Final Reflections

I will finish this semester with many new ideas about my role as a Librarian, and what a library itself is.  I realize that the library will always be changing, and that I am not alone in my belief that the learning that people will use the library for will be taking different shapes in the future.  I was pleased to learn, during my library visit, that a local director feels the same way that I do; that the library is going to shift to a place of social learning and interaction not just a place for reading and books.  Every time I start to get worried about the current state of libraries, or how people say that libraries are "dead" I go back and think about how libraries have evolved over the years, from private institutes, religious holdings, and beyond.  The library constantly evolves, and we as a profession will keep evolving with it.

I also have to keep reminding myself, and this is a lesson that has been reinforced from this class, that the library is for everyone.  That we really need to have books for any patron on our shelves.  Ideally, we'd have the equal amount of information for each patron on every subject, but that isn't realistic.  But, we can make an effort to reach out to every patron that might come to the library.  We get almost no request for books on LGBT youth, and have never had a request for a book about LGBT youth from a parenting perspective, but my boss read a positive review about a book on the subject, and the book was available in paper back, so I advised her to purchase the book for our collection.  We don't have any books on that subject, and there may be a parent that we serve who would need this book.

Another thing that this course, and just pursuing my MLIS in general has given me is a new level of confidence in my work.  I am a good librarian.  I know a lot about many different areas, so I am able to help patrons with many different questions.  I am a patient person, and I am accepting.  I also understand my job, my boss has told me I "think like a librarian".  So, when it comes time for me stand up for myself at work, I am doing this more.  There are some personal issues (that I do not need to get into in a scholarly blog) that sometimes come up, but this schooling is helping me to stand up for myself based on the knowledge that I am  dedicated to my job, and I am learning, supporting, and defending the ideals of librarianship.

I've also come to respect and understand my profession from a larger scope.  I know that I love being a teen librarian, and I doubt that I will ever change from what I do.  But, it's been interesting to look through the different blogs, Think Tanks, and general discussion to see what other types of librarianship my classmates are considering.  It's good for me to get out of my myopic existence and see this profession from other perspectives.

Finally, I have realized that I am a crusader for access to information.  I am passionate about the ALA and publishers getting their acts together and making it so everyone can have access to e-books, not just the rich communities that can afford the subscription services and high prices of the books.  Authors and publishers have a right to make money off of the books that they write and produce, but I believe they should also remember how important libraries are to bringing in new readers and introducing readers to new authors.  We are the advocates of literacy, and we need to be able to share the new technology that is available.

Blogging About Professional Blogs

The list of professional blogs that was included in our project outline was slightly out of date, but I did find a couple of blogs that I found interesting.  I've also chosen to include a blog that I follow faithfully, that is partially the work of a former librarian and is very relevant to my line of work.

The first blog that I am going to review is DIY Librarian which is maintained by Tara Murray.  I tried to find information about her on the blog, but I couldn't find an "about me" section.  I didn't find all of her posts relatable, but I did enjoy some of her topics.  Of specific interest to me are her posts on copyright including her most recent post about Microsoft, and her post titled Do Creative Commons licenses work for creators?.  I am always interested in learning about copyright and how the laws and limitations affect my work in the library.  I was especially interested to see her opinion on Creative Commons licenses because Ms. Murray is both an author and a librarian so she can see both sides of the copyright issue.

The second blog that I am going to discuss is the newly redesigned Public Libraries Online.  I am actually going to be writing for this blog, and before my first blog is published I decided to start reading the site to see what the tone of the blog was, and what topics have been covered.  I actually really like this site, the blogs are short and to the point.  The blogs are all written for use by public librarians, so I find many of them relevant.  I've especially enjoyed the posts about giving romance books their due (even if I am not a big fan of them), and the post about a child's first visit to the library.  There was also a post about the 80/20 rule and how that can help boost circulation.

Another blog I love, and had to include, is Forever Young Adult.  This blog is awesome!  They review books, movies, and TV all related to teen literature.  They also bring out nostalgic posts like their Childhood Relics Cover Story  There are author interviews, in fact one of the major contributors to the blog is author Brain Katchor.  This blog helps me keep up with TV shows that I should know about, but don't/can't watch since I do not have cable at home.  While this blog may not be considered a professional blog, one of the owners is a former librarian, and these women are obviously dedicated to young adult literature.

Revisiting Assumptions

At the start of the semester we had to introduce ourselves and give some of our assumptions/beliefs on librarianship.  I love my job, and if you look at my assertions from earlier in the semester you can see that.  Something I've struggled with, and didn't mention earlier though is the fear that my beloved profession might not be relevant in the next 5-10 years (or even sooner).  You hear a lot about the downfall of the library, and how libraries are no longer needed in today's technological world, but over this semester I've learned that that isn't true.

Libraries aren't only "the place where the books live" (as describe on Buffy the Vampire Slayer), they are the placed where learning is fascilitated.  Yes, children and teens go to school to learn, and teachers are there to teach them and give them information, but librarians continue that job and we expand upon it.  There will always be people that need help learning.  People who need help with resumes, choosing books to read, and having a place to socialize.  Libraries aren't going to die, they are going to evolve.  The libraries we have today aren't very similar to the original libraries, aside from being places where information is stored.  So, who are we to think that just because libraries are changing now means that they won't exist anymore?

