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Professional qualifications and training, and CPD

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Professional qualifications and training, and CPD

CILIP qualifications

CILIP is the Chartered professional body for librarians and information professionals in the United Kingdom. Chartered Membership (MCLIP) is the first level of professional qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute. Most members gain Chartered Membership two or three years after gaining their professional qualification. The award of Chartered Membership is based on evidence of continuing professional development in practice, and on the ability to learn from experience.

The current application for Chartered Membership is made through submission of a two-part application. The first part is a form on which candidates must provide information about the knowledge and skills they have developed since gaining their information studies qualification. The second part is a portfolio of evidence of continuing professional development.

There are two routes to Chartered Membership:

• Route A: Completion of one year full-time equivalent work experience following a CILIP approved training & development programme supervised by a Chartered Member.
• Route B: Two year full-time equivalent work experience without direct supervision following a Personal Development Plan

The University of Cambridge has an institutional Route A training programme in place (available to download as a Word document) which covers libraries within the Cambridge University Departments, Faculties and Colleges.

A new 'Framework of Qualifications' is to be introduced by CILIP from March 2005:

• A new Certification Scheme will be available for Affiliated Members of CILIP (any person working in a post within a library or information service which does not require professional qualifications), leading to an award of ACLIP. ACLIP members will then be able to progress to the award of Chartered Membership (MCLIP)
• There will also be a new Revalidation Scheme for Chartered Members. The revalidation process will be voluntary and based on Continuous Professional Development (CPD). It is hoped that CILIP Members will be encouraged and supported to maintain and develop their professional knowledge and standing. Revalidation will be measured over a 3-year cycle
• The Revalidation Scheme will introduce an additional route to Fellowship of CILIP. It is likely that a minimum of 2 cycles of revalidation, coupled with demonstration of matching specified criteria, will be required to progress to Fellowship

For more information on the new framework, go to the CILIP website, and click on 'Qualifications', then on 'Framework of Qualifications' on the left hand side menu. For more information on categories of CILIP membership, click on 'Membership' on the same menu.

For further advice on the Chartership process, please contact Joanna Ball at ucam-lib-charter-request@lists.cam.ac.uk.

Email discussion list

Ucam-lib-charter is an email discussion list for staff in Cambridge libraries who are working towards MCLIP. It is intended as a forum for issues relating to the Chartership process, and for the circulation of information relating to training and library tours. To join the list, please send an email to ucam-lib-charter-request@lists.cam.ac.uk.

Links

For more information and application forms, see CILIP. Click on 'Qualifications and Chartership. Click on the 'Chartered Membership' link on the right hand side of the page. There are further links to the 'Handbook', 'Reading list', and 'Registration courses'. The Handbook provides information to support candidates as well as their supervisors.

The Career Development Group also provides advice and support for the Chartership process. Click on 'Chartership' on the main menu.

JISCMAIL is a mailing list service for the UK Higher and Further Education communities. LIS-CILIP-REG is a useful list for CILIP members working towards chartered status.

The Networking page of this website (access via Raven password) provides a list of volunteers willing to supervise chartership candidates in the University

CPD (Continuous Professional Development)

CILIP Click on 'Jobs and careers', then select 'Employment, pay and status'. Scroll down the page and select 'Negotiating for pay'. Scroll down this page and select 'Continuing Professional Development'.

The 'Turning Points Toolkit' has been designed for graduate Library and Information workers in reviewing their knowledge, skills, competencies, qualities and abilities at some 'Turning Point' in their career, for example when moving into management. It may also be valuable for use as an 'independent' review, perhaps every couple of years, of your achievements and professional development needs.

Section A is sent automatically to registered Chartership candidates, but can be sent to anyone else on request. Sections A and B are available from the Qualifications and Professional Department at CILIP; contact details are provided on CILIP's 'Continuing Professional Development' page, as above.

'The Framework for CPD' document has been designed to assist you to make plans for your continuous development and to record progress against those plans, in partnership with your employer. This is also available from the Qualifications and Professional Department at CILIP; contact details are provided on CILIP's 'Continuing Professional Development' page, as above.

Graduate trainees

Cambridge Trainee Librarians' Online Group (CATALOG) This site was established by the Cambridge graduate trainees of 2003 and is taken over by new trainees each year. They aim to ensure the website remains fresh, modern and relevant by constantly seeking to improve and develop the site. The site provides prospective applicants with "a feel for life as a trainee, a guide to living in Cambridge and essential links to libraries, qualifications and careers".

Library and Information Science Students and Prospective Students (LISSPS) This site is for current and prospective students on Library and Information Science courses. There is an electronic mailing list which anyone with an interest in Library and Information Science can join

Prospects.ac.uk is the official graduate careers website. Click on the 'Postgrad study' tab on the left hand side for more information

SCONUL Graduate Trainee Scheme Click on 'Graduate Trainee Scheme' on the left hand side menu. You will be given a further link to the CILIP webpage on'Library & Information Management Training Opportunities (incorporating the SCONUL Trainee Scheme)'

University of Cambridge Careers Service You have to register to use this site, but once logged on you can find useful information on careers in library and information work (find 'Careers Sectors' and select 'Librarianship and Information Work'), including details of relevant courses. The Careers Service runs briefings on the profession, see their Diary. In addition to this online information, there is more available in hard-copy in the Careers Service building itself

LIS (Library and Information Studies) courses

CILIP list of all part-time, full-time and distance learning LIS courses Click on 'Qualifications and Chartership', then select 'Courses in library and information studies accredited by CILIP' from the right-hand side section of the page.

Other useful links:

Aberystwyth Support Group If you are currently studying, or thinking about studying Librarianship via distance learning at Aberystwyth, or have studied there in the past, you may like to join others who are in the same situation as yourself for occasional meetings.

UK Libraries Plus Co-operation between higher education libraries, making it easier for students and staff to use libraries conveniently near to home or work - with no admission fee.

Vocational training

City & Guilds Award in Library & Information Services (ALIS) 7371, Level 3 Contact Colin Clarkson, Training Officer at the University Library, for more information about participating in this course; it is run every other year and and the next course will begin in September 2006. The closing date for applications is Friday 11th August 2006, please download this PDF for more information before applying.

Personnel Division Click on 'Job Opportunities' to find information on 'Temporary Work', 'Young Employees' and 'Work Experience in the University'.

Society of Archivists Click on 'Career Development' from the menu bar, then click on the 'Starting out' and 'Training' links.

Staff Development Click on 'Development Opportunities' for information on vocational training opportunities within the University.

Annual Libraries Training Day. The first Libraries Training Day was held in June 2007.