Final Reflections

This has been such a whirlwind of an experience and first semester. It seems like yesterday I was at orientation, nervous and anxious-excited to get started. I have learned so much about the librarian profession in such a short amount of time. My paradigm of this career path has changed dramatically. I used to think that librarians only dealt with books and their space, but in reality, librarians are the gatekeepers of information for the world. That’s a lot of responsibility and an amazing opportunity to change the world. This is an exciting time for librarians because of the digital era we are in. There are so many new issues that weren’t even in existence five or ten years ago! The landscape of the digital world is something that I look forward to diving into deeper as I progress through the program.

I’ve found that I love doing research and discussing topics with my classmates. I love seeing what everyone else’s take on ethical issues are and how they would address the problem. It’s amazing to see how our life and world experiences influence the choices and values we have as future librarians. I really enjoyed the LIS agency visit and analysis assignment. One of the main things I’ve been working on in my personal life is to be more confident and assertive with people. That assignment really made me take charge and be bold. Completing that assignment made me really proud of myself because I worked through my discomfort of asking questions about a topic I am not an expert and came out the other end more knowledgeable than before. I loved getting to see different libraries work through industry-wide problems and obstacles. That assignment also taught me the value of my organizational and time management skills. It was satisfying to turn in a paper that I know I put a lot of time and effort into the final product.    

I also learned that it’s okay to take my time getting through this program. I work full-time and due to financial constraints, I am unable to take more than one class at a time. It’s frustrating sometimes to know that it will take me longer than I would like to get into the profession, but maybe it’s a good thing. Maybe taking my time will allow me the space and leisure to really explore what I want to do as a librarian and how I want to contribute to the world of information. This program has really put my career life into perspective. For a while there I was just working because I had to, not because I was passionate about it. Sure I excelled at all my previous jobs but there was no desire to do more with it. Becoming a librarian is something that resonates with my soul; it defines a part of me I didn’t know was undiscovered. It may sound cheesy, but I do believe that this is my calling. I’m so proud of this profession and so exhilarated to be a part of it.

I will bring a myriad of skills to my professional position. I am a great listener, I respond well to feedback, I am organized and detailed-oriented. I have a background in advertising, public relations, and marketing, I know how to use a variety of computer-software programs, I’m friendly, I have a phenomenal work ethic, I am a self-starter, I am an avid reader, I’m naturally curious and like to ask questions, I am committed to being a life-long learner, and I love to help people.

My perceptions and attitudes have changed and developed across the semester. I used to think that being a librarian might get a little stale after a while, but it is anything but that! Being a librarian is far more exciting than I ever imagined. There is information all around us, and I get to be one of the people who decide how to manage, organize, and disseminate it. I love research so getting to assist others with finding information makes me geek out a bit. My attitude toward the profession is one of hope rather than despair. There are a lot of hard-hitting ethical dilemmas to be aware of and other issues relating to patrons, funding, resources, and materials, but I see them as a chance to start changing the way libraries are thought of and maintained. Part of my background is Advertising and Public Relations, so my brain works in a way that is seeing the brand image of a company; how do I feel when I think of this place, when I walk in, when I interact with the staff. I have plans and ideas of how to shape the image of libraries and I want to get started working on them now.  

The role of the information professional is one that comes at a high level of responsibility. We are the gatekeepers of information. We must know how to find accurate and relevant information for others and ourselves; wading through the junk and inaccurate content. We must protect everyone’s right for their freedom of access to any materials or information they want. We must protect their privacy when it comes to the information they search for. We must listen to patrons and the community in order to understand their needs and what resources they really are looking to have. We need to stay up-to-date on our own skills so we can teach others how to use technology and navigate through the digital realm. We must always remember that we are here to serve the good of the community.

