REGISTRATION OF LIBRARIANS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27277, 18 February 1954, Page 10

REGISTRATION OF LIBRARIANS

REMIT- TO DOMINION ASSOCIATION CANTERBURY BRANCH’S OPPOSITION Opposition to the proposed registration of librarians was expressed by members of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Library Association at the annual meeting last evening, when a remit that will be considered nt the next conference of the association was discussed. The new chairman (Mr R. N. O’Reilly), one of the drafters of the remit, described it as a consolidation of the status of librarians by definite designation of professional standing. Mrs S. Shea said that the register of librarians was impracticable at present, and would do more harm than good. It would be profitable in the future.

Miss M. Kennedy said that although there was a good principle behind the proposal, it had to be borne in mind tnat in Christchurch there were many suburban libraries staffed by voluntary workers who would like to be linked as librarians in Auckland and Dunedin were.

Mr G. J. McArthur said he shared the distrust expressed by Mrs Shea of such self-elected professional and chartered bodies. The closing of doors xvas a definite danger to the average librarian. He was not speaking against the desire to -create a profession, but against the establishment of it without giving co-workers a chance to improve their standards. “The action proposed at the coming conference is not irrevocable,” said Mr C. W. Collins. “In some ways it Would be a pity to throw out such a scheme without seeing what its ideas would be.”

Mr O’Reilly said that as a drafter of the scheme he felt the importance of it was that librarians had certain qualifications which had to serve as those of a professional man, but which few persons were confident were professional qualifications. People without the “qualifications” were doubtless just as good as what were called professional librarians, but it was better that a person should* be qualified so that the standard could be improved. The present qualifications of librarians lacked the character of apprenticeship which any trainee in the host of articulated walks of life had to undergo to prove his or her aptitude for the real thing. Professional librarianship was more than working in a library, and the capability- of a librarian could be truly measured only if the person concerned was professional. Semiprofessionals were not satisfactory. When Miss Kennedy asked whether the committee had sufficient evidence to shoxv that enough persons could be found to fill such a register. Mr O'Reilly said he knew of at least 350 names that would qualify. There were enough to fill all professional vacancies and enough to create a pool of those with interneship who would wait for professional status. “I feel you are confusing the word ‘qualified’ with the word ‘registered.’ ” said Mr Shea. “They are not synonymous. The qualifications are there to be gained, whether you are registered or not. You have a good idea, but the fact remains that we are not registered overseas although we claim we have high standards.” A motion was carried opposing the remit that a registration system be promulgated.