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LAI - An Organisational Review

Executive Summary

The Assignment

The research that supports this report and the accompanying Development Plan was undertaken between October 2002 and end-January 2003. The analysis of the available data was undertaken in late January 2003 to mid-February 2003 at which stage the report and the development plan were written up. The results of our research and the recommended course of action in final draft form were ultimately presented on 28th February 2003, to the Executive Board of the Library Association of Ireland (LAI).

In summary, the assignment required the gathering of multiple stakeholder views so as to feed these into a development plan for the organisation. A development plan was required so as to assist the LAI in addressing various issues, including its low membership base, its relative lack of resources and its capacity to adequately respond to membership needs and desires. The full detail of the research brief and the objectives of the assignment are presented in Section 1, together with the methodology employed.

Methodology Employed

In order to canvas a wide range of stakeholders we used two surveys as the primary tools of inquiry. One was disseminated amongst the membership of the LAI and yielded a response rate of 28% (144 / 505). A second and separate questionnaire was disseminated amongst potential members working in libraries and achieved a response rate of 13.2% (132 / 1,000). Although the response rates were disappointing, we did gather a significant amount of data through the surveys. The results of the related analysis are presented in Section 2, discussed in Section 3 and are closely tied into and influence the accompanying development plan.

We also interviewed individuals from across the various sectors who were nominated by members of the Executive Board. In addition, we met with a number of groups of librarians, including a group of non-members and a group that was comprised of representatives of the various sections and groups that operate under the umbrella structure of the LAI.

Results of Research Undertaken

The principal findings of the research were:

• There is an older age profile amongst members when compared to non-members indicating that people entering the library profession in the last number of years have not felt the need to join the association.
• Members are more likely to have a professional qualification in library studies than non-members.
• Non-members are primarily made up of persons working at the lower levels within the library industry.
• Forty one percent of non-members are working in the library profession for between 1-5 years in comparison to just 16% of members.
• Within the various levels of employment, senior librarians were more likely than others to say that the LAI was not appropriately structured to meet its aim.
• Across sectors of employment, academic librarians answered overwhelmingly that they felt the LAI was not appropriately structured to meet its aim.
• Overall, and regardless of membership status, it should be noted that only small percentages of respondents reported that they do not visit websites or read publications concerning the library industry. This finding indicates the potential for a regular publication from the LAI. The low percentages obtained in relation to people visiting the LAI website or reading LAI publications may represent the lack of relevant, engaging or regular publications by the association.
• Less than one fifth of members feel that the LAI is well designed and effective.
• A majority of members remained neutral or supplied negative responses when asked if the association promotes high levels of education or effectively represents the profession.
• Few members and non-members felt that librarians were not a homogonous group and could not be represented by one single organisation
• Members provided mainly positive or neutral responses in commenting:on the quality of publications and how these further the work and professional standing of members; whether the website is a useful resource; and, that events organised by their subgroups represent good opportunities for networking.
• Over two thirds of members primarily identify themselves with the LAI through the sub-group of which they are members.
• Contact with the association for a substantial number of members (44%) occurs only through subsections or groups within the LAI.
• Of those in the youngest age bracket among members (i.e., 20 to 29 years of age), just over two-thirds (i.e., 69%) describe themselves as totally inactive within the association.
• The percentage of members who are active, at some level, increases across the professional posts, and those within the "other" categories claim the highest level of involvement.
• In terms of knowledge about the association it is quite clear that members who are inactive do not understand the aim or structure of the LAI.
• Members who are inactive do not feel that the LAI actively promotes a high standard of education or that it effectively represents librarianship in Ireland.

Implications of Analysis

The implications of the findings of the research are presented in Section 3 of the report. In that Section we contextualise the discussion of the results by presenting some analysis of the dynamics of organisational change and development. We also engage in some discussion regarding professionalism and the professional organisation as the question of the professional standing of librarianship and the association of librarians appeared to us to underpin much of the research process.

In order to order the data available to us and to tie it into the development plan, we developed a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). The purpose of the SWOT is to identify (and pursue) opportunities that play to strengths, minimise weaknesses and take into account potential threats.