From here on out I plan to go into each semester with the same gusto and passion I did for this one. I’m going to continue to push myself in class discussions and in my papers/assignments to dig deeper into the issue and really analyze it from all angles. I plan on continuing my self-guided education by reading articles and books pertaining to topics on librarianship, diversity, and literacy. My next big step is to become employed at a library so I can get hands-on experience while I work toward my degree. My next big step is to figure out a way to finance my studies so I can take more than one class and still keep a roof over my head, all without taking out any loans (still trying to pay back my undergrad). But mostly, I plan on enjoying every second of this program because it’s amazing and life-changing for me.

Revisit Assumptions/Assertions

When I first began the semester, I really thought that most of a librarian’s job had to do with ordering and finding books. I was so very wrong. Sure, that’s part of the job but the main aspect of being a librarian is being the gatekeeper of information; how to organize it, store it, retrieve it, archive it, safe guard it, protect it, and disseminate it. The main bit of knowledge that I have gained from this class is the foundation of what information truly is and how complicated and precious it is to our culture and society. Everything around us can be classified as information in some form or context. It is our duty as librarians to figure out how to organize information and present it in a way that our community, patrons, and society understand it and have equal access to it. The biggest paradigm shift I’ve had is in regards to what I think a librarian/library really is. I used to think that a library had to be a brick and mortar physical location and the librarians were glued to their desks. In reality, the term library can be used to describe any place, digital or physical, that houses a large amount of information. Librarians are all over the place, in physical buildings, academic settings, and in a number of unique roles and job titles.

One of the assumptions/assertions I had at the beginning of the semester was that libraries need to grow with the technology times or they will be forgotten; my mindset has not changed on this much. What has changed is how I view the challenges and obstacles that libraries are facing with emerging technology and the constraints on their budget and staff members’ skills. There will always be a need for librarians as our society relies and uses technology more often in our daily lives. If we cannot keep up our resources in our libraries to fit the needs of the community, then patrons will stop seeing us as a place that they can rely on when they need assistance. If we do not supply the help and resources (computers, scholarly articles, a place for them to study) then we are not fulfilling our primary purpose. Having an important role in society was another one of my beginning of the semester librarian assumptions. This frame of mind has not changed either. We have a challenging role in being the keepers of information and how to best find the most relevant and accurate information for various searches. Having an informed society, one that is capable at finding credible information, is the only way our world will move forward in a positive and healthy way.    

I am excited and enthusiastic about continuing my learning in the Library and Information Science profession. This class was an amazing introduction to the issues and concerns as well as the triumphs and innovations of librarianship. I am greatly looking forward to diving deeper into my studies as the semester tick by and becoming involved in more groups and activities surrounding the library. The class has also taught me about discipline and motivation. This program is not an easy jaunt through the park; it requires dedication and willpower to push through the tough questions and time consuming assignments. It has allowed me to test my limits in regards to how I spend my time and efforts. I have been amazed at how much I’ve grown as an individual in sixteen short weeks. It excites me to see what the future will bring. 

As the semester comes to a close, I can’t help but be blown away and in awe of the work librarians have done and are doing today. It’s not easy to be in charge of society’s records, especially when the digital landscape is changing faster than we can keep up with it. I find that you cannot be a librarian without having a passion deep in your core that makes you want to reach out and help others in their quest for information. I have a natural passion and urge to help others, I’m extremely organized and love being able to retrieve stored information quick and efficiently, I love research and collecting data from a variety of sources, I love reading and writing, but most of all I love being able to serve my community for the greater good of all information out there. I cannot wait to become a librarian and put my mark on the profession as I make my way through the ever-evolving information landscape as my career continues.   

Job Analysis

Position: Director of ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach.

Description: The ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach drives and supports activities around three focus areas which collectively support equity and inclusion as fundamental values of the Association: diversity, literacy and outreach to underserved populations. Relationships and major initiatives across these three areas help ensure the inclusion of diverse perspectives within the profession and the Association and support equitable access to information.

