Mark writes "This state of affairs hasn't just happpened. It has been

happening for years and our profession has not been protected."

 

Too right it's been happening for years. I did my first degree in librarianship during 1983-1986. Librarians then were writing letters to the Library Association Record and discussing amongst themselves (without the benefit of email) about the poor pay and poor regard within which the profession was held.  So nothing has changed within 20 years. Do we blame CILIP or ourselves, collectively, for this? And what can we do about it that librarians from the last two decades or more couldn't?

 

Regards,

Linda 



	-----Original Message----- 

	From: mark.ludlam [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 

	Sent: Tue 13/01/2004 00:17 

	To: [log in to unmask] 

	Cc: 

	Subject: Re: Looking for a job?

	

	



	Although I've been on this list now for a number of years I've never

	contributed until now.  Tracey is right to mention the cost-benefit

	analysis of obtaining a degree or even a masters.  Most first/second LIS

	jobs tend to be just over £15,000 - exactly the threshold by which

	former students now have to pay back their loans.  Becoming a librarian

	is therefore one guaranteed way to remain in poverty through the first

	few years of your new working life.

	

	In Wales all FE college lecturers now start off on 19K.  I am on a

	similar salary but I have been working in FE as a librarian for 12

	years.  The salary level definitely has an impact on how I am perceived

	my college.  I too love my job but I find it galling to be expected to

	"support" new teaching staff (some of whom I remember as A-Level

	students), whose salary levels and status all surpass mine within a few

	short years.

	

	Some have suggested "keep chipping away", but sometimes it's impossible

	to chip away at a granite block when all you've got is a glass hammer.

	 I think this individual approach is the weakest method.  Collectively

	we are far stronger and this is where CILIP must take it's share of the

	blame.  This state of affairs hasn't just happpened. It has been

	happening for years and our profession has not been protected.  Can

	anyone name a chartered organisation (lawyers, accountants, surveyors

	etc.) that would be happy to see the majority of its members on such low

	salary levels?  The trend towards de-skilling is a global one which

	affects many professions, but it is time we said "No More".  Kathy Ennis

	at CILIP is doing a terrific job, but it should be the whole

	organisation, from its leadership supported by its members, who should

	be making this issue a central plank of all our activities.

	

	Regards

	

	Mark Ludlam

	

	Tracey Paddon wrote:

	

	> hi sue

	>

	> i totally agree and commend you on what you are saying. i think many

	> people have missed the point. we all know we did not come into the job

	> for

	> money but when other professions with less qualifications than we have

	> get

	> more money it is more than annoying to realise that obviously our jobs

	> are

	> not deemed important.

	>

	> if you look at some of the posts which are coming up recently. many of

	> them are not professional posts and are either paying well as they are

	> managerial posts or paying less than what i am recieving whic isn't much

	> as not been in the profession long.

	>

	> when i have spoken to other professionals in other areas they are also

	> undergoing review of posts. many qualified posts are becoming unqualified

	> but doing qualified work with less pay and many non-qualified posts like

	> library managers are being paid a lot more.

	>

	> we won't have a profession left at this rate.

	>

	> tracey

	>

	>

	>

	> On Fri, 9 Jan 2004 09:13:10 -0000, Sue Lawson

	> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

	>

	>> I was referring to the downgrading and/or reclassification of qualified

	>> posts to the non-qualified level in order to reduce costs, not pay in

	>> general.

	>>

	>> The job evaluation process in Manchester Library and Information Service

	>> has adopted a policy of reviewing librarian's work with the intent of

	>> minimizing the position to a lower grade, which does not require a

	>> graduate degree. This step represents a professional demotion of public

	>> service librarians.

	>>

	>> Library management should be supporting the status of the library

	>> profession by demonstrating the value of our profession to those who

	>> control the purse strings rather than demean its own staff expertise and

	>> education.

	>>

	>> Sue Lawson

	>> Librarian

	>> Commercial Library

	>> Manchester Library and Information Service

	>> Central Library

	>> St Peters Square

	>> Manchester

	>> M2 5PD

	>>

	>>

	>> Tel: 0161 234 1995

	>> Fax: 0161 237 5974

	>> Email: [log in to unmask]

	>>

	>>

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	>

	>

	> --

	> Tracey Paddon

	> [log in to unmask]

	>