Implementation Newsletter

Newsletter of The LA/IIS Implementation Working Group

Issue No 1
February 2000

• Karen Blakeman (Chair, UKOLUG)
• Suzanne Burge (Chair, LA Special Libraries Committee)
• Brian Clifford (IIS President)
• Jacquie Cropley (LA Hon Treasurer)
• Barry Cropper (Chair, LA Policy & Resources Committee)
• Elspeth Hyams (IIS Director)
• Bob McKee (LA Chief Executive)
• David Rigglesford (Chair, IIS Council)
• Martin Stone (Chair, LA Council)
• Keith Webster (IIS Hon Secretary)

The IWG does not have executive powers. Its recommendations feed in to the decision-making structure of each organization: direct to IIS Council; to LA Council via its Policy & Resources Committee.

The IWG feels it is important to keep all members fully informed of progress towards unification. The intention is to produce a Newsletter (of which this is the first issue) to be sent to all members. The content of the Newsletter will also be posted on the web site of each organisation.

To date the IWG has met three times and this issue of the Newsletter outlines the recommendations which will now go forward for consideration by each body.

For the moment both bodies will continue to conduct their business as separate organisations. Subscription renewals for the year 2000 will be handled in the usual way by each organisation.

The new body will be a registered charity with a Royal Charter. IWG is therefore planning for the new body by amending the existing LA constitution (incorporating appropriate elements of the IIS Memorandum of Association) rather than creating an entirely new legal entity.

The new body will need appropriate accommodation. The IIS is housed in temporary accommodation whereas the LA owns the freehold on 7 Ridgmount Street and is planning substantial investment to enlarge this property during 2000. IWG is planning therefore for the new body to occupy 7 Ridgmount Street and for the LA building project to be planned with this in mind. It is proposed that the enlarged building be given a name (possibly Chaucer House) rather than a street address.

The new body will be UK-based. There will be further clarification on the status of IIS members resident in the Republic of Ireland.

Legal advice has been sought on the timetable for unification with the following result:

• Vesting day for new body: 1 April 2002
• Details of composition of new body (Charter, Bye-laws, structure of governance, name) to be presented to annual meetings in October 2001. Documents ready for circulation to members in summer 2001
• Agreement of Privy Council: needs documents to PC by March 2001.
• Agreement of Charity Commissioners: needs documents to CC by December 2000

To achieve this timetable, the proposal is for the IWG to produce draft requirements by end of March 2000. Legal advisers will then turn these into the appropriate documents by the end of May 2000. The period June-November 2000 will be used for consultation and amendment of the documents.

A vesting date of 1 April 2002 has implications for elections and office holders. The IWG is planning on the basis that:

1. Councillors elected to serve on LA and IIS Councils for a three year term beginning January 1999 (LA) or October 1998 (IIS) will (subject to their agreement) have their terms extended to March 2002. Councillors elected subsequently, whose term would run beyond the vesting day, will serve to March 2002.
2. The governance year for the new body would run April to March.
3. Officers elected for the year 2001 would be asked to serve until end March 2002.
4. Elections in 2001 would be held in the autumn (after the general meetings) for offices in the new body, to serve from April 2002.

Having made these planning assumptions, the IWG will now address itself to the agenda of issues which remain to be resolved. The document Our Professional Future circulated to members in August 1999 outlined in some detail proposals for the vision and mission, features, membership, and structure of the new body. IWG is planning on the basis of those proposals which have already been approved in principle by both bodies. This leaves five areas still to be resolved.

• The mix of benefits (products, services, activities) to be provided by the new body for institutional and corporate members.
• The status and structure of Special Interest Groups within the new body; and the relationship of the new body with Organisations in Liaison.
• The governance of the new body, specifically: the composition of the Council and Executive Board; the structure of standing committees; the powers and conduct of General Meetings; the regulations governing the new body (in particular those relating to disciplinary procedures; and those relating to Affiliated and Overseas Members). 
• The finances of the new body, specifically: the financial year; and the transition to a new banded subscription scheme; the details of that scheme.
• The title (and post nominals) of the new body.

The IWG will address these issues as the next stage of its work and has established a series of working groups (as proposed in Our Professional Future) to look at these issues. One group will look at the issues of SIGs and OiLs. This working group is comprised of:

Karen Blakeman; Suzanne Burge; Barry Cropper; David Rigglesford

A second working group has been set up to look at the finances of the new body. This group is composed of:

Keith Webster; Jacqueline Cropley; Elspeth Hyams; Bob McKee; Martin Wright

In addition, building on the vision and mission detailed in Our Professional Future, IWG has agreed to establish a working group to refine a vision for the new body.

Further issues of this Newsletter will follow in due course. If you have any comments, please send them to:

Copydate: 11th February 2000

Introduction

lis-unify discussion list

Implementation Newsletter

• Issue 2
• Issue 3
• Issue 4
• Issue 5
• Issue 6

The Vision and The Name:
The Results of Membership Surveys

Revised proposals for a new organisation for the library and information profession