Sorry John, I wasn't aware that I had responded to your private email
yesterday.
You're absolutely right, this is a really important issue for those of us
in public libraries, and its essential that CILIP get involved. I am
appalled that they have not responded to your email yet, and am concerned
that it has been passed to Membership, Marketing and Media, and not to
Professional Services (or does this not exist any more?) A colleague of
mine emailed CILIP on a similar issue, regarding the portrayal of public
libraries in the national media, a while back, and CILIP were loath to get
involved. It makes me wonder why, apart from it being a job requirement
for most of us, we bother to pay them our annual fees.
I sent a messge of support to Kent libraries yesterday, and received a
reply that they were grateful. Maybe this is something more of the list
can do, as although it is a small thing, it is daunting to go on strike,
particularly over something as important as your professional standing.
The website is at www.kent.gov, where you can link to individual libraries
(I sent my message to Maidstone) and there is a very interesting official
line at www.kent.gov.uk/kcc/home/newsarticle.aspx?id=1881
As a point of interest, Kent CC also introduced a local version of Section
28, which banned the promotion of lesbian and gay material in local
authority run establishments, despite it being scrapped by central
government earlier this year.
It's worth remembering that if this re-structure is allowed to go ahead, it
will only be a matter of time before other local authorities, in the
south-east and beyond, see this as a marvellous way to cut costs, and begin
to try to do the same.
Jo Harvey
Librarian, Reader Development
Brighton & Hove Libraries
"J.W.T.Smith" To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask] cc:
> Subject: Re: Kent Libraries strike action (update)
Sent by:
"lis-pub-libs: UK
Public Libraries"
<[log in to unmask]
AC.UK>
02/06/04 15:39
Please respond to
"J.W.T.Smith"
This is a report back on the replies I received in response to my earlier
note. Interestingly no one responded via the mailing list.
It has proved difficult to get detailed information on the KCC library
plans, the only direct mentions of the action on the Web are at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/3750871.stm
http://www.unison-southeast.org.uk/news_kentlibrariesstrikethreat.htm
Although I am sure there is a KCC report detailing these plans it does not
seem to be available from the KCC Web site.
Apparently this 'deprofessionalisation' (a word I got from a note from
Professor Usherwood at Sheffield University) has already happened in Essex
Libraries where librarians have either become 'Service Development
Officers' or 'Enquiry Officers'. It appears the staff there were
discouraged from discussing this development outside of the organisation.
There seems to be a mist of paranoia hiding some of these developments.
Public librarians seem to be afraid to question these changes in case they
are seen a troublemakers. This may be part of the reason I got all my
responses as private e-mails and none were posted via the LIS-PUB-LIBS
mailing list.
One respondent commented that his library was only buying the latest best
sellers in order to improve loan figures and had no interest in buying
non-fiction books that were only used by a small minority.
Despite the silence about the Kent strike and similar Public Library
developments on this UK Public Library mailing-list I have had
international responses, one asked me to keep the French library
association (Association des Bibliothcaires Franais) updated and another
forwarded my note to IFLA, ALA (and other US), Portuguese, and Brazilian
public library mailing lists. What is this - an example of the British
stiff upper lip, we don't complain syndrome - or are people afraid for
their jobs?
Finally, I.m still waiting for a response from CILIP - my request for a
comment has been passed up the line to the Head of Membership, Marketing
and Media (MMMmm?). You would have thought CILIP would have an opinion
here since it has made training its main role but here is a case where a
major employer has effectively said, we don't need your qualifications.
Surely Public Libraries employ the majority of CILIP's members? If Public
Library employers don't want CILIP qualifications what is the point of
CILIP offering them or prospective students studying (and paying) for
them?
Any chance of Public Librarians responding on their own list?
Regards,
John Smith,
The Templeman Library,
University of Kent, UK.
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