September 2007

East Midlands
Division
newsletter
Inside this issue:
A Welcome From the Committee
It’s going to be a very exciting still growing, and the number of
The ACLIP 2
Experience autumn! We’re looking forward to people willing to get involved is
a jam-packed and high-profile great to see - whether sharing
Tour of the “Managing Your Career” day, with ideas at committee meetings, writ-
British Geological 3
Survey some of the most well-respected ing for the newsletter, organising
professionals in the region coming our events, or networking at our
Chartership 3 to Kettering (where else?!) to socials. So if you’ve not yet
Workshop
inspire and motivate us (see page thought about how much you could
Managing Your 4 4 for more details). We’re also get out of your CDG membership,
Career Day planning some great social events, now is the time. We look forward to
Defining a including our first Christmas social meeting you soon! The Committee
4
Moving Target for a long time! The committee is

Diary Dates
Next Meeting Christmas Social and
Tue 9 Oct, Chesterfield Library, S40 committee meeting
1QN. 2:30 - 4:30pm. Free to attend. Fri 14 Dec, Nottingham - venue
Email paul.tovell@nottscc.gov.uk for TBA, 4pm start. Meeting free to
more information. attend, but the meal isn’t included!
More information soon.
Managing Your Career Day
If you want to get in- (see page 4)
Workshops
volved in the CDG com- Tue 6 Nov, Corn Market Hall,
Kettering, Northants NN15 7QA. 10 - November - Certification
mittee, please contact
Paul Tovell (paul.tovell@ 4:15pm. Cost £17.63 for the day (for January 2008 - Chartership
nottscc.gov.uk) or CDG members). Email eliza-
Dates and venues TBC
beth.guildford@nottscc.gov.uk for
Liz Guildford
more information. Kettering is easily
(elizabeth.guildford accessible by train from Sheffield,
@nottscc.gov.uk). Nottingham and London St Pancras
Feel free to turn up at (Midland Mainline). By road it is cen- Details of all our events are circu-
our meetings and see trally located, close to the A14, M1 lated on the EMCDG mailing list. If
what we do! and M6. Kettering Corn Market Hall you would like to receive these
is 5 minutes from Kettering Station circular emails, send an email to
and next to the main town car park. paul.tovell@nottscc.gov.uk.
I work at Sutton in Ashfield
library as a library assistant. In
2006, all library assistants here
The ACLIP Experience - Two Viewpoints
were able to apply for ACLIP.
This is a qualification which recognises the ability to
demonstrate knowledge of the library service. I was
fortunate enough to be chosen for the first group in
Nottinghamshire to apply for ACLIP and was
successful in gaining this qualification.
The first step was to become a member of CILIP, then
to read the Certification handbook to find out just what
was required for my portfolio. I went back to the
handbook many times whilst I was building my portfo-
lio to ensure that I was meeting the criteria that were
needed. I attended all the internal training courses
that were specifically set up for our group of CILIP
candidates, and also attended other CILIP courses
which I thought were useful. I volunteered for any
events or activities at Sutton library that would give
me more experience and information for my portfolio.
One piece of advice I was given was to write notes
after each training course or event whilst
it was still fresh in my mind. Another “this was
useful tip is to find a mentor and have regular
meetings. I found these meetings invaluable as my
mentor offered helpful support and advice.
The first assignment was a CV. I found this was a
gentle start to the portfolio. Then it was a Personal
Development Plan which needed to show the impor-
tance of my continuous professional development.
The Personal Statement was the last part and the
hardest for me. This had to show how the training I
had done related to outcomes and applications in the
workplace. Included in this was a 500-word summary.
Then it was time to put everything together: all the
evidence, a supporting letter from my mentor and a
contents page, and finally printing off 3 copies. Then
off it went in the post with fingers and toes crossed.
I can honestly say I enjoyed all of it and would encour-
age others to go for it if they have the chance. Now I
have my ACLIP, I’m hoping to eventually
aim for Chartership. Sandra Johnson

