same time!

I take the point about job satisfaction, and agree that some jobs
are worth doing, even though the financial rewards are not that
great.  However, I would like be able to say that the profession of
librarianship is open to all, not just those that can afford to
undertake the expensive process of qualifying, especially with the
prospect of a relatively low salary with which to pay off all those
debts.

In my opinion the question is not whether we need to raise the
status (and salaries) of our profession (YES, WE DO!), but how we
go about doing this? I'm sure that is relevant to chartership.

Answers on the back of a post-card, please.

Jo Davies

Trainee Professional Librarian
Archway Healthcare Library
Archway Campus
London N19 5LW







On 9 Jan 04, at 14:47, Shane Mawe wrote:

> "E.S. Rees" wrote:
>
> > All of the jobs for 15k in the interactive job centre touch screen are
under
> > skilled labour - checked today -  .. and on ...
>
> Yes, but not all Library posts are at the 15k bracket
>
> Shane