Before we look at Chartership – what is

CILIP’s Framework of Qualifications?

“They are the only professional qualifications in library and information work in the UK. . . . .

. . . . and they are recognised globally.”

They are only available to . . . .

Members of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals

- there are 3 categories -

• Certification – ACLIP • Chartership – MCLIP the Gold Standard • Fellowship – FCLIP

The route to Chartership after certified Affiliate (ACLIP) status, you may decide to progress further . . .

• You will need to be a library and/or information worker for at least two years (full-time equivalent) before submitting an application for Chartered Membership.

• During this time you can register as a Chartership candidate, but you will have to become an Associate Member before you can submit your Chartership portfolio (this may mean a change in your subscription rate).

• You and your mentor will need to develop your Personal Professional Development Plan (PPDP) based on your own situation.

• Your Certification PDP can be used as the basis of this, but you will need to review, revise and further develop it during the period leading up to your Chartership submission.

• Information on formal education courses and other training activities, that will help with your personal development, are available on the CILIP website: www.cilip.org.uk/training

So, let’s review that . . .

When you apply for Chartered Membership you must be a current Associate Member.

Complete and submit the Registration Form to Qualifications & Professional Development, CILIP, 7 Ridgmount St. London WC1E 7AE.

Find a mentor, work with him/her and then submit your Personal Professional Development Plan (PPDP) within six months of registering.

Your plan will cover 1 to 2 years of professional development - (depending upon whether you are a Pathway 1 or 2 candidate - details to follow . . . .)

Attend a portfolio building course arranged by your local Career Development Group.

Put together your portfolio and write a covering statement, with the guidance of your mentor, referring to the assessment form used by the Chartership Board.

Once you are ready to submit your application complete the submission form and send your portfolio to Qualifications and Professional Development, at CILIP H.Q.

From sending in a portfolio to becoming a Chartered Member can take between two to six months, and sometimes longer . .

Am I eligible? You may register to Charter if you have:

Pathway 1 . . .

• a CILIP accredited library and information degree or postgraduate qualification

Pathway 2 . . .

• ACLIP Certification and sufficient professional level experience

• an overseas library and information qualification accepted by CILIP

• a non-accredited library and information qualification assessed at Scottish Qualifications Framework Level 10, or England, Wales and Northern Ireland Level HE4 and above.

I was an extraordinary candidate!

a non-accredited degree level qualification and substantial professional experience (known as Extraordinary Chartership Candidates)

Submitting the Chartership portfolio the process – (part 1)

YOU . . . .

Agree with your mentor that the portfolio is ready to be submitted –

Call CILIP HQ for an RS form –

Send in your portfolio – (in triplicate: 3 printed copies or 2 printed & 1 electronic) with RS form and £50 fee

THEY . . . .

Send copies of your portfolio to a pair of assessors – (If an assessor knows the candidate he/she must return the portfolio,

which is then sent to another assessor)

Assess the portfolio individually, then discuss together -

Submitting the Chartership portfolio the process – (part 2)

Registering as Chartered MemberThe newly Chartered Member is added to CILIP's register and receives a

certificate produced by professional calligraphers - £20 in 2007

If they reject - the application is sent to a second pair (they do not see the original assessment) or the candidate is asked for more information - or invited to attend an interview.

If they accept - the portfolio is officially accepted at the next available Board Meeting. The candidate is informed by post and invited to register as a Chartered Member of CILIP

If the second pair rejects . . . A decision is formally agreed at the next Chartership Board. Candidate is informed by post and given feedback to support future resubmission.

If the second pair accepts (split decision)Portfolio is seen by whole Board and discussed at the next Board Meeting. They may: reject, accept, or ask for more information . . . .

Chartership – the criteria • •an ability to reflect critically on personal performance

and to evaluate service performance

• active commitment to continuing professional development

• an ability to analyse development and progression

(with reference to experiential and developmental activities)

• breadth of professional knowledge & understanding

of the wider professional context

So how do you get started?

• keep a record and keep everything• use a diary, loose leaf binder, online tool - or even a shoe box (!)•think about evidence . . . •be ruthless

•complete a skills audit• be organised and plan your training • allow plenty of time

Choosing a mentor . . .

