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I do so agree with this as far as activist and rank and file are concerned. To say that if you want to get a lot out of CILIP you have to put a lot in can be asking too much at any given time. It's not reasonable or even possible for everyone to be an activist all the time. Several people have already raised the geographic issue, most of us have careers (or even just jobs), and many of us have family commitments of various kinds. This can change so that we can be more or less active in CILIP at various stages throughout our membership, but the mere fact that circumstances prevent us being active shouldn't mean we aren't entitled to a point of view or a means of expressing it. And to state the obvious, one thing that we all put in is money, which gives us a right to an opinion on how that money is spent. Diana Nutting Information Liaison Manager Business Link for London Link House 292-308 Southbury Road Enfield EN1 1TS 020 8443 7229 [log in to unmask] www.businesslink4london.com -----Original Message----- From: Crawford, John [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 18 November 2004 16:48 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: CILIP members vote overwhelmingly for flat rate subscription system Dear all I have not contributed to this debate up till now, mainly because of lack of time but I think Francis makes a good point. I have not had time to look at all the points made but overall they show a lack of congruence between CILIP's aims and what members want or as John Briggs put it rather more succinctly 'Perhaps CILIP should dissolve the membership and elect a new one'. I think the discussion generated by the subscription debate has been very useful and we need a lot more of it. May I suggest that, as a positive first step, Tim compiles a report summarising the issues for presentation to an appropriate CILIP committee for discussion. The Professional Practice Committee would be ideal and as it meets on January 11th 2005 there is ample time for preparation. The essential problem with CILIP, in my view, is that it is an activist culture, not a rank and file culture (if you want to get a lot out of CILIP you have to put a lot in) and it is now time to tackle this issue. While I am aware that CILIP has plans in this direction I think we have to look for consultation mechanisms which favour the rank and file, not the activist culture which we presently have. This argues for a lot more survey and evaluation. The Group of which I am chairman, the Library and Information History Group, was one of the first to undertake a membership satisfaction survey and this without a policy steer from CILIP which has not as yet, as far as I am aware done anything in this direction. The discussions show a fair degree of cynicism about CILIP as a professional body and a simple piece of desk research could help us here. I believe on anecdotal evidence that disillusionment is widespread among the members of professional bodies. I would like to know objectively 1 Is this the case? 2 Are other professional bodies doing anything about and can we learn from them This is something that Membership Information Services staff could do. Best wishes Dr. John Crawford, Library Research Officer, Glasgow Caledonian University, Room 302, (3rd floor) 6 Rose Street, Glasgow, G3 6RB Tel: 0141-270-1360 Email [log in to unmask] ac.uk -----Original Message----- From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Frances Hendrix Sent: 18 November 2004 11:56 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: CILIP members vote overwhelmingly for flat rate subscription system Yes now that the voting is out of the way, I hope Cilip can begin to address in a transparent way, many of the issues raised during the run up to the vote. Also I am sure the membership will be waiting to see the improvements, which over time will accrue for the saving of time. f -----Original Message----- From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Bert Washington Sent: 18 November 2004 11:15 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: CILIP members vote overwhelmingly for flat rate subscription system With the result now announced on the subscription issue I guess voting has now ended. It's a shame that I did not get the opportunity to vote, having as yet still not received my postal ballot (I wonder how many others this has happened to)? Bert Washington. -----Original Message----- From: Chartered Library and Information Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Tim Buckley Owen Sent: 18 November 2004 10:06 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: CILIP members vote overwhelmingly for flat rate subscription system - Ends - This message has been scanned for viruses at Business Link for London. -- Writing a marketing plan - a practical guide Visit http://www.businesslink4london.com to find out more Winner: Most effective public sector website 2004 This email has been scanned for viruses at Business Link for London