Appendix 4 – Outline chronology

Constitution approved in May.

First Council of eight Fellows elected.

Membership reaches 85.

Inland Revenue (later HMRC) approves income tax relief on IIS subscriptions.

IIS registered under Companies Act and incorporated as a Limited Body following approval of its Memorandum and Articles of Association by the Board of Trade (Articles limit membership to 500).

First regular publication, the Bulletin, launched.

Committees of Council established to deal with Membership admissions, Constitution, Meetings and publications, and Education.

London based meetings programme established.

Certificate of the IIS awarded for examination success. IIS membership requires this certificate and three years of practical experience or five years of experience.

Council expands to 12 members.

IIS byelaws approved.

Northern Branch established as first regional branch.

Indian Branch suggested by local members but prevented by exchange restrictions.

First biennial IIS conference at Merton College, Oxford.

Board of Trade approves dropping of ‘Ltd’ from IIS name.

Northampton College becomes City University; IIS Diploma course leads to MSc.

Council member appointed as IIS Examinations Officer.

IIS advice on content sought by other courses.

First office rented in Russia Row, Cheapside with part time secretary.

Midlands Branch formed.

First biennial salary survey provides IIS with a basis from which to influence member salaries.

IIS arranges conference on Education for Information Science under the auspices of FID and Aslib, supported by OSTI.

Second salary survey.

Scottish Branch approved.

Second IIS annual dinner held.

Membership reaches 750.

Second paid assistant engaged.

Third IIS annual dinner held.

Scottish Branch inaugurated.

JCC (Joint Consultative Committee formed.

‘Scientificity’ of information science recognised by the Faculty of Science, University of London.

Council sets up a Qualifications Working Party to better define Associate and Member grades and better ways of assessing candidates for membership.

EGM establishes the Affiliate grade of membership.

Constitution of Irish Branch approved by Council.

Monograph series launched.

Further remuneration/salary survey undertaken.

Honorary Fellowships instituted.

A case to secure Council representation for Associates succeeds.

Council discusses Branch expansion. Steps taken to revive the Midlands Branch and establish a South West Branch.

Education Committee begins work on formula to relate course qualifications to those for membership.

Need for short courses for professional development agreed.

Qualifications Working Party develops meaningful definitions of Member and Associate to ensure clear definitions of each and emphasise the value of experience.

Wording of Constitution revised.

IIS renews subscription to CSTI.

Inform moves to A4 format.

Proposal for Factfinders series approved by Council.

Council agrees to appoint an Executive Secretary.

Council explores definition of information science and the role of IIS.

£578 deficit in accounts.

EGM approves subscription increases.

Intensive course on management launched by IIS and developed with Cranfield School of Management and ICI Central Management Services.

Consistent house style for all IIS publications agreed.

Special Interest Group (SIG) structure approved by Council; each SIG is represented on Council.

Revised IIS Criteria for information science courses approved and issued.

Council debates whether the current Presidential system is fit for purpose.

Council approves setting up of local branches; Oxford is the first.

IIS runs first short course – on online information retrieval.

IIS delegation meets with the British Post Office (BPO) to protest against introduction of charges for access to online data services via Tymnet.

External Liaison Committee replaces Public Policy Working Group.

Future of the IIS explored in long post-Council meeting; Council considers governance structure.

STIR group convenes session with members concerned with IIS relevance and operation. AGM rejects STIR motions but these stimulate Council to make changes to IIS governance and activities.

Council agrees SIGs but not Branches can extend membership outside IIS.

Deficit of £2600.

Patent and Trademark Searchers Association votes for alliance with IIS.  PATMG formed.

First meeting of the UK user group bringing together parties with active interest in online systems. IIS sets up an Online SIG.

Branch structure established; each Branch represented on Council.

New President cycle introduced (future, current, and past forming a Presidential team).

Council agrees that members can attend their meetings as observers.

IIS office moves to Reading.

Journal of Information Science replaces the Information Scientist.

IIS Annual award established for significant achievement in advancing the theory or practice of information science.

IIS Annual Conference held in Aberystwyth.

First Tripartite conference with LA and Aslib held at Sheffield, September. First Infotainment at Conference.

Presidents Committee proposes to Council a sponsorship campaign (approved) and appointment of paid executive staff (postponed until funds available).

Seminar of information scientists and university lecturers explores the impact of new trends on LIS curriculum development. Inclusion of IT related topics in IIS Criteria begins.