The Director of the ALA Office for Diversity/Literacy/Outreach has both an external and internal leadership responsibility.  S/he is a principal representative of ALA to individuals and institutions addressing diversity (through recruitment, education and professional development, and organizational change), equity of access, and adult and family literacy.  This is also a management position with overall responsibility for the operational and fiscal management (including some revenue generation) of the Office, under the general supervision of the Senior Associate Executive Director, ALA. The Director is responsible for advising on ALA plans and preparing recommendations on priorities, programs and other issues; meets regularly with other ALA managers; and communicates, cooperates and coordinates the activities, as well as related ALA committees and groups to which it has liaison,  with those of other ALA groups. 

Why I want this job: Throughout my life I have been excluded from events and groups because of my gender and age. I know what it’s like to feel like no one listens to you or cares about you. I want to help those who feel like they have no place to go find solace and community in their library. I find it heartbreaking that some areas, due to poverty or geography, do not have access to resources like books, computers, eMaterials, and the Internet. I want to work to eradicate the lack of information to these areas. There are so many opportunities to try new and out of the box methods for old problems. My love of creativity and not saying no to any brainstorming idea makes me open to the possibility of actually making change where none or little has occurred.  

The Plan

Skills, competencies, and knowledge required: A Master’s degree from an ALA-recognized program in LIS or other graduate-level education is preferred. A minimum of 7-10 years preferably in a nonprofit and/or association environment. A general knowledge of issues related to diversity, adult and family literacy (including English-language learners), equity of access, and inclusion.  Collaborative management skills and strong written and verbal communication skills are required.

What skills, competencies, and knowledge you bring to the table today: My passion is the biggest asset I bring to the table today. I don’t like to invest my time or effort into anything that I’m not going to give 100% to. I don’t want my job to be my life, I want my passion for my career to be. The skills and knowledge will come once I’m in a job and am learning hands-on about it. But I really honestly think that my passion for what I want to do will take me farther than any certification or previous skills ever will. When times get tough, I roll up my sleeves and get dirty. When it seems hopeless, I remember why I started, when I start to doubt myself I remember all the people I will let down if I don’t stay strong.

I am an incredibly organized and detailed oriented person. I am able to delegate tasks and explain the tasks in an easy to understand manner. I work well with others because I am calm under pressure and enjoy collaborating with others. I am an incredible listener and I pick up on sub context and body language really well. I lead by example and am the first to own up to mistakes. I know that making mistakes means you’re taking risks and trying new things. Making mistakes means you are pushing yourself and earning your skills. I treat everyone the way I would like to be treated. I always try to have a smile on my face because in the end, we are all trying to be happy, so why not start the chain reaction with a big smile and a friendly demeanor.  

The steps, education, certificates, etc., you need to develop or pursue to prepare for your selected job: The first step is to obtain my MLIS degree. I want to then get a position in a library as an outreach librarian, creating programs and open dialogue about a variety of topics related to diversity, literacy, and underserved populations. I will also start volunteering at non-profits that relate to these issues as well to get front line experience and to talk to the people personally and directly affected. I will continue to educate myself on these topics by reading articles and books related to the subject. It would also be helpful to go out into the field on my own and interview people affected to really get to know where they are coming from and listen to what they truly want or would use.

After analyzing the job, consider whether you should revise your personal goals and objectives posted earlier in the semester: At the beginning of the semester my goal was to be a Library Director and at some point get my PhD in psychology. My main career goal was to attain my MLIS and to actually feel like I belong and flourish in a field that not only energizes me, but that I am passionate about and want to contribute to its many successes. My beginning of the semester objective for the class and the entire program was to pick a specialty and seeing that is conducive to my strengths. I also noted that I am going to remain open-minded to the available avenues this degree can take me and that my passion and love for the library is my driving force from here on out.   

After analyzing the job, I don’t know if I would revise my personal goals or objectives all that much from what they were at the beginning of the semester. I think I would love the job posting I discussed above, but nothing is set in stone. I might take a class later on in the program and decide that I want to become a cataloger or a reference librarian. I don’t want to back myself into a corner and not stay open to all the possible outcomes of this program and degree. For the first time in my life, I am not fretting about the future and what will come of it. I know I am in the right profession now and I’m happy and excited to see what comes. I know that no matter where my career takes me, my passion and desire to help others will guide me down the right path.  

