3rd December 2002
Ewart Room, CILIP, London

Present: Eric Davies (Chair), Noeleen Cookman (Minutes), Isobel Thompson, Eddie Halpin, Alan Cooper and David Haynes

Apologies: Juliet Eve, Claire Nankivell, Sheila Levett, Sheila Anderson, Linda Banwell, Lynne Brindley, Peter Brophy, Sarah Butler, Peter Chapman, Philip Cohen, Sheila Corall, Katherine Everest, Biddy Fisher, Lizzie Gadd, Liz Hart, Dick Hartley, Ann Irving, Judith Keene, Maxine Melling, Charles Oppenheim, Philip Payne, Sasha Shaw, John Sumsion, Stella Therbridge, Maurice Wakehan, John Crawford, Maurice Line, and Kerry Wilson

For the past months LIRG has been exploring and discussing with both CILIP and its Members the possibility of becoming a Special Interest Group (SIG) of CILIP. Detailed discussions have taken place in order to ensure that this way forward meets the best interests of Members of both organisations.

The Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) has been held in order for the members of LIRG to consider the motion put forward.

The Chair began the meeting acknowledging and thanking the Committee for their hard work and support in progressing the discussions forward. The Chair confirmed that an excess of the requisite 250 signatures from CILIP members has been received to enable a new SIG to be created. Before the vote was put to the Members, the Chair summarised the gains of each LIRG and CILIP.

LIRG will gain:

• Access to an extensive infrastructure (although Jo Horsfall has done an excellent job to date)
• Significant commitment by CILIP
• Voice of CILIP to add to LIRG's with regard to emphasising the importance of research
• Widening the sphere of influence
• Access to disseminate research findings even more widely

CILIP will gain:

• Access to the expertise and knowledge of research and research matters
• An excellent track record for effective advocacy in research
• An excellent track record in training on research methods

The large number of signatories and proxy votes received has provided the LIRG Committee with a clear message to move forward. The dialog to date with CILIP has been extremely positive and has managed to iron most of the detailed concerns raised by members.
As the profession moves increasingly to evidence-based working and decision making, the role and importance of research is increasing exponentially. LIRG has been working to promote the vital role research has within the profession to all practitioners, and together with CILIP can do so to a wider audience base. As research and scientific research methods are relevant to all aspects of the profession it is a natural progression for LIRG to become part of the mainstream organisation. This will in turn promote better growth and maturity of research within the profession. CILIP's recent report "CILIP in the Knowledge Economy: a leadership strategy" raises the importance of the role research has to play within the profession.

The following motion was put to vote:

"The Extraordinary General Meeting of the Library and Research Group agrees to the assimilation of the Group into the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals from April 2003 and instructs the Officers and Committee to undertake such steps as are necessary to achieve this objective. The meeting notes that the requirements in the CILIP regulations to support such an objective have been met."

In favour: 5
Against: 0
Abstentions: 0

Proxy Votes:
In favour: 22
Against: 0
Abstentions: 0

Total:
In favour: 27
Against: 0
Abstentions: 0

LIRG will now petition CILIP to go ahead in terms of the agreed timetable. The LIRG petition will be put forward to CILIP Council at their January meeting.