Where's the promotion of what CILIP can/could/will do for front-line information professionals (not just librarians!!!) trying to provide services on a shoe-string on low pay? Why doesn't it get posted to lis-pub-libs and lis-profession and any and every other line of communication that may be used by the potential audience? Similarly why were there no postings to say: "CLIP members and potential members! Hustings are taking place for the CILIP Board. If you want to know more about the candidates and what they stand for we've published profiles on the public pages of the CILIP web site. Even more details, and the opportunity to post questions to the candidates, are available to CILIP members in the members area." It's an elective organisation for information professionals for God's sake, not the Ku Klux Klan.

"This is where we are and if you want to find out what you're getting for the money we require you to pay us you'll have to come and find us" didn't work well twenty years ago and certainly isn't what should be expected of a professional organisation in the early 21st Century.

I love the admonition that if you want to discuss the dissatisfaction with CILIP, the retreat of membership and the inaccessibility of the CILIP Communities you should be a member of CILIP and log onto the Community. Ha ha ha!!!

Finally from me

I want Cilip to succeed, I want it to recruit more and more members, I want a vibrant and successful organisation serving the needs of the members, catching the attention of the press and also being open and fun.

So Cilip, please read what has been posted over the last week or so, and let 2008 be the start of anew Cilip that welcomes all and that we all want to be part of.

Cheque in the post (well almost)

f