about me, just

When I first heard that I had gained a the living room floor and dining room
place on Nottinghamshire Libraries’ me: what I table! But whatever you decide to include,
ACLIP support programme, I was both make sure that it is relevant and meets the
excited and apprehensive. Although I
have achieved, assessment criteria. I found that a quick
am a strong believer in lifelong learning, check in the Certification Handbook was
and who and helpful, and remember not to forget the
having over the years completed evening
document about the aims and objectives of
classes, courses, and an Open University what your organisation.
degree, I soon realised that ACLIP was
going to be a very different experience. I had never
had a ‘proper’ CV for example, let alone produced a Another important aspect of ACLIP is the ability to
portfolio! evaluate your own work and not just provide descrip-
tions. I found this particularly challenging as I had not
However, the help and guidance given at the ACLIP really had much experience of this. However, I had the
support sessions went some way to easing my con- good fortune to find an excellent mentor who was kind
cerns about what my CV actually ought to look like, but firm and helped me when I got bogged down. I found
what sort of evidence should go into my portfolio, myself re-writing my summary, changing it again and then
and understanding the all-important assessment re-writing it! My mentor read through my work and set
criteria! We joined with Nottinghamshire’s newly- me some tasks, which I found helped me to focus more.
appointed professional staff programme for courses After a couple of meetings, I was able to complete my
ranging from Reader Development to Libraries in portfolio. Although you don’t have to have a mentor for
st
the 21 Century, which I found very useful as I ACLIP, I would recommend anyone thinking about
gained a better understanding of my role and the certification to find one, if only to look at your finished
part that my library plays in providing a service. portfolio structure to check that your contents page,
The support sessions were also a great opportunity cross references, and appendix all work!
to network with other colleagues and to discover
that I wasn’t the only one keeping a ‘mountain’ of Until ACLIP, I had never really sat down and thought
documents, e-mails, and minutes of meetings just in about my own personal development. I hadn’t thought
case! It is a good idea though to start to think much about what I have achieved or what I want to
about what you want to include in your portfolio as achieve, but now I think this is actually very important!
soon as possible, and save any relevant documents When I received my ACLIP certificate through the post, I
that you feel might meet the assessment criteria. felt really pleased with myself because I knew that this
Once you start putting your portfolio together, you was about me, just me: what I have achieved, and who
can be more selective. This is easier said and what I am! I now have a better understanding of my
than done: mine covered the whole of strengths and weaknesses, and what I want to do in the
Page 2 future. Sharon Wells
 available for information service
Tour of the British Geological Survey users. Some of these resources
are online at:
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/Data where
you can view thousands of
photographs and also delve into
GeoIndex, a map-based index of
information gathered by the BGS.
If you have more of a leisure
interest, the Britain beneath our
feet site is worth a look:
http://www.bgs.ac.uk/
britainbeneath

The tour included viewings of

The tour reaches the library, where a big display of objects from the BGS collection awaits
On 24th May the division’s tour of
the British Geological Survey (BGS)
at Keyworth took place. CDG
members from all over the country
took the opportunity to view some
of the prehistoric relics, geological
maps, and of course the library, and
gain insight into the work of the
BGS.
The BGS is the world's longest-
established national geological
survey, and the United Kingdom's
premier centre for earth science
information and expertise. The tour
enabled those previously ignorant of
the role of the BGS (self included!)
to have a better understanding of
the wealth of information and help
boreholes obtained by the BGS,
hand-written notes taken by
geologists and (possibly the best
bit) a visit to the huge fossil
collections held here, where we
were given a wonderfully
informative and entertaining guide
through the prehistoric era and
also information to help us
(briefly!) understand the earth’s
formation and the evolutionary
process.
It’s not every day you can come
home from work and say “I saw a
pterodactyl today!”
Liz Guildford
Chair and CSO - East Midlands