Technology Sandbox

Technology/Resource: Blogging
Intended Audience: Non-technical users, amateurs, hobbyists, professionals, companies
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Enhance communication of the library’s programs and goings-on
Strengths: Content is open to your imagination
Weaknesses: User created content-may not always be factual; there’s a lot of blogs out there on different platforms

Technology/Resource: Flickr/Photos/Images

Intended Audience: People interested in photography and sharing photos
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Share photos of the library, new books or materials
Strengths: Share user content
Weaknesses: No set controlled vocabulary

Technology/Resource: Instagram/Snapchat, etc.

Intended Audience: Young- between 13-23 years old
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Sending updates to their users, fun ways to build brand imaging
Strengths: Fun, allows for creativity and silliness
Weaknesses: Privacy and security

Technology/Resource: Facebook and social networking

Intended Audience: Online communities, young adults and teens
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Communicate/share information with users
Strengths: Way to share information instantly
Weaknesses: Privacy issues

Technology/Resource: Twitter and microblogging

Intended Audience: Mobile users
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Open up communication with users
Strengths: Quick updates/bursts of information
Weaknesses: Privacy issues

Technology/Resource: RSS feeds

Intended Audience: Users who need to check multiple headlines and sites a day for updates
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Streamline updates for librarians who check multiple sites a day for information
Strengths: Cuts down on time when checking many sources a day
Weaknesses: Sourcing verification issues, graphics and photos do not always appear, not as widely used as other online tools

Technology/Resource: Cloud Computing

Intended Audience: Companies or individuals with a lot of information needing storage
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Use for presentations or archive storage, any other storage use for easy retrieval, but not used for any sensitive or private information
Strengths: Unlimited storage, back-up and recovery, cost efficient
Weaknesses: Security issues, technical issues, prone to external attacks

Technology/Resource: YouTube

Intended Audience: Users who prefer visual aids, instructions, or entertainment
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Entertainment, information, instructions. Easy to create step-by-step tutorials
Strengths: User content, freedom of expression
Weaknesses: No set controlled vocabulary for searching

Technology/Resource: Audio

Intended Audience: Blind users, users who prefer their information in audio form, heavy travelers, people who are in the car often
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Authors to discuss books, educational teachings
Strengths: Podcasts, small niche to share information, easy to create
Weaknesses: Not easy to search, anyone can do it which makes it harder to weed through the information to find credible and relevant content

Technology/Resource: DIY Library

Intended Audience: Various communities and neighborhoods
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Can have classes/workshops on how to build your own and how to maintain it
Strengths: Builds community, easy way to snag a book or give a book away to others in your area
Weaknesses: No accountability or return policy, weather could damage the books or the container, vandalism, theft

Technology/Resource: Maps

Intended Audience: Travelers, policemen, cab drivers, anyone who needs to get to a location, or has interest in a location
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Geography or history of a place, help with patrons who do not have a smartphone or prefer maps over GPS
Strengths: Easy to use and understand, a ton of locations, user reviews, Street views, innovative
Weaknesses: May not always be up-to-date, street view is sometimes unavailable with slower internet connections

Technology/Resource: Apps

Intended Audience: Smartphone, iPad, and tablet users
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Used to make checking out digital material more efficient and simpler, make the website more streamlined and efficient
Strengths: Easy to use, easy to get out information, users spend more time on apps than the actual website
Weaknesses: Needs to work on a variety of platforms, on-going care needed to keep updated

Technology/Resource: Online Productivity Tools

Intended Audience: People looking to streamline their work efforts or need help in keeping track of documents or their time
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Could be taught as a workshop on how to best manage time; maybe even be a theme of workshops, librarians can use these tools to make sure they are staying productive
Strengths: The data shown can tell you how you are utilizing your time online and how to better use your time if you need to get certain projects or work done. These tools are like an online babysitter and sometimes are just the thing people need to become more aware of how they spend their time online.
Weaknesses: Sometimes using these sites become more cumbersome than just getting to work or getting off the internet. Sometimes these sites become unproductive to someone’s productivity.