Broadly speaking the strengths identified are membership based, i.e. senior level involvement, vocational commitment and membership expertise. In addition the Association has a well-regarded website and its occasional publications are likewise well regarded. Finally, the Association has a number of formal strengths such as nomination power vis-à-vis the Library Council and Seanad Eireann.

Various weaknesses were also identified including a relatively low membership base resulting in limited income. An over-reliance on voluntary input has knock-on effects, particularly regarding on-going communication with the membership but also the capacity of the Association to communicate with relevant organisations in the general environment. A key weakness is the LAI's lack of local presence and local visibility - many non-members have never been approached to join up and are largely unaware of the organisation. The LAI has limited networking capacity, particularly in key areas such as on-going professional development and this, in turn, limits what we refer to as its professional currency. Various threats face the organisation including the fact that other library related organisations have filled gaps in the needs of professionals, particularly as regards development opportunities. In addition, within the membership and the potential membership there is some element of inter-sectoral suspicion that is unhelpful and threatens professional coherence and collegiality. We also suggest that inaction or over-reaction pose threats to the longer-term well-being of the organisation and could lead to the organisation becoming increasingly unrepresentative and lacking any secure succession potential.

Finally, we discuss the many opportunities open to the LAI. These include the opportunities open to the LAI to assert the potentially central role of the profession in a changed environment variously referred to as the information age and/or the information society. The review process itself offers a significant opportunity for redirection and re-focusing that should be exploited given the level of interest that exists and the expectation generated.

The Association also has considerable growth potential in terms of:

• expanded membership and resources;
• enhanced contact at local level including on-site presence (i.e. in the workplace); and
• enhanced communication across the profession through a newsletter, more active site and more localised events etc. - the prevalence of access to ICTs and computer literacy is a considerable

The Association has the opportunity to push for greater professional collegiality across the various sectors and to develop links and to network with other professions and other professionals working in information related areas.

In summary, our analysis of the available data suggests that the LAI has more weaknesses than strengths but greater levels of opportunity than threat. We suggest that the LAI needs to re-present itself as an open, pro-active, participative organisation representing a progressive profession. It needs to build internal and external connections i.e. between sectors, grades, other professional bodies and educational providers. The LAI also needs to use or activate a broader base of its membership so as to ensure its visibility and relevance throughout the country as a national association.

We believe the organisation can address identified weaknesses and that it can have an important though often overlooked contribution to make to the development of an information-driven economy and information-intensive society. The task ahead will be difficult and sustained but not insurmountable. It will require careful planning. It will need to be inclusive, particularly in the initial stages, so as to ensure collective buy-in by the membership. Ideally, the process should also involve seeking out the views of potential members both within the more closely defined library world and the broader sphere of information specialists.

Finally, we stress the close relationship between the attached development plan and the results of our research. The LAI must consider this document and weigh up the proposed response (via the development plan) to issues arising. Whether the LAI decides to run with all or some of our proposals, it is apparent that the route to development needs to be closely planned, defined and specific.

Progress has continued during 2004 on the LAI Development Plan:

o Results of the LAI Review were discussed by the Executive Board

o Membership database has been updated

o Development Manager, Antoinette Robinson, has been appointed for one year.

         E-mail: manager@libraryassociation.ie

o Electronic Newsletter Leabharlann-e has been produced

o Groups and Sections have been streamlined and updated

o Personal Membership benefits significantly increased.

For details of Membership Benefits, see Membership section of the website.

Access the full copy of the report:

1. Executive Summary [RTF, 20kb] [ PDF, 82kb]
2. Section 1 [RTF, 34kb] [ PDF, 75kb]
3. Section 2 [RTF, 191kb] [ PDF, 283kb]
4. Section 3 [RTF, 131kb] [ PDF, 207kb]
5. Appendices [RTF, 391kb]
6. Draft development plan [RTF, 246kb][Select View > Page Layout if required] [ PDF, 301kb]

Download Zip version of entire report (111kb)