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In message <[log in to unmask]> on Mon, 8 Nov 2004, Satu Nieminen <[log in to unmask]> wrote >Quite a while ago the British Library took over the LA book collection >and now houses them at St Pancras. This means all CILIP members get a >reader's pass to BL by showing their membership card - no questions >asked. I think this provides CILIP members with some compensation for >not having a dedicated LIS at CILIP. Yes, some compensation, but presumably it's not too hard to get a BL card for professional use of this kind whether you are a CILIP member or not. However the BL facility has major disadvantages compared with the previous LA library: (1) Lack of a lending service. When studying a subject, or writing a paper, it is very convenient to have relevant publications on my desk so that I can refer to them together with my own materials, while accessing Internet resources. The cost and delay in obtaining things from DSC makes this option impracticable; besides, you cannot see items first to decide whether they are worth borrowing. (2) Closed access collection When reviewing a subject, I come across lots of references which might be relevant or interesting, but I cannot tell from the titles and abstracts, if any. I need to skim quickly through back files of many different publications, checking the articles and selecting those I wish to read in more detail. Many other references come to light during this process, and these also have to be retrieved and assessed. This is impossibly cumbersome with a closed access collection where I have to wait a significant time for the delivery of each item. A solution would be to transfer the library and information science collections to the science reading rooms rather than the humanities reading rooms. The science rooms are less heavily used, and they have a tradition of providing much more material on open access, because scientists use journals in the way I have indicated above. I do wish that the BL would consider this. Calling it "information science" would provide further justification, if any were needed! (3) Reasonably priced photocopying service The cost of photocopying at the BL (22.7p per self-service A4 copy for small quantities) is so high as to be a significant deterrent to use. This makes me occupy space in an already overcrowded reading room, laboriously copying notes on pieces of information and references that might be useful when I come to digest what I have found. >I cannot comment on the usefulness of the information service now >provided at CILIP premises as I have never used it. The new members' information centre is comfortable and convenient; I haven't used the information service, because as a professional in this field I feel more comfortable having direct access to sources I can use myself rather than working through intermediaries. The collection of books is growing, though there don't appear to be plans to keep full back runs of periodicals, which will be frustrating. Nevertheless this does seem to be the thin end of the wedge towards rediscovering the value of a proper library for members, and I do hope that members who value it will press for its further development. It is certainly one of the things that would make me willing to continue to pay my CILIP subscription . . . Leonard Will -- Willpower Information (Partners: Dr Leonard D Will, Sheena E Will) Information Management Consultants Tel: +44 (0)20 8372 0092 27 Calshot Way, Enfield, Middlesex EN2 7BQ, UK. Fax: +44 (0)870 051 7276 [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask] ---------------- <URL:http://www.willpowerinfo.co.uk/> -----------------