Professional Societies

What does the ARA do?• “It represents the interests of the record-keeping

profession nationally in discussions with central and local government, with allied information professionals and with the archive user community.

• It sets standards of professional conduct including maintaining a professional register.

• It provides, monitors and develops training for present and future members of the profession.

• It promotes the exchange of expertise and experience among its members.

• It markets the skills of its members to potential employers”

• ARC Magazine • The Journal of the Archives and Records Association • Bulletin of employment opportunities most of which are not advertised in the national press.• ARA training events • ARA annual conference • Best Practice Guidelines• Registration Scheme and Conservation Training Scheme• Bursaries to attend training courses and international conferences are available to members.• Networking, networking, networking!

The foremost professional association for all those who work in or are concerned with records or information management

Also include organisations wishing to develop records or information systems and those that provide services in these fields

Launched in 1983, previously called the Records Management Society

Currently have over 1100 members from 30 countries

Who they are . . .

What are their aims?

To provide leadership in records and information management

To champion the status of this profession through representation, external liaison and promotion

To support professional development through sharing knowledge and expertise

To promote all aspects of good information and records management, including governance, assurance, security, sharing, compliance, rights and business continuity

What do they do?

Encourage high professional standards through close and regular contact with its own members and with related professions

Hold regular meetings for discussions or to hear guest speakers

Organise an annual conference for speeches, debates and networking

Publish the bi-monthly Records Management Bulletin containing comment, analysis, case studies and news from the UK and beyond

Produce information guides on issues such as records retention and information technology

Run training courses for members and non-members

Local Government Classification Retention Scheme

Joining the IRMS also gets you free access to the LGCRS database This database provides an online, web-based Records Retention

Reference Tool The legislation contained within it is kept up to date on an ongoing

basis Currently based on the Local Government Classification scheme,

which has been mapped to UK legislation and regulations, IPSV (Integrated Public Sector Vocabulary) and the LGSL (Local Government Service List)

The LGCRS is being reviewed by the LGCRS sub committee, an ongoing process and the database will be updated as this progresses

A professional membership organisation for everyone working in museums, galleries and heritage

The oldest museums association in the world, set up in 1889 to guard the interests of museums and galleries

Over 6,000 individual members, 600 institutional members and 250 corporate members

They are independently funded by their membership, which is made up of museum professionals, institutions and corporate members

Who they are…

What is advocacy for museums?

Definition: “the process whereby an organisation seeks to influence others in order to gain support for its mission, interests or course of action. In order to achieve this, networks of support are developed and used to lend credibility, wield influence and offer third-part endorsement”

Mainly considered and undertaken as a form of political communication

As well as a form of stakeholder communications

Spans a wide range of strategies, both general and specific, with tactics frequently involving data-gathering, evaluation, creating a compelling 'narrative' for the organisation and presenting this information through publications and meeting

Ethics Committee

The Museums Association help to set ethical standards through their ethics committee, which aims to create a culture in UK museums that embraces ethical practice

Develop and promote the understanding of ethical principles, practice and issues within the museum community

Provide confidential advice on specific issues in individual museums

Its members help with investigations in difficult cases

Created a ten point code of ethics, available at http://www.museumsassociation.org/ethics/code-of-ethics

Membership . . .

Types of membership are Individual, Institutional, Corporate & Sole Trader

Members get free entry (or discounts) at over 900 museums and galleries in the UK

Individual membership is £55 for unsalaried people and between £73 and £213 for people working in museums, depending on salary bracket

Gets you access to a weekly newsletter with news, comment, jobs, events and careers advice

As well as a copy of their monthly MP newsletter, with the latest museum practice, case studies and thinking from experts in the sector

Web Resources at http://www.museumsassociation.org

Very handy website, featuring a lot of resources for: Campaigning and

Policy Extensive careers and

events listings Help, advice and

funding for collections

“CILIP is the leading body representing the information professions. We believe in a literate, knowledgeable and connected society. We build the professionalism of our members by supporting the development of skills, knowledge and excellence. We provide unity through shared values and advocate on behalf of the information professions.”

• Professional Development• Career coaching, expert advice• Bursaries to attend events.• CILIP Update magazine• Access to a wide range of professional

journals• Special deals and discounts• Virtual Learning Environment• Networking, networking, networking

Central

East

North

North East

Tayside

West

CILIP UK

CILIP CYMRU WALES

CILIP IRELAND

• Academic and Research Libraries Group • Career Development Group • Cataloguing and Indexing Group• Commercial, Legal and Scientific• Community, Diversity and Equality • Government Information Group• Health Libraries Group • Information Literacy Group• Information Services Group

• International Library and Information Group• Library and Information History Group • Library and Information Research Group• Local Studies Group• Multimedia Information and Technology Group• Patent and Trademark Group• Personnel, Training and Education Group • Prison Libraries Group• Public and Mobile Libraries Group• Publicity and Public Relations Group • Rare Books and Special Collections Group • Retired Members Guild • School Libraries Group• UK eInformation Group• Youth Libraries Group

Why should I join a professional society?

• It looks good on your CV• It’s cheap whilst you’re a student• Training • Conferences• Jobs• Mentors• Knowledge about your profession • Networking, networking, networking

Sources http://www.archives.org.uk http://www.irms.org.uk http://www.museumsassociation.org http://www.cilip.org.uk http://thedisorderofbeings.wordpress.com/