understand more about social media, and databases. Cataloguing and classification also featured as something students want- ed to see more of, in addition to teaching skills, and the opportunity to undertake practical experience, particularly for those respondents not already working in the library sector.
The solution
Students felt that public misunderstand- ing of the library sector was a challenge, with such ignorance affecting the future function and survival of professionally- staffed libraries.
According to one respondent: “There is a common perception that libraries and the library sector is dead. Why do we need libraries when we have Google and Amazon? This needs to be addressed effectively to a broad range of people, not just an educated elite”.
These political challenges translate into financial pressure meaning that austerity and marketisation are prevalent in all library sectors, not just public libraries. “The library seems to be the first place that suffers from spending cuts” one commented, “We’ve just lost a professional post and our budget has been slashed. People don’t seem to understand what we can do for people and institutions”. Advocacy was deemed essential in order to tackle these challenges, in addition to a more outward facing approach from some sections of the profession.
“Leaders currently can’t agree and seem a little behind developments, there is a distinct lack of talent and good staff join- ing the library sector, most people don’t know how awesome libraries are”. Another said: “My place of work is very tech-focused but we still find other services in our wider area who spend more time cataloguing textbooks and charging fines than performing searches for doctors and nurses to help people and it is a frustrat- ing divide”.
The role of CILIP
In their responses, students argued that the role of CILIP was paramount for pro- viding an authoritative voice to help tackle general ignorance about the profession, and influence those in positions of power. They said CILIP had the necessary access to a wide evidence base of statistics and research, and had the power to challenge thinking through campaigns, publicity and advocacy on behalf of the profession. One commented: “Only the union of the librarians’ voice and a strong representa- tion... can face the public lack of informa- tion and the general ‘noise’ about the role of library in the society”.
Students also felt that CILIP should play a more active role in fighting cuts and misconceptions, in order to achieve a real change.
48 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
“CILIP represents our community (LIS community) so they should be the frontline of the campaign to make a better and more secure future for library and information science”.
Students viewed CILIP as providing an information and support role for mem- bers, enabling updating of skills and knowledge, and enhancing quality despite rapid change.
Many also felt that CILIP acted as a forum enabling the development of a community of practice, where informa- tion and research is exchanged, skills are shared, and networking is facilitated resulting in a better-connected profes- sion. Generally, people were positive about CILIP’s efforts to connect members, although individual respondents did query aspects to do with regionalism and diversity: “They are still doing nothing to promote diversity in the profession, which is mainly white and female…. Peo- ple push chartership and I’m not really sure what that is or what it does. From a working-class background, I don’t feel CILIP understand me or my issues or represent or help me in any way”. [CILIP published a diversity plan last year setting out practical steps to champion equalities, diversity and inclusion in all its work and to address inequalities in the library and information profession
https://bit.ly/2Pv5v8N]
Challenges for CILIP
However a third of students made neg- ative observations about CILIP’s role, relevance and importance for particular students. Some questioned its perfor- mance as a defender of the profession. These comments were mainly to do with
lack of visibility and impact, and being disconnected from student members. A few students didn’t know the role of CILIP, whilst others suggested it focused mainly on accreditation and chartership.
One student said: “I think there is a big disconnect between CILIP and cur- rent new professionals…. since the job market is in such a poor state CILIP is really going to have to justify its useful- ness if it expects people like me to pay, especially when student membership was free before”.
The comments suggest the payment of a membership fee by students may prohibit the engagement of this group of new professionals, and may affect CILIP’s ability to recruit the next generation of members.
The echo chamber
Students discussed the echo chamber effect of some of CILIP’s promotional activities saying it failed to commu- nicate more widely about the value of library professionals. They argued that promotion was not always visible, and efforts regarding opposition to public library cuts had come too late. One said: “Unless you are in the pro- fession, CILIP is relatively unknown”. Another said: “As library professionals, we understand how important they (libraries) are. Unfortunately, that is not always the case for the rest of society”.
Students suggested the image of CILIP as a campaigning body and professional association also required improvement to help gain buy-in from those within the library profession too, particularly as it was perceived as the only advocate for all things library, as one student noted, “if they don’t, who will?”
Amplifying the voices of the profession
Despite such concerns, there existed a clear role for CILIP in terms of amplify- ing the professional voices, and acting as a vehicle for tackling future chal- lenges. Students were generally positive about their studies and about finding a library job. They were practical, real- istic and clearly passionate about what they had chosen to do.
Their comments on the role of CILIP in their careers included: “CILIP has a very significant role in ensuring the future of the library profession, not only as a platform to emphasise the work of libraries, to help educate other librar- ians and members of the public but also help librarians communicate with each other to provide a better professional service overall” and “CILIP needs to be part of a fight-back”. IP
September 2018
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