card multiple times, often during the same they are to remain relevant. But this will be session. expensive. It would be a mistake to assume that CDG are alone in wanting to The confidence with which SLA approach- offer high quality opportunities to their es its status amongst other professions is members, all professional bodies are keen also illuminating. SLA is comfortable with to do this. In financially constrained times, the fact that it is a major organisation, it would make a great deal of sense to representing significant people in an im- work more closely with organisations such portant profession. SLA operate in the as SLA to ensure that we can continue to knowledge that they have a considerable provide our members with the opportunicontribution to make to the professional ties to which they have become accusdebate in America, and that their members tomed and to broaden the appeal of the have a skill set that marks them out as services we offer. critical players in the modern economy and in society more generally. I think there are many ways in which SLA and CDG can co-operate to share the burden of costs, and, perhaps more impor“It was refreshing to be at a conference tantly, the expertise we have each develwhere information professionals oped. did not feel obliged to defend their right to convene, their abilities and their very existence�
This is perhaps related to American selfconfidence, or perhaps the lack of this confidence over here is a function of the profound status-anxiety that UK librarians are subject to, but it was refreshing to be at a conference where information professionals did not feel obliged to defend their right to convene, their abilities and their very existence against often only potential doubters. SLA completely disregards the doubters, which enables them to more convincingly argue for the future importance of information professionals, and to more coherently discuss the increasingly significant roles that we are well placed to adopt.
The network of active new professionals that CDG has built up could be very valuable to SLA in developing their own programme of new professional activities. Conversely, CDG could learn from the expertise that SLA has in organising large scale events and, crucially, attracting sponsorship to these events. The way in which the senior figures within SLA interact with the ordinary and newer members of SLA is something that CDG and CILIP more generally could certainly benefit from studying. I think the challenges that we as a profession and as a professional body face at the moment present us with a great opportunity to become closer professional allies with our sister organisations. This will enable CDG to grow and develop and so will help our members to achieve their professional potential.
As is often quoted, the LIS profession is in a period of significant change, meaning that professional bodies must offer a range of new and original opportunities if
Chris Rhodes New Professionals Co-ordinator Statistics Resource Unit House of Commons Library rhodesc@parliament.uk
Impact Autumn 2010
69