I would also say (as someone meaning to comment on blogs on it who hasn't 
found the time yet) that recommendations to the AGM for amount of subs for 
the subsequent year do not just come out of a hat or get made without a 
lot of prior modelling work and thought.

The Treasurer looks at a range of different options and models what their 
effects would be as part of drawing up final recommedations, he takes 
comment and advice, looks at the books and what the commitments are, 
listens to what people are saying generally - but part of being Treasurer 
is that you take an overview, that you attempt to keep the books in 
balance and on the right side of the line so that budgeted and planned 
out-goings are met from income for the overall medium and long-term health 
of the organisation. And the simple fact is that a lot of CILIP income is 
from subscriptions, but a lot of it is also from CILIP Enterprises and 
from interest on investments. The recession doesn't avoid organisations 
just because they're charities. So normal income levels from 
non-subscription income are currently struggling, and we're trying to fund 
lots of programmes to increase benefit to members (now whether that's 
moving qualifications into an electronic environment, enabling ability to 
pay subs electronically, advocacy work on the benefit of libraries and 
value of trained specialist staff delivering services - this mornings 
press news http://tinyurl.com/yaqb9dq is Wirral seems to have changed its 
mind on library closures and is recommending to its Cabinet they stay open 
for instance, now lots of interested organisations and people were 
involved in seeking to influence that, but one of them was CILIP which 
gave evidence to the Wirral Enquiry).

And there are ways of ensuring you don't have to pay it all at once - just 
under half of all CILIP members are on one of a range of discount bands 
and DON'T qualify to pay the full flat-rate fee. Just under 40% of members 
currently pay by direct debit (monthly or annually), so moving to monthly 
direct debit is probably an attractive option for some folk that may not 
have considered it before. You can claim back the tax on your CILIP sub, 
first time you claim if memory serves you can claim back a good few year's 
worth.

For the last couple of years folk have been saying that the threshold 
above which people pay flat-rate is too low. Last year the Treasurer 
promised to look at that again for this year, he did. Which is why the 
recommendations he's made move the threshold up this year, only by £500, 
but also various folk may be eligible for lower rates than they were last 
year (e.g. if you're working fewer hours so earning less or are currently 
out of employment).

So I support the Treasurer and will vote for the motion, but that's me and 
my opinion on it,  perfectly aware there's a discussion going on it that 
covers many issues, everyone who is a member has a vote, so download your 
proxy vote and use it as you think fit (and no the rules that govern the 
AGM weren't written last year so they don't allow for virtual 
participation and voting during the meeting which is why the proxys 
currently have to be in advance, there is no time to change that this 
year. I'll live blog it all and hopefully at least that way everyone will 
know exactly what happened who can't make it). And I'm with Bruce, I don't 
think if we ask folk to look at both sides and provide links to both sides 
that's insulting, I think we're just saving folk time. And also, yep, I'm 
one of the CILIP Trustees so I'll hold my hand up to that in case any of 
you think that makes a difference to what you think re what I'm saying. 
It'd be lovely to keep the subs the same, or even to go down, but we're 
not in an ideal world at the moment and we're trying to finance CILIP 
commitments plus new developments intended to benefit members.

Isabel

--
Isabel Hood
for Semple Fraser LLP
123 St Vincent Street
Glasgow
G2 5EA
Main: 0141 221 3771   Fax: 0141 221 3776


---Original Message---
From:           "A general Library and Information Science list for news 
and discussion."
Sent:           01/10/2009 9:16:43
To:             LIS-LINK 
CC: 
Subject:        Re: How to vote by proxy if you don't know anyone at the 
CILIP AGM


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 t

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