THE INSTITUTE OF
INFORMATION SCIENTISTS
THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION REVISED PROPOSALS
FOR A NEW ORGANISATION FOR THE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION PROFESSION:
MEMBERSHIP
The organisation
would welcome into membership all individuals from all groups in the community engaged, at
whatever stages in their careers, in the management and provision of information and
library services broadly defined, together with those interested in provision of these
services.
It would also welcome into
membership those institutions concerned with such provision.
The new organisation would
have the following categories of membership. Holders of existing qualifications awarded by
the IIS and/or the LA and those in specific membership categories would be assimilated
into the membership categories offered by the new organisation on the following basis:
NEW
ORGANISATION |
IIS |
THE LA |
| |
|
|
Student:
those following approved programmes which may lead to Chartered status |
Student |
Student |
Associate:
those who, having acquired the appropriate academic qualifications, may or may not
proceed to apply for Chartered status. |
Affiliate |
Ordinary
Member |
Affiliate:
those working in information and library services who support professional work and who
are currently working in a para-professional capacity (Limited voting rights). It is for
those not currently eligible or entitled to seek chartered status, however future
individual career development may lead to student or Chartered membership |
Affiliate |
Affiliate |
Chartered
Member: those who fulfil the academic and professional requirements (including
practical experience) laid down by the governing body within the limits set by the Privy
Council in approving the Byelaws. There would be a path to full chartered status for
candidates who do not have a traditional LIS educational background. Graduates in any
discipline could become full members if they qualified through appropriate experience. |
Member
(MIInfSc) |
Associate
(ALA) |
Chartered
Fellow: those Chartered members who have satisfied a board of registration that
they have fulfilled the requirements for the award of the organisation’s highest
professional qualification. Self-nomination and nomination by peers would be possible
within the regulations. |
Fellow
(FIInfSc) |
Fellow
(FLA) |
Honorary
Fellow: awarded to individuals who, whether in membership or not, have rendered
significant service in furthering the interests of the profession. (No voting rights). |
Honorary
Fellow |
Honorary
Fellow |
Supporting
Member: those individuals, not working in the provision of library and information
services, who support the aims and work of the organisation (No voting rights). |
|
Supporting
Member |
Institutional
Member: organisations providing library and information services (No voting
rights). |
|
Institutional
Member |
Overseas:
those members resident outside the UK would be welcomed as "Overseas Members"
within the appropriate listed categories of membership. |
Overseas |
Overseas |
Life:
those retired members over age 60, with a total of 20 years in membership, of which the
last 10 years should be continuous immediately before application. |
|
Life |
|
The status of existing
members would not be adversely affected by the unification process, for example members
becoming Honorary Fellows would retain any existing voting rights. Where current members
of both organisations hold different levels of qualification, the highest level would be
the one taken for purposes of assimilation.
Chartered membership: This
level of qualification would be based on evidence of practical professional development
and progression in skills, knowledge and understanding, following completion of an
appropriate course of academic study. It would represent a seal of quality assurance to
employers and indicate the presence of best practice standards for those who use the
services of library and information professionals. It would also indicate a career-long
commitment to high standards of professional practice in a complex and changing
environment.
Chartered Fellowship: The
highest level of qualification, would signify that the member has applied an increasing
level of professionalism both through personal professional practice and through a
contribution made to the profession at large.
All subscribing members of the new
organisation would adopt the post nominal letters of that organisation. Existing
post-nominal letters conferred by the IIS and the LA will cease to be valid once the new
organisation comes into existence.
|
