I think we're in a better position now than librarians have been
for the last 20 years.

There is starting to be a recognition that people need to be able
to acquire new skills throughout their lifetime, and there is beginning to be
some investment in public libraries, which there hasn't been in years.

Also the need for students to be able to learn and carry out their own research,
 as opposed to  regurgitating the wisdom of their lecturers,
is being incorporated into the pedagogical policies of both Universities
and FE colleges.

On an individual/local level, we need to be pointing out our role in these 
policies and projects, and on a wider level, CILIP and government departments
need to be making sure that the profession and its members are valued parts of the teams that
make these policies in the first place.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: list for CILIP members working towards MCLIP status 
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Haylock, Linda
> Sent: 13 January 2004 09:03
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Looking for a job?
> 
> 
> 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]
>       >
> 	
> 
>