Development Committee reports survey of members’ expectations from IIS.

Southern Branch established.

Publications Committee considers means for IIS to promote job advertisements.

No award made in the IIS Essay competition (insufficient standard of entries).

JCC reconvened.

IIS four-year development plan aims to: increase influence with government; publish Inform monthly; expand contact facilities for members; expand membership to 2000 by 1983; employ a full-time Executive Officer.

Group formed to promote IIS, later becoming Publicity Committee.

Council sets up working party to consider response to industrial relations issues being met by members.

Bedford local branch inaugurated.

IIS/JASIS Joint Annual Conference, St Patrick’s College Dublin.

ISI Garfield Annual Award established for the best paper in Journal of Information Science and awarded to Bertie Brookes.

IIS updates its Criteria for information science courses.

Executive Committee refuses to table paper on unfair dismissal and employment issues; the matter was delegated to a sub-committee.

Council agrees that honoraria will not be paid for any IIS activity.

Society of Indexers observer attends the March Council meeting.

UK government plans IT year – IIS fights to get the information profession featured.

Midland members aim to contact other IIS ‘Mums at home’ to exchange experience of part-time or project related work inside or outside the home.

IIS submits comments on Copyright Green Paper.

First meeting of BIRT (British Information Round Table); John Myers represents IIS.

Subscription to CSTI renewed.

Council confirms increased, urgent pressure on Members defaulting on subscriptions.

IIS Silver Jubilee Celebration Conference, St Catherine’s College, Oxford.

Jubilee Banquet held in October.

Council approves new guidelines for Fellowship applications.

Inform tribute issue features the 1957 Farradane letters that led to the establishment of IIS.

Inform now published ten times per year.

Debate on need for a Royal Charter begins, stimulated by letters to Inform.

Charles Oppenheim argues for a more democratic Council which is not remote, forbidding, highly autocratic and dangerously self-perpetuating!  More respect for members, more younger members and more life needs to be injected into IIS.

Membership Development Committee describes the key interest areas of IIS members in short and extended versions to use in communications and PR for IIS.

Manual of IIS procedures for handling IIS business issued for induction.

Industrial Relations Working Party (IRWP) recommends IIS support members with IR issues.

Bedford Group decides to close.

Draft Code of Practice for Information Consultants (IIS, LA, Aslib) issued.

HMSO publishes ‘Making a business of information’ developed by IT Technology Panel), a pivotal report for IIS members.

UKOLUG holds first State-of-the-Art Conference on Online Retrieval.

Scottish branch celebrates its Silver Jubilee.

Membership application forms revised; new Membership Directory and recruitment drive planned.

Council proposes greater international role for IIS.

Affiliates lobby to reduce the six years of experience needed to apply for membership and complexity of job assessment.

Unsuccessful efforts to establish a Prestel user group.

Membership 2076.

Affiliates and Students represented on Council for the first time. Survey of overseas members suggests newsletter to keep these members in touch.

Council begins annual review of membership list to identify potential Fellows.

Council encourages formation of new SIGs, urging existing SIGs to promote themselves via Inform.

Suggestions to change IIS name made in Inform.

IIS joins CICI (Confederation of Information and Communications Industries); and is actively involved in formation of National Forum on European Communities information (NFECI).

IIS active in commenting on Copyright Green Paper.

NELG (North East local group) disbanded.

IIS seminar ‘Information Management Today and Tomorrow’ attracts over fifty delegates.

Council Working Party recommends transformation in committee structure to separate executive and financial control activities from operational matters.

Council approves formation of a self-employed and small business SIG (SEASBSIG), later renamed Small Business SIG (SBG).

IIS joins FOI campaign as an observer.

IIS is represented on the JCC’s Data Protection Working Party developing Codes of Practice for the information profession. IIS representatives meet with Minister for the Arts to discuss the Copyright White Paper. IIS represented on the Library and Information Service Council (LISC) working party considering role of Government in co-ordination of LIS.

Dr D. J. Campbell dies. He joined IIS in 1959, was created a fellow in 1964 and became an Honorary Fellow in 1976. He left a generous bequest to IIS.

IIS determines not to apply for a Royal Charter.

Council approves new committee structure. Reporting to Executive Committee are Financial and Control, Policy and Planning Committees.  Reporting to Operations are committees for Membership Development, Member Services, Professional Standards, and External Affairs.  Marketing and Publishing co-ordination groups co-ordinate these activities across IIS.