• Preferably not your line manager

• Look outside your organisation

• Arrange a first meeting

• Agree a simple contract: duration & parameters

• Write your PPDP together

What Is a Development Plan?A plan which identifies:

• skill & knowledge needs• action to be taken to meet these• outcome required• people required to take this action• timescale/target date• review date and outcomes achieved

Why Is a Development Plan Needed?• to help you take control of your development, keep

yourself on track and reflect on outcomes

• to inform CPD planning (e.g. for appraisal, negotiation with employer…), identifying priorities, costs, timescale etc

• to act as a “route map” – to help you work out how to get from where you are to where you want to be

• because the regulations say so!

Training and development need

Proposed action Anticipated outcome

Expected timescale

Organising, running and evaluating events

Talk to colleagues; Practical experience of running events

Be able to organise and run events

Sep 2010 – Jan 2011

Indicate how you will develop your participation within the profession e.g. through Branch and Group memberships, professional reading (including e-reading) and other activities

Attend CILIP events; read Update, Gazette, Communities;Attend special interest group meetings, including CDG

Why do we need portfolios?

•For gathering and presenting evidence

• To aid evaluation and reflection

• For appraisal, career change

• To demonstrate

•Professional judgement

and - because they’re essential to the Framework of Qualifications too !

Your portfolio is meant to

Give clear evidence of your professional development, which includes . . .

– demonstrating your ability to select relevant information

– reflecting objectively on your own performance and that of your employer

– communicating effectively

Consider the contents

Select everything that goes into your portfolio very carefully

So, what must it contain?

•A contents table•CV•PPDP•Personal evaluative statement (1,000 words)•Aims and objectives of organisation•Structure chart•Evidence of participation in a mentor scheme

but also . . . . . • certificates

• staff development reviews/evaluations

• contributions to the professional press

• project briefs / reports / surveys

• active membership of professional networks

• training delivered (and/or attended) • list of visits

•bibliography

and even perhaps . . . . •evidence of work-based learning

•responses to enquiries from users/colleagues

•publicity you have created

•lett ers/memos

•testimonies/observations

•relevant out of work experiences

•case studies

• web pages

• audio visual material

•photographs, multimedia

Don’t ignore presentation

You should submit in triplicate, clearly identified, accompanied by an application form and the submission fee

Use big enough files/folders – divided into clearly marked sections

Type everything - using 12 point type

Do not use sticky notes

Do not use acronyms or abbreviations without explaining

Do

Present your evidence logically and cross-reference where appropriate

Clearly label each piece of evidence with its reference number

Add explanatory notes (if helpful)

DoEvaluate your training . . .

Who decided that you needed this training? Why?

Could you use your new skills straight away or was it more relevant to your future career development?

Did you actually use your new skills?

Do

keep a training log– Date– Title– Reason for attending– Course contents and expected outcomes

– At a later date, describe how/if you used the training - give an example if possible

Do

• evaluate your employer

– Don’t just describe the library and its services

– Outline a specific service/event/incident and evaluate its impact on users/staff/yourself

* evaluations, not descriptions *

the STAR evaluative technique

• Situation– the background

• Task– the problem

• Action– what you did to resolve it

• Result– what happened

STAR example• Situation

• Little use of expensive periodicals

• Task• Increase periodical use

• Action• Monitored periodical use with tick-sheets on covers and

a brief questionnaire. Used this information to cancel some subscriptions and open new ones

• Result• Periodical use increased• Positive feedback from users

(PS - what did you learn?)

How can I tell if I’m evaluating?

•if you are not describing

• if you have measured your effectiveness

• if you can demonstrate how you have put into practice

what you have learned

• if you are asking questions (and answering them)

The reflective practitioner:

•What have you achieved?

•What have you learned?

•Where are you going?

What do you need to get there?

Finally, remember to . . .

Pay attention to detail

Attribute any collaborative work and indicate your own intellectual contribution

Address the Chartershipcriteria

Summary

• Good presentation

• Less is more

• Be selective

• Evaluate, don’t describe

• Use your mentor

With acknowledgment & thanks to . . .

Michael Martin & Margaret ChapmanCILIP Qualifications & Professional Development

Dr Miranda MortonCILIP Chartership Board member

Margaret Watson – ‘Building Your Portfolio’ Facet, London, 2008

Any Questions ?

Pat Duxbury

p/t Business Information Librarian University of Glamorgan Treforest, Rhondda Cynon Taf

pduxbury@glam.ac.uk

CSO for South Wales (CDG – Wales)

http://www.cilip.org.uk/qualificationschartership/charteredmem/chartership.htm