I agree with Ian;  perhaps the only thing worth having is the goodwill
associated with the name Aslib, and I suspect it's value is not that great
any more.

Charles

Professor Charles Oppenheim
Department of Information Science
Loughborough University
Loughborough
Leics LE11 3TU

Tel 01509-223065
Fax 01509-223053
e mail [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ian Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: Future of Aslib


The real issue is whether any prospective buyer would operate Aslib as a
pure commercial entity like Tfpl, or try to continue as membership based
association.  Aslib has masqueraded as a professional association for a
long time, but there is little obvious evidence that it has represented
the corporate bodies' interests in any significant and useful way in
recent years.  As  a commercial entity, it has been 'selling off the
family silver' for years, and has nothing left to sell other than its
name and the business record of its training and consultancy activities,
both of which have an unpredictable potential.  What they are worth is
therefore debatable, and I'm not sure that I would want CILIP to invest
in purchasing them rather than developing its own activities in the same
fields.

-----Original Message-----
From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of JACKIE FISHLEIGH
Sent: 15 December 2004 10:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Future of Aslib


I was amazed that a UK library membership group could go under as a
direct result of the consequences of 9/11. Charles Oppenheim's
explanation makes far more sense to me. I think we should be honest
about the difficulties faced by Aslib because if these are not properly
resolved what future can there be.

Jackie Fishleigh
Librarian
Payne Hicks Beach
10 New Square
Lincoln's Inn
WC2A 3QG

-----Original Message-----
From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Crawford, John
Sent: 15 December 2004 09:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Future of Aslib



        -----Original Message-----
        From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals on behalf
of Alan Pritchard
        Sent: Wed 15/12/2004 08:50
        To: [log in to unmask]
        Cc:
        Subject: Re: Future of Aslib



        > I wonder whether CILIP would consider this an opportunity to
discuss
        > with Aslib the possible merger of the two organisations. There
is almost
        > complete overlap in subject interests, and it would seem
better to have
        > one strong organisation representing both individual and
corporate
        > members of the profession.
        >
        > Besides, a joint organisation might then end up with a library
again!
        >

        I found that very sad. I did a summer work placement at Belgrave
Square
        when I was a student. Spent a lot of time reading old journals
(ProcBSIB,
        JDoc etc) But before I fully go into 'boring old fart
reminiscing' mode, I
        do have a more substantial point.

        I just wonder if a single organisation consisting of both
personal and
        corporate members could actually work. Other than just having a
few of the
        latter as supporting members. There are enough conflicts of
interests with
        differing segments of personal members, but I could see much
more
        fundamental conflict between, say, the LA acting as the
professional
        regulator of special librarians and attempting to represent the
interests
        of the corporate employers of those librarians.

        I may be out of date, but I am not aware of any major
organisations which
        operate on this model. BCS, IEE, IoD - personal members. CBI etc
-
        corporate members.

        Best wishes
        Alan Pritchard
        The GLOBAL GAZETTEER(tm): the world on file
        http://www.allm-geodata.com
        Tel: +44 (0) 1202 417 477

        NOTE my new email address: [log in to unmask]