Technology/Resource: LinkedIn

Intended Audience: Business Professionals, Companies, Organizations
Use in Libraries/ Information Agencies: Become active in groups and discussions
Strengths: Rich in content, research others/companies easily, networking, online interactions
Weaknesses: Spam, Linking with someone is not as easy/user-friendly as other social media sites, different versions so not everyone has the same access
Additional Comments: I don’t like that you have to pay for the premium account. It should all be free.

 

Facebook and social networking: I think as humans we are wired to connect to one another; that’s why I think Facebook and social networking sites are popular and becoming a staple in our lives. There’s the thought that if I don’t check Facebook, I may be missing something important. In reality though, if I go a few days without being on Facebook, I kind of forget that it’s there. I tend to get a lot of my current events news on Facebook, as well as company updates from businesses I like to follow. I find that I end up using Facebook more as a way to stay up to date with the world, than to share to everyone that I just ate a sandwich. I find it fascinating that there are so many people with an online presence. It seems as though there really is no more privacy. People are willingly putting personal information about their lives out for the world to see. I think that comes from a place of human beings wanting to be seen and heard and feel like they have a purpose that they want to share with others. In regards to how libraries and librarians should use social media and Facebook, I do believe that it is vital to staying in connection with certain users. Having a Facebook and other social media accounts makes you more accessible to the world, easier to find online, and in the conversation with online users.

YouTube: I absolutely love YouTube as a way of visually learning something. There was a point in time where I was creating clay creations with polymer clay. Being a novice, I had no idea how to do any of the molding so jumped on to YouTube and watched dozens of tutorial videos. I love that YouTube is user-generated content. Again, people love sharing what they are good at and what they are doing, so YouTube is a perfect place to upload that content. I watch a ton of interviews with my favorite authors and bands, learning more about them and their personalities more than I would with just a printed interview. I love that there are videos for pretty much anything you want to learn about. I’ve watched videos on make-up tutorials and hair tutorials. Not everyone learns by listening to information, some people need the visuals as well to really grasp a concept. I had a Biology teacher in high school that taught each lesson first by audibly explaining it, then by visually demonstrating it, then by hands on learning. It was great to get all different angles of the same lesson, and I know my classmates were grateful for the variety of mediums she used. I learned way more in that class than I did in any other class that year.

 

What do YOU feel are core resources libraries and information agencies should be using to reach a wider user population?

I think libraries and information agencies need to be using some form of social media platform, mainly whatever the majority of their patrons and users are using. This will allow them to share information in a format they are using on a daily basis and are comfortable with. I also think librarians need to be exploring new and upcoming online resources even if they are not mainstream. I love the fact that there are libraries in Second Life that actually house tutorials and real data. That is absolutely fascinating. Who would have thought that a librarian’s job could be monitoring and interacting with a population that lives solely online? I also think that whatever technologies and resources librarians are using, need to constantly be evaluated to see if they are still serving the greater population. I think it’s important to have an open dialogue with your users to see if they are using anything new that they think is a great resource or tool.  

Respond to the following posed question: If you were given complete freedom, what would you do with what you've learnt? Would you set up a Twitter account for your library? Would you start your own company using Web 2.0 technologies? Would you run courses for your friends and neighbors? Or would you ignore the whole thing and hope it all goes away?

If I had complete freedom I would set up workshops and classes for everything that I’ve learned. I would bring in experts and laymen to teach classes and their real life experience. I would want to explore every and all topics. I would also love to have a children ran set of programs where they could be an expert in anything that they love like Legos or skateboarding or whatever their hobby is. Then they would create a presentation or a class tutorial (possibly with the help of their classmates or librarian) and then present it. I think this would be a great way to boost the confidence of children at a young age and to make them excited to share their expertise. It would also reiterate the fact that the library and its staff are there to support your endeavors and help out with anything you need.