1982 Criteria for validation of information science courses revised to include information management and IT.

CIMSIG request to close accepted.

Executive Secretary assumes roles of National Careers Coordinator and Careers Advisor.

Network of branch and regional Careers Officers planned.

Affiliates with membership of six years or more to pay the full member subscription.

IIS/Institute of Scientific Information annual lecture launched at AGM.

IIS holds informal talks with Aslib to explore closer association.

UKOLUG holds 10th birthday party in November.

IIS begins to consider impact of 1992 and single European Market on members.

IIS explores charitable status as it considers the use of the John Campbell bequest.

No nominations for the ISI Award.

Professor Wilf Saunders publishes a report (the Saunders Report) recommending merger of IIS, LA and Aslib.

Administrative Assistant role upgraded to Membership Secretary; part time clerical assistant and bookkeeper recruited.

Council confirms that IIS regular expenditure must be covered by membership subscriptions and investments.  Affiliate fees must cover the costs of services received.

Marketing Co-ordination group explores member concerns over IIS name.

New IIS Criteria provide a guide to content of information science courses and areas of knowledge expected from new members.

IIS launches 30th Anniversary Student Essay Competition (the winner had to be younger than IIS).

No nominations for the IIS Award.

IIS lobbies directly for changes to the proposed Copyright Act.

IIS delegation meets the Minister for the Arts, Richard Luce to present IIS views on current issues on the LIS world.

IIS Annual Conference of IIS held in Harrogate. Conference dinner hosted by Northern Branch to mark its Silver Jubilee.

Inform and the 1989 member survey report majority for retention of IIS name.

IIS members urged to read and comment on Saunders Report prior to IIS AGM.  A resumé in Inform attracts considerable correspondence – for and against.

AGM votes that Council should explore closer relationships with the LA and Aslib and report back to members within a year. IIS working party established to report on the fundamental objectives of IIS; pros and cons of merger; and essential questions for IIS to address.

IIS launches the John Campbell Trust to fund scholarships, travel grants and support other educational purposes.

External Affairs establishes committee to consider IIS relationship with EC professional organisations and other 1992 issues.

Council approves closure of Midland Branch; members distributed between Northern and Southern branches. Council appoints member as Area Liaison Officer to improve communications between branches and IIS corporate.

Scottish Branch urges IIS to follow its example as it moves to e-newsletters.

City Information Group established as a new SIG for information specialists in finance and business sectors.

IIS annual membership survey shows members want increase in IIS training courses and career services.

IIS, LA and TFPL co-operate to run stand at ‘Directions’, a major career exhibition at Olympia.

Lease of Museum Street extended to the whole of the top floor to double available space.

IIS adopts new house style for all IIS stationery including Branches and SIGs. Inform now enveloped in recycled paper as IIS aims to improve its green credentials.

‘Information 90’ held in Bournemouth. This was the third international conference and exhibition sponsored jointly by IIS, Aslib, COPOL, LA and the Institute of Archivists.

IIS EGM approves changes to the IIS Memorandum and Articles of Association to enable application to the Charity Commissioners for IIS to become a registered charity.

IIS begins an annual series of seminars with ‘Strategic Planning – a means to an end’.

IIS Member Survey published. Many members volunteer to join IIS committees.

IIS begins considering the impact of the 1992 ‘Single Market’ and the potential for members to work abroad.

Cost of Inform is reported as just under 50p per member; JIS costs a little under £2 per member.

Inform issues first vacancies bulletin.

JCC Copyright Committee (IIS, Aslib, LA, SCONUL, COPOL and the Society of Archivists) formed to address policy issues in the implementation of the 1988 Act and the impact of EEC harmonisation.

CIG (City Information Group, for users of finance and commercial information) celebrates its formal launch in London with 200 attending.

IIS 1991-93 Forward Plan aims “to establish the IIS among the leading associations in Europe in the field of Information Work and to support our members in facing the challenges, threats and opportunities offered by the Single market”.

IIS AGM attendance 87. Financial deficit of over £8k reported despite cost reductions and actions to increase income. Cheaper auditor and increased subscriptions approved.

Aslib withdraws from tripartite talks despite agreeing mission statement, objectives, and outline structure. AGM supports IIS withdrawal from further merger talks with LA and votes for continued forms of cooperation with other UK and European bodies.

