Challenges for the future / summarised by Stephen Gregory

 

Stephen Gregory is currently Honorary Secretary of GIG and works as a library team leader at Welsh Government.

 

Challenges for the future

 

At the GIG 2020 AGM David Smith (Deputy Director, Knowledge and Information Management at the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government and also GKIM Head of Profession) outlined his view on the challenges that face the GKIM profession in the year ahead.  We were also delighted that Nick Poole (CILIP CEO) was able to talk about CILIP priorities in and beyond 2021. In this posting Stephen Gregory summarises these presentations.

 

Challenges for GKIM

David grouped his talk under three themes: agility, trustworthiness and collegiality.

 

Agility. We are living in fast changing times, and as professionals we need to be agile in order to respond to these. David suggested particular focus on:

• data protection - including EU Exit issues;

• COVID-19 with challenges of staff re-deployment, information advice, and the prospect of an inquiry into how governments have responded to the pandemic;  and

• new ways of working (remote working, decentralisation – the move away from London and the South-East), and continuing technological developments - “platform firestorms”.

 

Trustworthiness. Our professional standing and profile is vital and increasingly recognised as such. David argued that this is demonstrated through GKIM professional sign-off for Inquiry witness statements, evidence bundles for information tribunals, etc. Professionalism is recognised and the CILIP Ethical Framework and Code of Professional Conduct are an important part of this. The wider public also recognise and appreciate our trustworthiness. In a YouGov survey (19-22 Jan 2018) 46% of participants felt that librarians would provide trustworthy information, compared with 6% for journalists or 2% for politicians. In the IPSOS Mori Veracity Index 2019 civil servants scored 65%, while government ministers score just 17%. But to be totally trustworthy we need to increase our diversity and inclusivity in order to truly reflect the populations that we serve.

 

Collegiality. Possible good news … the Senior Civil Service is considering professional frameworks and the role of professional accreditation. If adopted this could mean wider rollout across the UK civil service. Professional qualification recognition would be a significant development, but faces new challenges when it comes to GKIM candidates selecting the Knowledge Management or conventional CILIP Chartership routes. The KM route may not neatly match GKIM roles with large deficits in “using and exploiting knowledge and information” and “information governance and compliance”. (see this extract of the PKSB for the KM Charter). Government professionals are increasingly being encouraged to cluster. GKIM will cluster with DDaT (Digital, Data and Technology) profession. David noted that clustering arrangements are “aligned with” and not “controlled by” / “part of”. We also work within a vibrant “network of networks” including NGLIS (Network of Government Library and Information Specialists), CDL (Committee of Departmental Librarians), ADRO (Association of Departmental Records Officers) and initiatives such as the GKIM Profession pages on Knowledge Hub. GIG also features here too! In a working environment increasingly characterised by remote / flexible working, this network of networks will be of continuing value and relevance.

 

Challenges for CILIP

There were some common themes and priorities within Nick’s presentation when compared with David’s view. “Facts Matter” and CILIP’s advocacy for evidence informed policy, chime strongly with the growing recognition and role of KIM professionals in government. CILIP also has strong ambition to support and encourage a diverse and inclusive workforce with similarities seen in the UK Civil Service and in GKIM. CILIP also seeks to better accommodate and embrace the needs of data, digital and information governance professionals, areas that are growing in significance for GKIM. There appeared to be just one point of divergence in themes and priorities. CILIP will rightly continue to build on and support international development, continuing to work with IFLA and other national associations.

Nick outlined that 2021 will be a year to “recover and re-focus” for CILIP. Implementing the new membership model will be matched by other measures to improve the overall future sustainability for CILIP, including looking at decentralisation.  Key work in professional qualifications will see continued and new work in LIS apprenticeships, including a new Level 4 apprenticeship, an update to the PKSB, and the introduction of a new sector training enterprise from 2022. The strategic objectives of widening participation, championing the provision of quality information, professional advocacy, member support and professional excellence will remain.

 

Conclusions

In a role that seems to be 95% about the here and now, it is a rare and privileged opportunity for me to hear about and reflect on the opportunities for the future. I have used “challenges” throughout this post, but also recognise that these are, and should be recognised as, “opportunities”. Disruption is a powerful stimulus for change, for reconsideration and for innovation. “Never let a good crisis go to waste” reverberates powerfully in light of these two presentations. A COVID-19 inquiry will once again demonstrate the centrality of GKIM professionals to the smooth running of aspects of government business. Similarly, Brexit continues to place GKIM professionals in key information identification, dissemination, retention and storage roles. While many GKIM colleagues will have been sharing their knowledge and disseminating the GKIM message whilst on placement in COVID-19 roles. We have also been at the forefront of adapting to remote working, powering government through the pandemic by continuing to ensure good information flows ,and maintaining “business as usual”. So in these contexts challenge is definitely to be viewed in its positive context!

 

I am grateful to David and Nick for their excellent presentations. Any errors or omissions in this report are of my making not theirs.