Posted on September 01, 2018
Background
In 2011 LIASA started to investigate the professional body status of librarians. In 2013 the Executive Committee of LIASA asked the members at the Conference for their approval to go ahead with the professional body status. It was approved and at the end of 2013 LIASA submitted their application to SAQA. On 25 July 2014 a call for comment regarding the professional body recognition intention and suggested designation was published as Government Notice 589. LIASA received no negative comments and in November 2014 recognition was awarded by SAQA in terms of NQF Act (67 of 2008) to LIASA. The designation would be: Professional Librarian.
On 2 October 2018 the LIASA manager, Ms Annamarie Goosen, was asked by the Economic and Management Faculty Library to talk to the staff of UP Libraries about the professional body status of librarians. Some of the following information was extracted from her PowerPoint presentation.
Definition of a professional body
The NQF Act 67 of 2008 defines a professional body as “any body of expert practitioners in an occupational field.”
Purpose of Professional Body Registration
LIASA was awarded professional body status in accordance with the SAQA professional body recognition and registration criteria and the NQF Act 67 of 2008. Professional body recognition allows LIASA, as the acknowledged national LIS professional body, to strive for excellence in the practice of librarianship by regulating qualifications and the code of conduct, endorsing new qualifications, setting standards for ethical practice and professional standards, implementing and monitoring CPD, endorsing CPD service providers and determining additional designations.
What is a professional designation?
Professional designation means “A title or status conferred by a professional body in recognition of a person’s expertise and right to practice in an occupational field” (NQF Act 67 of 2008)
The criteria for a professional librarian designation are
When applying for the designation of professional librarian one must be a paid up member of LIASA for the current year, provide certified copies of one’s ID, LIS related qualifications and confirmation of employment.
Why continuing professional development (CPD)?
The benefits of CPD are for
The responsibility for developing and maintaining competence always rests with the member.
There are two broad CPD categories: individual activities and group activities. Professional librarians are required to accumulate 20 CPD points over a three (3) year cycle and it is the individual’s responsibility to accumulate the points.
Please click on the CPD points link to learn more http://www.liasa.org.za/cpd-activities-and-requirements/
More on the professional body status can be read at: http://www.liasa.org.za/professional-body
We hope that more colleagues will read about the PBS and that the colleagues who attended the session now have a better understanding of it. If there are still questions, please send them to: [email protected]
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