Credentials are always helpful, and RM does have some university level
programs (for example, at Western Washington University). However, as
Ghyslain pointed out, there are long standing cultural biases against
"records", "archives", "library", regardless of credentials.

"Seriously" is a relative term. RM has always suffered to a certain
degree because much of its emphasis is on acting as an insurance policy
against what might happen. When that doesn't happen, one begins to
wonder whether the expenditure is worth it. All too often, a willingness
to support RM is contingent on the last disaster. When that happens, one
suddenly sees an increase in "seriousness". Why would one expect
anything else in a profession that depends all too often on scare
tactics to promote its agenda?

Being taken seriously entails understanding core principles and
practices and applying them successfully to the real world to the
benefit of our stakeholders. We are fortunate that a growing body of
work, such as ISO 15489, provides that core.

Being taken seriously also entails aggressively taking on a growing
elite culture which sees no profit in the good we provide to the public
commons: education, accessibility, transparency, accountability.  I'm
less concerned about credentials, IT, or any other of the perceived
threats so often touted on this listserv. This is the real threat, one
we are not facing. Trust me, the larger stakeholder community does not
buy into this - a potential source of strength. A source of strength
which, by the way, we regularly undermine in using the scare tactics we
use.

My own belief is you can have your cake and eat it too: you can
contribute to the bottom line, and serve a larger good. That's why RM is
so fulfilling as a profession, and how we will ultimately distinguish
ourselves from others as a profession.

Dwight Wallis, CRM
Records Administrator
Multnomah County Fleet, Records, Electronics, Distribution & Stores
(FREDS)
1620 SE 190th Avenue
Portland OR 97233
phone: (503)988-3741
fax: (503)988-3754
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