IIS has now approved courses at 17 institutions whose qualifications confer reductions of one to three years in the five years’ experience required for corporate membership.

Council plans working party to advise members on how to indemnify themselves from action resulting from ambiguous or faulty data given to clients.

IIS withdraws from CICI and EUSIDIC. IIS contributes to formation of EBLIDA (European Bureau of Library Information and Documentation Associations) whose role is to communicate and influence the EU Commission, Parliament and other EC bodies on information matters.

IIS concerns with falling membership, financial issues and the increased work pressures limiting members’ volunteering capacity are growing.

Confidentiality issues require Council Chair to reinforce when a matter must be treated confidentially.

Volunteers sought to help with IIS Criteria revision so that these reflect changes in higher education and the broadening spectrum of the information profession.

IIS becomes subscribing member of LINC (Library and Information Co-operation Council).

City Information Group organises protest against pricing changes by Textline and persuades it to set up a user group.

IIS alerts members to the Health and Safety Commission’s consultative document on work with display screen equipment.

Council wrestles with budget and need for improved computer facilities as well as Forward Plan. Falling membership raises questions of how to   increase the value of membership and attract members from less traditional catchment areas. Subscriptions would not be increased until strategies for the development of services and widening of membership base in place.

Council decides not to introduce compounded life membership fees.

Public Relations brought under External Affairs Committee to improve and co-ordinate actions to raise IIS profile.

Advertising manager to be appointed to sell advertising space on commission in Inform and the Vacancies Supplement.

Membership Committee undertakes telephone and printed surveys of selected members to identify their views on IIS benefits. Access to information (news, views, professional development) and meetings and networking were highlighted. Subscriptions are value for money. Inform and JIS regarded highly. Comparison with other membership organisations shows IIS services are competitive and IIS fees are lower.

IIS sweatshirts on sale – four colours and a range of sizes.

IIS AGM preceded by IIS Members day workshops for the first time. AGM approves new subscription policy. For Associates, a graduated fee fixed as a percentage of the Corporate Member rate to rise over six years to the equivalent of corporate membership. Overseas associates outside Europe to pay a flat fee. This will reduce IIS income slightly but will be fairer.

IIS launches programme of evening meetings beginning with ‘Teleworking’. A ‘Time Management’ event is a sell-out.

UKOLUG and the LA, with support from EUSIDC, establish the Centre for Information Quality Management (CIQM).

IIS asked to submit evidence to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission’s enquiry on the supply of historical business and financial information.

IIS asked to tender to be an awarding body for SVQs and NVQs[1] but IIS declines due to insufficient resources.

JIS moves from Elsevier to Bowker-Saur.

BSI propose massive increase in charges for 1993/94. IIS protest directly and via JCC. BSI agrees to reinstate its foreign standards lending service as a result.

IIS begins half day course programme.

IIS Membership cards promoted. They entitled members to a reader’s ticket for the BL. IIS discussion list on Janet renamed LIS-IIS (formerly IIS-Scotland).

Efforts to contain operating expenses results in financial surplus.

Management Committee takes over day to day administration of the IIS so that Council can focus on strategic matters.

Sarah Carter completes nine years as Executive Secretary of IIS.  Interregnum managed by Gillian Allen.  Elspeth Hyams appointed as IIS Director with an increased focus on marketing and PR.

Home-based worker insurance secured as member benefit.

CIQM produces first report noting poor quality raw data, duplicate records and poor service from vendor help desks.

IIS External Affairs makes substantial submissions to the team reviewing the public library service for DNH; the BL Working Party report on electronic publishing; the Follett Report[1] on the future of academic libraries.

Monopolies and Mergers Commission reports that despite a ‘technical’ monopoly of online database providers, the existence of other suppliers meant this did not operate against the public interest.

Bowker-Saur launches new branding for JIS.

IIS’s Irish Branch agrees affiliation of new Irish Financial and Business Group.

Bangemann Report ‘Europe and the Information Society’ published.

External Affairs forms task force to produce a draft code of ethics for IIS.

Council’s new Forward Plan focuses on raising IIS profile; increasing the status of information professionals; helping members with CPD; widening membership criteria; forging links and alliances with external bodies and more focus on political issues e.g. freedom of information (FOI).

