Surely it's not just about the inability to self promote? Where is the hard evidence for libraries' and librarians' impact? Do we really think that we can get by with anecdotes? How could we use the same media and policy networks that other professions use to get their point across if we do have that hard evidence? How can we establish our credibility as providers of disinterested comment?
Ian
________________________________
From: Chris Armstrong [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Fri 12/06/2009 12:22
To: IAN JOHNSON (0616285); [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE: Job cuts at King's
Ian
I completely agree - but I wanted to make sure the community knew about
the issue first and so that consideration could follow, second!
This is by no means the first time something like this has occurred in
our sector (although possibly this is the first on this scale) and while
our supposed inability to self-promote may have something to do with it,
there are other issues to consider - both local and professional.
I hope these lists may offer space for a real debate.
Chris
______________________________
Chris Armstrong
Information Automation Limited
t. (+44) 1974 251302
s. chrisatial (Skype, pre-arranged)
e. [log in to unmask]
w. www.i-a-l.co.uk
b: http://i-a-l.blogspot.com/
____________________________________________
Registered address: Penbryn, Bronant, Aberystwyth SY23 4TJ
Registered in England Number: 2110002
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Library and Information Professionals [mailto:LIS-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ian Johnson
> Sent: 12 June 2009 11:16
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Job cuts at King's
>
> Wouldn't it be more useful to do some real soul searching about why we
> have failed to spread an appreciation of the impact of our work in the
so-
> called 'Information Society' instead of just getting hot under the
collar
> when confronted by evidence of our own failure such as this?
>
>
> Ian M. Johnson
> Professor, Department of Information Management
> Aberdeen Business School
> The Robert Gordon University
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Library and Information Professionals on behalf of Chris
Armstrong
> Sent: Fri 12/06/2009 10:54
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: FW: Job cuts at King's
>
>
>
> I was sufficiently incensed by this to re-post it to a second list -
> apologies if you've already read it.
>
> Chris
>
> ______________________________
> Chris Armstrong
> Information Automation Limited
> t. (+44) 1974 251302
> s. chrisatial (Skype, pre-arranged)
> e. [log in to unmask]
> w. www.i-a-l.co.uk
> b: http://i-a-l.blogspot.com/
> ____________________________________________
> Registered address: Penbryn, Bronant, Aberystwyth SY23 4TJ
> Registered in England Number: 2110002
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and
> discussion. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kevin
Shelley
> Sent: 11 June 2009 16:15
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Job cuts at King's
>
> Press release:
>
> Cuts at King's College London
>
> King's College London is proposing to make all 30 current
roles
> of the
> Information Resources team part of ISS (Information Services &
Systems)
> redundant and make staff re-apply for their own jobs. 15 staff will
> likely loose
> their job over the next 3 years, and those left face applying for
> downgraded
> roles. This was announced in mid-April after a six-month workflow
> review,
> including a short 2 week snapshot survey involving external
consultants.
> Its
> stated aim was "to deliver the services customers are asking for,
> identify
> future needs and be flexible in responding to demands for new
services."
> Management deny that cost-cutting is at the heart of the
> proposal.
> Chief Information Officer and College Librarian, Karen Stanton stated
:
> ''I
> would like to make it clear that the proposed changes are in no way
> related to
> the current financial situation or, indeed, the Principal's
announcement
>
> regarding budget cuts and possible job losses.'' However, the
> announcement
> of the redundancy proposals occurred less than three weeks after the
> College
> Principal, Professor Rick Trainor, informed all College staff that
> King's is facing
> a £14 million deficit, whilst holding £185 million in cash reserves.
> This is further
> highlighted by the recent article in the Times Higher Education
> Supplement of
> the 28th May 'Dissent over staff issues at King's'.
> The staff are naturally shocked, many of which have served
with
> King's for a long time. Especially as they were initially given a
> proposal
> consultation period of only 30 days and to come up with a counter
> proposal
> when other King's departments in a similar position were given 90
days.
> So
> Unions (Unison, Unite, UCU) stepped in and were able to win a 90 day
> extension. The whole college community is appalled at how badly staff
> have
> been treated, reverting to such draconian methods that have proven to
be
>
> divisive and demoralising to colleagues who foresee both their own
> skillsets
> being diminished in the remaining posts and an impoverishment of ISS
> customer experience arising particularly from the outsourcing of
> metadata
> creation.
> To us as Library and Information Professionals the biggest
> threat to
> our professional qualified status is yet more being eroded and
> unrecognised by
> the issue of downgrading and deskilling staff within the proposal.
There
> is also
> a proposal to outsource cataloguing which in our view will destroy the
> quality
> of the collection we have at King's.
> Staff and students with the backing of the Unions are mounting
a
> No
> Cuts @ King's campaign involving a petition to college management to
> stop
> cuts, and get more government funding. We urging everyone to help
> support
> the campaign of No Cuts @ King's and sign the online petition at
> http://www.petitiononline.com/openRT09
>
> We will keep you informed of developments.
|