AGM meetings are always a problem for large organisations - those which have thousands of members can not hope to gather them altogether on a single day for such an event. Take Building Societies and other corporate bodies, both encourage members to discuss both sides of any argument and each is allowed their own view point.
The importance here is that CILIP is a professional body and as such exists as a membership organisation - that organisation has to represent its members thoughts and feelings. While having a view to sustaining its own existence and promoting the ideals and aims of the profession as a whole. If we are to be advocates for libraries existence and the skill of its workers then various costs have to be paid. While I don't like paying increases in my subscription any more than anyone else I can see the rational behind them and which is why I spend time and effort trying to influence the decision making process.
I would ask that people vote with a view to the future rather than short term gain - or there may be no future at all.
Jim Jackson ACLIP
Law Library Supervisor
C/O The Law Library
The Amory Building
Rennes Drive
University of Exeter
Exeter EX4 4RJ
Tel: 01392 263356
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-----Original Message-----
From: A general Library and Information Science list for news and discussion. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bruce Royan
Sent: 30 September 2009 22:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: How to vote by proxy if you don't know anyone at the CILIP AGM
Thanks for this Phil
As you say, you aren't a member, but your points about my posting are still worth responding to.
I am not in any way blaming the folk who have been taking part in the debate for the fact that that debate is a bit one-sided: I am partially to blame for hanging back so long, worried that an intervention from me might be dismissed as "well he would say that, wouldn't he?". I suspect I'm not the only one. In my opinion, the more that people know about the financial position of CILIP, the likelier they are to support an increase. Without access to that information, it would be natural to prefer not to pay more.
My email was an attempt to help people access that information.
Secondly, I did NOT criticise folk who can't be present for "the debate on the day": less than 100 out of nearly 20,000 people can get the time off/afford the travel to be physically present, and I specifically said of the increased use of proxies, "this is a good thing (democracy in action!)".
I think this, plus the introduction of live blogging of the AGM and the twitter hashtag #cilipagm is the beginning of a paradigm change. By next year, I would hope that we will have found a way that allows remote participation in (and voting during) the AGM without disenfranchising the thousands of members who don't have web access during working hours. We're
not there yet, but it's a start.
Finally, I am saddened to be told my attempt to show there is another side of the argument is "bordering on the offensive". People can only weigh the arguments, if they are given them.
Bruce
********************************************************
Professor Bruce Royan, Trustee,
CILIP
(Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals)
41 Greenhill Gardens, Edinburgh, EH10 4BL, UK (44) 131 447 3151
********************************************************
-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Bradley [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 30 September 2009 19:32
To: Bruce Royan; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: How to vote by proxy if you don't know anyone at the CILIP AGM
I shan't be voting one way or another for the simple reason that I'm not eligible to, but I've been following the discussions with interest. There are a couple of points in your post that I'd like to address however.
The debate is already underway, and has been for sometime, and as you point out, it's being discussed on the net, via Twitter, blogs and so on. If this debate is one sided it's not really the fault of the people taking part; those who are in favour of an increase have exactly the same access to the same facilities and can comment on blogs, argue at Twitter, or write their own. If (generic) you don't agree with what's being said, then take part. It's really that straightforward.
Secondly, why *should* people wait for 'the debate on the day'?
Indeed, why limit this debate to the people who can physically turn up? We've already seen that people can, and do take part virtually (as we've seen with the #cilip2 example), and I suppose that it could be argued that if facilities are not present this merely disenfranchises those who wish to take part but are not (for reasons of geography, finance or disability) able to turn up. Web 2.0 resources and social media are not just a theoretical or academic exercise - they are the way that people work and engage with each other now. Not to use all the available avenues for discussion seems nonsensical. To me this is simply another example (of the many) that the use of social media is only detrimental to the organisations and individuals who don't engage with it.
Finally, the fact that you feel it necessary to ask people to weigh the arguments for and against is deeply depressing. I have always found CILIP members to be thoughtful, intelligent people and my assumption would be that they ARE weighing the pros and cons - to think otherwise is bordering on the offensive.
--
Phil Bradley: Internet Consultant, Trainer, Web designer and Author.
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