I don't work in a public library, so read the report wearing a user's rather than a librarian's hat.
There are many points worthy of discussion, but just to focus on one, I would say that in my experience as a user, public library staff tend to outshine most retail outlets in terms of customer service and helpfulness. I really hope we don't go down the road of "corporatising" staff by sticking them in uniforms; such uniforms in retail outlets are certainly no indicator of good customer service in my experience. At least in libraries I do get the feeling that I am dealing with staff who have a real interest in being there, and in my needs as a user. This is unfortunately not the case in many stores, large or small, that I purchase goods from. My impression is that indifferent/bad customer service seems to have increased in the retail sector over recent years. And this is apart from some of the quite tasteless and disgusting colours and designs that often seem to be a prerequisite for many of the uniforms.
The minute they tell me to "have a nice day" is the day I'm outta there...
Andy Zelinger
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-----Original Message-----
From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Frances Hendrix
Sent: 22 February 2005 13:54
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What Future for Public Libraries? New Laser Foundation paper published today
A very well balanced response I must say.
f
-----Original Message-----
From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Henley, Caroline
Sent: 22 February 2005 12:58
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What Future for Public Libraries? New Laser Foundation paper published today
Whilst not necessarily agreeing with everything in the report - I think the point made about library schools and the relevance of their curricula to the profession is a valid one.
Having been in my first professional post for 18 months now I can say that significantly less than 50% of the skills I learned at library school have been relevant to me in my post (adult services librarian in a relatively small public authority) and that my employer had to spend a great deal of time and effort training me in fundamental areas of my role which they, quite reasonably, would have expected me to have at least been given an introduction to.
During my placement I had several interesting discussions with library professionals regarding their concerns at the gaps in knowledge they noticed in graduates from my course. I have also had the opportunity to speak to those graduating throughout the five years before me who all pointed out their own, and their employers' frustrations with areas of librarianship which had been ignored by the course.
My own main frustration was that in each year students had given feedback, had mentioned these issues and all met with the same response as my own year - zero.
Yes - accreditation is a form of feedback - but it doesn't go far enough
- I feel there is a need for the criteria for accreditation to be revisited and for the profession as a whole to become involved in a dialogue with library schools to ensure that the qualification meets the needs of prospective employers. Of course the library world is evolving and library schools have to adapt to provide the skills needed for a constantly changing environment - but not at the expense of skills which remain both relevant and necessary - a balance has to be struck.
-----Original Message-----
From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of David McMenemy
Sent: 19 February 2005 22:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What Future for Public Libraries? New Laser Foundation paper published today
Well I'm sure we have another report here that will kick off a debate. So here's my tuppenceworth....
On first reading for me the report is full of broadly-sweeping statements backed up with little or no data. I'm also concerned that there seemed to be no discussion of the development needs of professional and para-professional staff. Staff are talked of as a single entity, which is very warm and cuddly, but not realistic if public libraries are to retain their position as a profession and not a chain of shops. But then I have to admit that reading the report, I felt no sense of a profession in it at all, I felt the words of an organisation who wish to raise their profile with the powers that be. Indeed given the criticism CILIP have had on this list over the fact they don't over-sell their press releases, maybe they should look to the press release for this as the way forward when you want to make something out of nothing!
The report is obviously designed to be controversial, which isn't necessarily bad, but like I said on this list last year I'd love to see LASER actually conduct proper research that helped the profession as a whole REALLY discover the issues at stake, rather than what we see at the moment, what looks like a turfwar for who is the best pressure group for libraries.
My favourite quotes in the report include:
"Some staff in the retail sector appear well suited to libraries' changing requirements"
Based on what exactly? Their cheesy grins; their knowledge of literature; their all-round joi-de-vivre? Some data or facts to back such tired statements would be nice? Which sector of retail staff? Is this just the old "book shop staff are better" mantra? Are we talking about McDonalds here, or Marks and Sparks? I've always felt Big W was a great store myself!
"These changes in library staff requirements will draw attention to staff who will have little to contribute to the new service and who are unable or unwilling to change, or who may even actively work against the revised objectives of the service organisation. It is vital that these people leave and a variety of methods should be used to assist them in this."
Oh dear! So gone is the era of trying to take your staff with you I guess. What if the collective feeling among good, highly expereinced, staff is that the new objectives are smoke and mirrors and have no place in public libraries? More worryingly, what if they are correct. What if the much lauded Retail Guru comes along with ideas that are ill-conceived and unworkable in a public library? I love the notion of "assisting" staff in leaving, too. Would this be the kind of "assistance" that included a wee piece of paper with the letter P and the number 45?
And of course if in doubt, have a go at the library schools:
"staff will need skills which go well beyond the content of any present day library school syllabus. This will have to change if the schools are to remain relevant."
OK, if so, what exactly is the content that is missing? Facts, please! And, ever heard of CPD or lifelong learning? Library schools throughout the UK offer entry-level degrees for the profession PLUS enhanced career opportunities in degrees like Health Information Management
(Aberystwyth) and Digital Libraries (which we're launching later this year - cheap plug), to name just two I'm aware of. Speaking for myself I am not aware that anyone from LASER or the futures group has been in touch to review our curriculum and point out our inadequacies. Can any other library schools confirm this? Broad statements such as this made without investigating the facts do not help the debate. And I'm sure library schools would welcome constructive feedback about where their curricula may be failing the
profession. This is exactly what they get when the CILIP accreditation
panel visit each institution, they receive REAL input and suggestions as to how the courses need to be tweaked and bettered. More sinister is the charge that the library schools may cease to become relevant. Relevant to whom? The Government? Just what is their real stake in librarianship?
But of course given the tired old "libraries need a retail mentality" mantra espoused by this report and Coates, if by meaning that library schools don't teach "Supermarket 101" in library schools we are out of touch with today's needs, then I'm delighted to say that they are correct. But frankly, it's time people who criticised curricula actually started offering some examples of what they think IS missing, rather than hinting at the Utopia that would exist in the profession if the big bad evil library schools could just toe the line.
I'm actually looking forward to the day when LASER put all of their ideas into the library school curricula; how's "Point-Scoring Tips for
Malcontents!" as the module title?
More seriously such reports, with follow-up conferences headlined by Ministers and Downing Street Policy people, just confirm that there are some people in the profession who think that their priority is the needs of the Government and not their customers or their profession. Please spare us the ludicrous notion that the needs of the three are one and the same. That road leads to the intellectual death of public librarianship in the UK.
With apologies for the length of the post, I would just add that all views expressed are of course mine and not my institution's.
Cheers
David
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David McMenemy
Lecturer
Department of Computer and Information Sciences University of Strathclyde Glasgow
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