Information Scotland

The Journal of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in Scotland

October 2005 Vol. 3 (5)

President's perspective

Culture and more.

Alastair Johnston is impressed by a website.

It is rare, in my experience, for a President’s Perspective to generate much workplace interest or discussion – not so the August piece. My purpose in raising the matter of chartership assessment delays was simply to flag up the fact that from the candidate’s perspective, as gathered from several meetings, concern was being expressed about applications not being acknowledged followed by months of little communication. The reason for the delay, whilst important for us as a professional body to identify and remedy, was not of primary concern to those left in the dark about the fate of their applications for chartership.
I am reassured, as I am sure members will be, by the Chief Executive’s response that “...all candidates were notified if assessment of their applications was subject to a delay beyond the normal four to six month assessment period declared in the handbooks.”

In terms of the wider subject of assessment, the general consensus amongst my corresponding members seems to be that some form of assessment panels based on the home nations might assist to speed the process and I will ensure that this suggestion is relayed to the appropriate desk.

“To no-one’s great surprise, the culture minister, Patricia Ferguson, yesterday consigned the proposals of the Cultural Commission to the dustbin of history...“ declared an editorial in the Scotsman, reporting the 22 September debate in the Scottish Parliament. That said, the Culture Minister stressed that Scotland’s 32 local authorities are seen as ‘key partners’ in the provision of cultural services. “Many councils are doing great things for culture, but I would like all councils to do the same,” she said.

Whilst James Boyle’s recommendations for the creation of Culture Scotland and the Culture Fund did not find favour it is to be hoped that many of the remaining 122 recommendations will be carefully considered and, wherever possible, implemented, particularly those that relate to public library standards and inspection; to supporting digital and media literacy including the sustainability of the People’s Network; to national funding for reading promotions which support literacy and reader development; and to the acquisition of Scottish materials by our public libraries. No doubt development work continues in the meeting rooms and offices of the Scottish Executive and it just might be that St Andrew’s Day 2005 will see the announcement of the way forward.

Within my own authority we have enjoyed a fantastic summer with more than 60,000 visitors to the Monet and the Impressionists exhibition in our Artists’ Town – Kirkcudbright. The exhibition was a joint venture between Glasgow City Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, and the Scottish Executive and attracted 50% more visitors than even the most optimistic estimate. It also proved, beyond a shadow of doubt, that given the right subject and the right marketing that rural Scotland can more than hold its own against the central belt venues which so dominated Scottish cultural activity. It will come as no surprise to learn that the Monet exhibition is but a step along the way to establishing an art gallery of international quality in Kirkcudbright and, given the visitor statistics from the past couple of months, we may not have too long to wait.

The Monet exhibition also proved something to me in terms of decentralising national resources. If you take a national collection, split it into manageable lots and then spread these sub-collections around Scotland on some kind of short-term loan or circulating basis, you will attract a very much larger number of users or visitors to your resources than would otherwise have been the case. This might be overly simplistic but somewhere in there is the germ of an idea which just might be one solution to ensuring that Scotland’s culture is seen to belong to all of Scotland’s people!

Talking of things national, the National Library of Scotland’s summer newsletter Quarto reports a hive of activity. From speed-dating to cookery demonstrations to visits by Prime Ministers and Culture Ministers. If you haven’t had the opportunity to peruse Quarto seek it out and find out how things are changing on George IV Bridge, the Upcoming Events column is particularly impressive.
It is not often that I am impressed by websites. It might even be truthfully recorded that, by and large, I prefer printed sources. I have been known to print web pages and read them at my leisure rather than read a screen.

I tell you this because I have been seriously impressed by a website. Somehow or other the subject of the site – the Home Reading Initiative, launched by Cathy Jamieson in August 2002, seems to have passed me by. It is designed to encourage parents and carers to share books with their children from a young age and brings together Reading Champions, teachers, librarians and anyone interested in children and what they read. There are even two Home Reading Initiative Co-ordinators, Lindsey Fraser and Kathryn Ross. The website is just one element of the Initiative. If you want to know more, try the website – just don’t fall over backwards when it talks to you!

A gentle reminder of the CILIP Tsunami Fund and the ongoing international work being undertaken by IFLA and others in Sri Lanka and now America. All branches and groups are being asked to respond to the appeal and I am sure that Scotland will not be found wanting in that regard. More information about our profession’s response to the Tsunami and the Tsunami Strategy

Information Scotland Vol. 3 (5) October 2005

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Last updated: 09-Dec-2005