Presentation on value of professional associations to MMU Library & Information students Nov 2012

2. Professional
organisations for fun
and profit
Bethan Ruddock, Content Development Officer, Library & Archival Services,
Mimas
MMU 21/11/12
mimas.ac.uk

3. Who am I?
Bethan Ruddock, MCLIP
@bethanar
2006-7 Graduate Trainee,
University of Manchester Library
2007-8 MA Library and Information
Studies, MMU
2008-current Library & Archival
Services, Mimas
Member of CILIP Future Skills Panel
& SLA Europe Board
mimas.ac.uk

4. What are professional
organisations?
Membership bodies
Affiliated to a profession
May have a Charter
May qualify or register
practitioners
May be a charity
mimas.ac.uk
Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/birminghammag/7982273622/

5. What can they do for you?
A professional organisation will do most or all of the following:
• Run events/conferences/training courses
• And provide awards/bursaries to attend them
• Provide opportunities for networking
• Provide opportunities for structured professional development
• Provide chances for a mentoring or peer support program
• Publish journals/magazines/newsletters/blogs
• Have committees, staffed by members
• Provide careers advice & employment support – throughout
your career
• Provide access to resources such as journals, databases, web-
based training
mimas.ac.uk

6. What can they do for you?
All of these offer you chances to:
• Get involved
• Develop skills
• Get experience
} that you can’t get at work
• Make contacts
• Contribute to developments
• Help develop others
• Broaden your perspective
• Build your profile
mimas.ac.uk
Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/screenpunk/3474867233/

7. What can they do for the
profession?
Professional organisations will:
• Set standards
• Develop guidelines
• Advocate for the profession
• Lobby decision makers
• Provide ethical guidelines
• Develop the profession
• Provide support and guidance for
practitioners
mimas.ac.uk
Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/christian_johannesen/2828051271/

8. What can you do for a professional
organisation?
• Join!
• ‘A strong membership is necessary for
organisations to have a strong voice’
(Fiona Bradley, IFLA)
• Advocate the value of the body
• Get involved – offer time and talents
• Provide feedback
• Support other members
mimas.ac.uk
Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/6220572487/

9. Professional organisations

10. Membership fees
Student membership fees, 2012/13:
CILIP: £38
Special Libraries Association: $40 (about £26)
ARA: £12
ISKO: €15 (about £12) = £117.50
BIALL: £8.50
ALA: $33 (about £21)
Aslib: FREE (under MMU’s membership)
IFLA: FREE (with membership of an affiliated
organisation)
mimas.ac.uk

11. How to find the right organisation for
you?
• Join!
• Try them out while they’re cheap
• Find out about them
• Read website & publications (where
available – try the library)
• Talk to members
• Read blog posts
• Look at conference programs
• What are other people in your
sector/desired sector members of?
mimas.ac.uk
Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowafarmbureau/4155240059/

12. What if you can’t find the right
organisation for you?
• Think about creating your own!
• Find like-minded people
• Build your CV
• Make a difference!
mimas.ac.uk

13. Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/theilluminated/5386099858/
Bethan Ruddock
bethan.ruddock@manchester.ac.uk
@bethanar
www.lisnewprofs.com
21/11/2012 13