Courses in other disciplines include an information science component. Skills needed to operate in the information age are changing. IIS must attract members beyond traditional corpus.

Analysis of 1993/94 membership applications reveals that applicants see career development as enhanced from acquiring wider professional perspective, extension of skills; and recognition from a professional body.

To encourage information scientists to join IIS early in their career one student place will be awarded to enable attendance at IIS Seminars, Events and Conferences.  A fund is set up to support travel bursaries.

IIS has an email address for the first time. New website launched.  Inform’s internet resources and electronic journals news move to the web only.

IIS runs first summer school on ‘Communications and Information’.

IIS continues extensive programme of evening events.

External Affairs commissions IIS action plans for IP/FOI/DP/Ethics; National Information Infrastructure; Electronic Networks including the superhighway.

Inform celebrates 20th anniversary.

Scottish branch celebrates its Silver Jubilee.

Patent and Trademark SIG initiates Amanda Stembridge Award following her early death.

CIG and UKOLUG launch new logos to smarten up publications and leaflets.

100th UKOLUG committee meeting.

JIS publishes a dedicated Festschrift issue.

IIS approves new mission statement: “The IIS sets, maintains, monitors and promotes standards of excellence in the science and management of information”.

Revised Criteria for Information Science finalised following comment by members with an easy, practical instrument for their application.

Controversial proposal to develop a formal alliance with the LA presented to 38th AGM fails to achieve clear result. Post-AGM postal ballot approved an alliance – for 452, against 199.  Council establishes IIS working party to pursue implementation. AGM urges alliance communications to be open and accessible to members.

Coalition for Public Information (CoPI) launched. IIS provides pump priming and administrative support. Plans widely supported by other institutions.

First Records and Information Management (RIMI) Awards presented in a project backed by IIS, RMS, Society of Archivists, and the Scientific Archivists group to enhance the business role of records and information managers.

IIS begins a collaboration with BCS Information Retrieval Group to deliver Text Retrieval 1997.

Regular IIS seminar programme is sustained.

IIS evening meetings re-branded as Professional Events and highly successful.

IIS presents morning seminar at LibTech.

Role of External Affairs Committee assumed by the IIS Director in consort with Management Committee and a more ambassadorial role for Director approved. Members urged to alert Management Committee to information issues.

Draft guidelines for Professional Ethics for information professionals develops case material to demonstrate application of the principles.

Member debate about an LA/IIS alliance increases; LA and IIS explore closer co-operation. IIS Council chair advises members that IIS/LA consider a new professional body should be formed. Reaction largely positive. A Unification Working Party and Constitution Working Party created to draw up proposals for the new Body. A Memorandum of Understanding to be presented to both Councils in early 1998. Inform encourages members to raise the questions they want answered.  Extraordinary IIS Council meeting held in April.

In November IIS/LA task forces on Finance and Membership Criteria, Member Services, and Resourcing are convened. Target is presentation of draft Memorandum of Agreement to Executive Committees of IIS and LA in and then to the Councils of both bodies by June 1998.

CoPI holds inaugural conference ‘Information and the Citizen – a two way street’.

IIS (External Affairs) works with other concerned bodies to establish the significance of HM Government’s intention to privatise HMSO.

JIS appears on the internet, courtesy of Bowker-Saur.

Inform begins to highlight the risks and responsibilities of managing Y2K issues.

UKOLUG celebrates its 20th birthday.

IIS collaborates with the Information and Development forum to deliver a seminar on information access and supply to developing countries.

IIS collaborates with TFPL to run ‘Expanding Horizons’ (a one day a week, five-week summer school of interactive workshops).

Full text of Draft Guidelines for Professional Ethics for Information Professionals issued in Inform for member comment.

IIS launches Tony Strix Award in memory of Tony Kent, a distinguished chemical information specialist.

Unification actions progress with considerable concern from Branches at the paucity of information to members. Finally, a Consultative (Green) paper proposing unification of IIS and LA to create a new unified professional body for the information and library world is sent to every member in October with a deadline for responses of 15 March 1999. Member consultation exercise on a new Professional Association commissioned from independent consultants by IIS.

IIS remuneration survey results published in October Inform; lower response than 1996.  Median salaries for men still exceed women:  £28,500 men, £24,600 women. Highest salary £116,000 for a respondent in an educational establishment.

Decision to disband CoPI as a formally constituted body and operate and lobby as an informal alliance.