Chartership Workshop, Leicester COUR

Another of our successful
Framework of Qualifications
courses took place this month at
the MLA East Midlands building
in Leicester. 17 delegates
attended to gain an in-depth
guide to the Chartering process.
Kath Owen, Chartership board
member and Principal Librarian
for West Nottinghamshire, was
available for the day, giving
everyone the chance not only to
listen to her brilliant presentation
but also to pick her brains on the
nitty-gritty of the Chartership
process. Liz Guildford, the
Candidate Support Officer for
our region, also gave an
enlightening talk about where
you can find support and help
S
while going through the process. R EP O E
Delegates could also take time to
RT
do a number of exercises to help
focus minds, something we rarely
practical exercises and also the
take the time to do, and hopefully
fact that the speakers were very
get a good grounding for making a
approachable and enthusiastic.”
start on their portfolios.
“Excellent, detailed information
Comments included:
from very friendly and helpful
trainers.”
“Encouragement and support.
Liz Guildford
Thank you!”
“Exercises - very beneficial getting We run several sessions like this
ideas from other participants.” every year - see page 1 for details.
If you need any help or advice with
“Good contacts, helpful speakers.” your chartership or certification
application, you can email Liz at
“Group was ideal- not too big or elizabeth.guildford@
too small. I particularly liked the nottscc.gov.uk
Page 3
Managing Your Career Day, Kettering, Tue 6th November
Are you thinking about the next rung Rowena Macrae-Gibson, CDG mean that this will be a very popular
on the ladder? Do you want ideas President and Assistant Librarian, LSE event, so book early to avoid
on how you could further your ca- Maria Cotera, CDG Hon. International disappointment! To book, email
reer? Would you like to meet ex- Officer and Cataloguer, UCL elizabeth.guildford@nottscc.gov.uk.
perienced professionals to help you Kathryn Blackley, Recruitment Please let us have any special dietary
decide? Then this is the event for Consultant, TFPL requirements, contact details and
you! Kath Owen, Chartership Board Member workplace info, and payment
and Principal Librarian, West (cheques payable to East Midlands
EMCDG and EMBoC have put to- Nottinghamshire Career Development Group) on
gether an exciting programme of Amanda Poulton, Academic Team booking.
speakers from public, academic and Manager: Learning and Skills Development,
special libraries, plus interview and De Montfort University Artsline Access Code: W
CV writing advice, and a panel session Janet Fileman, Library Team Leader,
to get those questions off your chest. British Geological Survey This event is jointly hosted by the
Some of our confirmed speakers are: East Midlands Career Development
So it looks to be a very full and exciting Group and the East Midlands Branch
Grace Kempster, OBE, Library day! What’s more, lunch is provided, so of CILIP. See page 1 for more
Service Manager, Northamptonshire we can’t say fairer than that. But it does details.
Libraries and Information Service
knowledge and skills required to
Defining a moving target integrate the repository with exist-
ing technical systems and cultural
practices within the institution.
Libraries continually evolve and a member,
adapt and likewise the roles of infor- is based at So, in some cases the exact
mation professionals also evolve. the University of Nottingham. With the requirements for a repository
Less often, however, do entirely growing number of repositories, we are manager will depend on specific
new positions develop. But with frequently asked for examples of job institutional needs. Hence the
Open Access (OA) and the develop- descriptions for repository managers actual skills set possessed by
ment of OA repositories, that is and other positions associated with a repository managers can vary con-
exactly what is happening today in repository. We felt there was a need siderably between institutions.
research organisations worldwide. to develop a generic list of common
repository roles listing the skills Rather than develop a job descrip-
Open Access is a movement essential to developing and managing tion for a particular repository posi-
designed to make research more a repository. tion, I decided to identify the com-
readily available by making it free of mon repository positions and the
charge and online. Putting a copy I contacted the UK repository commu- entire skills set needed to develop
of a research article, report, or nity for their ideas on this issue and for and manage an institutional reposi-
thesis etc. in an online repository isexamples of past job descriptions. tory. The outcome of this work has
one method of achieving OA The level of interest in this idea was been compiled into the Repository
(further info: http://www.sherpa. quite surprising and soon I learned Staff and Skills document which is
ac.uk/guidance/authors.html). why no one had done it before: it was available from the SHERPA
very difficult! website: (http://www.sherpa.
Many research institutions in the UK ac.uk/news/Aug2007-01.htm).
are developing repositories. These Repositories in the strictest sense pro-
repositories are typically based in vide access to the full text of research So far, the response to the docu-
the institution’s library. However, articles, reports etc. However, with ment has been very positive, with
the knowledge and skills required to some thought and ingenuity, reposito- interest being expressed from as
develop and manage a repository ries can serve other purposes as well. far afield as Australia. The skills
are highly specialised and not One common use for repositories is as set, like the library world, will doubt-
automatically found among existing a publications database to assist in less continue to evolve and I
library staff. RAE exercises. These repositories welcome your comments and sug-
include records for all publications by a gestions to improve this document.
SHERPA is a partnership of 33 research institution even if the full-text Contact me at: Mary.Robinson@
institutions involved in the develop- cannot be made available for copyright nottingham.ac.uk.
ment of repositories in the UK. The or other reasons. As the remit of a
core SHERPA team, of which I am repository is expanded, so too are the Mary Robinson, SHERPA European
Development Officer
The Career Development Group is a special interest group of CILIP, The Chartered Institute of Library & Page 4
Information Professionals. Registered Charity Number 313014.