WIIFM? The LAI and You LAI Action Plan: Promoting Libraries, Supporting Members

WIIFM? The LAI and You

LAI Action Plan:Promoting Libraries, Supporting Members

Philip Cohen, Vice President

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to past and present fellow Officers, Council and Committee members for their ongoing contribution and support

• Special thanks to Fionnuala Hanrahan for the solid achievements of the last two years and for laying the foundations for the next two Presidencies (at least)

Agenda

• Annual Report• Action Plan• Communications Strategy• Open Forum

Annual Report: 2012

Annual Report: 2012

• Stabilisation• Consolidation• Foundations for the future:– Review– Revise– Renew

Action Plan: 2013-2016

MissionTo promote and support high standards of librarianship and information management across all sectors in Ireland

2 Themes, 6 Areas, 16 Actions

• Promotion–Role, Advocacy, Collaboration, Access

• Support–Continuing Professional Development,

Association matters

Promotion

Promotion [1]• Role– To maintain the professional standing of

library and information professionals

• Advocacy– To represent the interests of the Association

and the profession to government, other organisations, the community and stakeholders generally

Promotion [2]

• Collaboration–To promote collaboration, cooperation and

shared action at international, national and local levels (depending on topic)

• Access–To promote the free flow of information and

ideas in the interest of all Irish people and a thriving culture, economy and democracy

Support

Support• Continuing Professional Development– To support the career development of people

engaged in LIS and to foster their professional interests and aspirations

• Association Matters– To encourage library and information

professionals to contribute to the improvement of their services through support and membership of the Association

Key Considerations

• Regular review and revision: Are they the right focus and priorities?• Very challenging – especially the

completion date targets• Implementation cannot be Officers,

Council and Committees alone

Promotion: Role [1]

• Action 1: Clarify the core competencies common across the diversity of professional practice [Q3 2013]

• Action 2: Maintain a membership register of qualified library and information professionals [Q3 2013]

• Action 3: Maintain and regularly update reliable public information on the status of the profession and routes to qualification [Q3 2013]

Promotion: Role [2]

• Action 4: Continue to accredit appropriate courses leading to a professional qualification [Q2 2014]

• Action 5: Explore whether membership of the Association could be developed into a prerequisite for professional practice [TBC]

Promotion: Advocacy

• Action 6: Monitor the scale and penetration of library and information services, in all sectors, including the size of the employment pool [Q1 2014]

• Action 7: Use existing campaigns across all sectors (e.g. LIW, CBF) to explain and promote the contribution and value of library and information services [Q1 2014]

Promotion: Collaboration• Action 8: Identify and actively seek opportunities

for such collaboration [Q1 2014]• Action 9: Identify and promote examples of best

practice [Q1 2014]

Promotion: Access

• Action 10: Identify and promote examples of best practice nationally and internationally [Q1 2014]

Support: CPD

• Action 11: Establish and apply an accreditation/certification mechanism for CPD [Q1 2014]

• Action 12: Develop and provide a mentoring support service for Library and Information professionals e.g. those unemployed or underemployed, transferring across sectors, fast-tracking for added managerial or technical skills [TBC]

Support: Association Matters [1]

• Action 13: Hold a membership drive: [i] lapsed [ii] new personal [iii] institutional [Q4 2013]

• Action 14: Develop and deliver a Communications Plan [Q3 2013]

Support: Association Matters [2]

• Action 15: Identify and promote mechanisms that facilitate routes to more engagement for members [Q3 2013]

• Action 16: Investigate opportunities for increased fundraising and income generation [Q4 2013]

Communications Strategy: 2012-2016

Communications Strategy: 2012-2016

• Objectives–Communicate the functions and work

of the LAI to its stakeholders and to the wider community–Provide timely, accurate and

appropriate information to its stakeholders

6 Areas, 13 Actions

• Consultation and collaboration• Web and social media• Publishing• Members’ events• Public events• Media

Key Considerations

• Regular review and revision: Are they the right focus and priorities?• Communications Plan to come –

including completion date targets• Implementation cannot be Officers,

Council and Committees alone

Consultation and Collaboration

• Strengthen and maintain links with other library organisations internationally e.g. IFLA, EBLIDA

• Strengthen and maintain links with cognate bodies in Ireland

• Identify and implement a series of research projects that address membership needs and the role of the profession in society

Web and Social Media

• Identify the best mechanism to manage the Association’s website and social media presence on an ongoing basis

• Investigate and identify an appropriate professional social media mechanism (e.g. LinkedIn) to improve communication and networking for members

• Collaborate with the Website Task Force, in particular to create a Procedures document to ensure a reliable relevant web presence

Publishing• Locate, record and digitise existing publications, with

an initial focus on the most recent decade, for access via the Association’s website

• Improve the presentation of Leabharlann-e

Members’ Events

• Develop a shared calendar of events• Assist members in the innovative use of ICT to make

material and expertise more accessible

Public Events

• Examine Library Ireland Week and other mechanisms to promote the potential of library and information services

Media

• Produce a code of conduct for liaison with the media• Develop a list of media contacts and establish a

mechanism for effective maintenance of same

So …

• The association is its members• We need your engagement–Both formulation and implementation

• Tell us what you need• Help us get there• Spread the word

Comments and Questions

[email protected]