Information Scotland The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland ISSN 1743-5471 Issue contents | Journal contents | About the online edition of the journal August 2003 Volume 1 (4)

President's perspective

A near miss in Moray

A quiet spell gives Alistair Campbell time to reflect on the possible demise of the SVQ, and ends in news of near-disaster in Moray.

A quiet two months for the President gave an opportunity to recover from the delights of Peebles, with only a visit to Glasgow for the opening of the excellent Springburn Library pulling me away from Moray on library business.

It's terrific to see what is beginning to be achieved in Glasgow under Karen Cunningham and her team. And while others might envy the amounts of money secured by Glasgow for new or upgraded libraries, we cannot ignore the underlying transferable key principles and good practice that ensure libraries involve and are relevant to their communities - attractive buildings, in the right place, in association with other key services, with welcoming environments and skilled and committed staff.

But let's not forget, given its low usage starting base, that Glasgow has a long, but determined road ahead, as indeed have all library services. Across Scotland only a handful of authorities, at most, persuade more than 30% of their population to borrow books. People's Network terminals are being intensively used, but only by a relatively small percentage of the community and the uptake of the excellent NOF residue reference services has not been earth shattering. Nonetheless, we shouldn't be despondent. Rather we should try and raise our profile locally, regionally and nationally.

A week's break in Perthshire took in some of Scotland's most beautiful scenery, even in the rain! Pitlochry gave us an opportunity for the President's entourage, yours truly drookit, wife and child to hit the shops, try out eating places, look at books, lap up information and buy some cards. In short, have an enjoyable, stimulating and rewarding time, not unlike the type of expectations our customers/students have when visiting our libraries.

And yet that visit to Pitlochry was so unsatisfactory, the high spots eventually laid low by the persistent lack of good customer care. How many times did our attempts to be served inconvenience shop staff who so obviously resented their long and personal conversations at the counter being interrupted. Haste ye back! Will ye no come back again? Not a chance!

Tourism is one of Scotland's key industries. Libraries are key components in national priorities involving lifelong learning and social inclusion. At least in libraries we deliver customer focused services, have informed staff, adopt customer service standards and pursue a genuine commitment to appropriate staff development. Don't we?

This commitment to staff development and the achievement of a qualification and career for all staff have been made more difficult by the apparent decision of the SQA to withdraw SVQs in Information and Library Services. One can almost sympathise with where they are coming from given the poor take-up of the qualification in recent years. But recent years have presented their own special challenges for all library sectors: reduced funding; new and flatter structures; accelerating use of new technology; the People's Network.

For the first time in years services have sufficient breathing space to be serious about SVQs, using them as sensible qualifications based round organisational and service activities and in encouraging a genuine culture of lifelong learning. All we require from the SQA is the opportunity to show that there is a demand and, despite the initial, significant effort for services in securing SQA approval, that we are committed to making the qualifications available to our staff. If we fail to change their minds then appropriate alternative qualifications must be secured, hence the need for an effective Scottish dimension to the excellent work being done by Margaret Watson, CILIP President, in developing meaningful routes.

Packing for our return to Elgin was interrupted by the news that Grant Lodge Local Heritage Centre, containing Moray's local collection and archives, was hit by fire. Our emergency disaster plan was immediately put into action, staff and volunteers called in to help and our Chief Executive rolling up his sleeves to do his share of salvaging.

As we headed home, my concerns were about the Georgian building, scene of the last clan uprising in Scotland in 1820, the town's library from 1902 to 1996 and more telling for the collections - a comprehensive and unique record of Moray, not just books, photographs, maps and plans, unpublished works etc, but the material for where we live, the material that gives our community that sense of place and pride that influences their lives in so many subtle ways. Would our nationally important collections of architects' plans survive? Skibo Castle, Talisker Distillery, Glenlivet, Glenfarclas, up in smoke?

Thankfully the building sufferd only limited damage, the bulk of the collections were saved, but somewhat smoky, some archival material lost, a proportion damaged by water and already starting the slow process of recuperation. The building is being vacated and will be restored and upgraded. Alternative premises for storage and to ensure a public service are being arranged. Bad though it was, the disaster could have been so much worse.

The expressions of concern and offers of assistance from colleagues have been almost overwhelming and so much appreciated, reminding us of the strength of the professional community in Scotland in its willingness to work together. The genuine concerns of the community for their building, their material and their routes remind us also of how privileged we are, as librarians, to lie at the heart of the community, past, present and future.

Information Scotland Vol. 1 (4) August 2003

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