IIS runs its 1999 annual residential conference within the LA’s UmbrelLA Conference.

Second five-week summer school of interactive workshops (‘Expanding Horizons 1999’) addresses policy and technological developments.

IIS and the Information for Development Forum hold seminar on the Funding of International Development Information and Knowledge Activities.

IIS moves from Museum Street to 39-41 North Road, London.

‘Our Professional Future’ is published following member comments. IIS members continue to discuss pros and cons of merger in branch meetings and online. Scottish Branch surveys members on the Unification Working Party’s plans.  IIS members were marginally against merger; joint LA/IIS members substantially for.

Proposed LA/IIS merger papers sent to Members. IIS AGM approves creation of new professional association by majority of 335 to 97 with 14 abstentions, as does the LA at its AGM. The show of hands looked even so a poll was called, allowing proxy votes to be counted. Council noted that the roles and status of SIGs were crucial and a firm negotiation position should be established.

Professional Standards Committee joins with LA in a Joint Accreditation Committee; this starts work with discussions with BCS (British Computer Society).

IIS Professional Ethics Working Party publishes a database of case studies to be used in conjunction with its ethical guidelines. The guidelines and illustrative case studies are being promoted for consultation with parallel professional bodies; IIS is committed to maintain and extend the case study collections.

Nutshell, the new joint website from IIS and Bowker-Saur launched: free to access and provides news, jobs listings, events, articles and research abstracts.

·Inform launches a competition for the ‘Mousemat of the Millennium’; the winner is Amnesty International (exercises for avoiding RSI).

IIS continues with its programme of events including a one day conference in conjunction with Gamut (a group of web managers serving higher education); two new event series: ‘Careers Talking’ and ‘Information Survival Skills’; the Professional Development series; IIS/BCS Text Retrieval; evening careers talks; IIS in association with Dialog; a second evening held in association with Butterworths; a one -day workshop on Project Management for beginners.

IIS AGM preceded by open day with 300 attendees at its workshops and seminars.

IIS Council meeting approves a rolling budget and stresses the need for continued consulting with members, as well as the importance of the Information Working Group (IWG). June Council meeting endorses improvement of SIGs and Branches accounting and a subscription hike in line with inflation. October Council noted that previous discussion on SIGs and their reserves left ambiguities to resolve.

An implementation newsletter to keep IIS and LA members informed of progress launches in February. Privy Council and Charities Commission requirements were outlined, the process being followed by the two bodies was explained; and the visions for the profession and its professional body in a changing marketplace for information skills shared.

Progress made by IWG had been largely procedural in emphasis with arrangements for publications and the continuity and status of SIGs.

Last IIS Members day 20 September.

Peter Enser is President for a second year providing continuity.  David Rigglesford is Council Chair and Chair of Management Committee for a second year.

Membership drops by 11%. The deficit in draft budget for 2001/02 confirms that IIS is not viable in the longer term.

IWG set up two working parties on committee structure post-unification and on qualifications and competencies. Responses to the membership survey showed the vision statement had received 75% approval, albeit qualified.  The most popular name is ‘Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals’.

June Council meeting convenes an EGM for 19 July to consider motions for IIS unification with the LA.  EGM votes for unification (253 in favour, 22 against with one abstention). A second motion reducing number of members for an IIS AGM to be quorate following unification from 20 to 4 was passed by a show of hands; this will enable the IIS Articles of Association to be amended.

If SIGs wish to become independent, they can retain their own assets subject to Charity Commission Approval.

CiG is the largest of IIS SIGs, with over 1000 members.

Jason Farradane Award given to Professor Bruce Royan for the work of SCRAN; Honorary Fellow appointments to Adrian Dale, Professor Subbiah Arunchalam, Brian Clifford and Doug Veal.

IIS presents the Last Christmas Party in the History of the World on 13 December when the formation of a Jason Farradane Society is announced.

Penultimate IIS Council meeting held on 23 January approves CILIP regulations and the last Honorary Fellowships for contributions to IIS awarded to Christine Baker (UKOLUG administrator), Peter Enser (President), Sandra Ward (Past President) and Keith Webster (Honorary Secretary).

Of the SIGs, PATMG and UKOLUG will join CILIP; ALGIS will affiliate with LARIA; CiG heads for independence.

April 1 sees the formal vesting date of CILIP (Chartered Association of Library and Information Professionals).

IIS is no more.