I still feel the same way about my job as I did before, except that after this semester I am more confident that my job will be around when I am older.  That the library will survive, it may look different than it did when I started (almost a decade ago?!), but it will still be standing.

Comparative Analysis of Professional Journals

The two journals that I've chosen to compare are: VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates) and School Library Journal.  VOYA was an easy choice for me, since it is my most used library related publication, but then I had a hard time finding a second source that doesn't directly tie into what I am studying.  I chose School Library Journal, because I do read it on occasion, and I do get some good information in the journal, but I am not planning to work within a school library, so the journal is not specifically focused on what type of librarian I am.

The intended audience for both journals is librarians who work with youth.  VOYA has a smaller demographic because it is for librarians who work with middle, junior, and high school aged children, while School Library Journal is for librarians who work with children in grades K-12.

Both journals publish book reviews.  VOYA breaks their reviews down into Fiction, Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror, Non-Fiction, and Professional books.  School Library Journal has their reviews separated by age group, and then by media because School Library Journal also reviews audio books and videos.  VOYA also includes articles with book lists, or that deal with technology topics, and programming information.  School Library Journal includes more legal information, like questions about copyright infringement, and information about upcoming technology and how it will change the teaching landscape.  Both journals focus on children/teens and literature, but VOYA is focused on the more casual side of this topic, wheres School Library Journal is for the academic side.

I don't believe either journal is peer-reviewed, although both do have an editorial staff.  VOYA does offer to have teens write review of books that are then published in the journal, but each teen review must be accompanied by a librarian review as well.

VOYA is very approachable.  It is one of the first journals I used frequently when I started working at the library.  The style is conversational, and there is a very positive tone to the articles and editorials.  I've been able to relate to most of the articles, even though I work in a small library with a very limited budget.  I rely on this journal the most for reviews and it is the one that most influences my book purchasing.  School Library Journal on the other hand has help me learn about new technology to be aware of, and it has helped me understand copyright issues when dealing with in-library (or in-school) displays.  I don't rely on this journal nearly as much as I do VOYA, but the information that I have used from it has been important.

Mid-Semester Review

The main things that I've noticed from my participation throughout this semester is that I love my job, and am very focused on working in Teen Librarianship, and that I am very passionate about the current state of e-books and libraries.

I honestly hadn't realized how passionate I am about how publishers will not cooperate with libraries to make e-books available and affordable to them until we started discussing it in class as part of my team's Think Tank activity.  I know that when my library has discussed subscribing to Overdrive and offering e-book loan to our patrons that I didn't really see a call for it in our community.  We don't get many requests for e-books, and the cost to subscribe to the service would be 1/8 of our entire collection development budget (that does not take into account the cost of then purchasing the use of any e-books from the service).  It really bothers me that some people don't see how much this affects those that are economically disadvantaged already.

I understand where the publishers are coming from, but I also think that this is just making it harder for the poor to be able to access this new technology.  I haven't really used e-books because I know I can't afford to pay $10 (at least) for each book I read.  I rarely buy books, I almost always check them out from the library instead.  The fact that these publishers are making it almost impossible for libraries to get their books (by most of them not even offering libraries the chance to purchase the books), just makes people like me unable to use this format.

The ethics paper also made me think some about my job at the library.  One of the first questions I was asked when I interviewed here was how I would handle the homeless patrons.  I said I would treat them just like anyone else, because I already did that working at a local cafe.  In fact, one of the more well known local homeless guys had his own table at the cafe and would come there almost every day, so I was used to working with the homeless.  While working on the Ethics Case paper I really had to think about the impact that the library has on the homeless population, and the impact they have on us.  At my library we've only had to ban one homeless man that I know of, and he did not get banned because he was homeless or smelled bad.  He was banned because he was a violent schizophrenic who refused to take his medication and was also hitting on underage girls.  That kind of behavior would get you banned from any library (I'd hope).

Job Analysis Pt. 2

Youth Services Librarian, St. Louis Public Library

According to the ad for a Youth Services Librarian at the St. Louis Public Library, the position requires someone with "outstanding verbal and written communication skills."  They are also looking for someone who has a strong commitment to serving a diverse population.  The position also requires that the candidate have an MLS from an ALA accredited school, and 3-5 years experience working with youth.  They want someone who can do storytelling and that has program skills.  They also want a librarian who has a strong knowledge of children and teen literature, and someone who can do community outreach.

Right now, I have over 8 years experience working with youth.  I have planned and run programs for most of my time at the Benton Harbor Public Library.  I also run collection development for the Teen Department, have developed a Junior Graphic Novel collection, and helped in the selection of our Adult Graphic Novel collection.  I have volunteered to run story time at my library when my boss was unable.  I was in charge of story time for the last month of our Summer Reading Program because my boss had a broken arm.  I also have run teen and youth book groups.  I've done community out reach to local schools (even those that are out of the normal age range of the patrons I serve in the Teen Department).

I also have strong written skills.  I've done well in my past writing classes, especially Technical Writing.  I have some grammar and punctuation problems, but I am pretty good at editing, especially with some help.  I've been published in VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates), and I am going to be published next year in the Johns Hopkins Press.

What I lack to be qualified for my dream job is my MLIS.  I need to finish my Master's Degree, and I plan on doing the Graduate Certificate in Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults.

Director of Exhibitions, Indiana State Museum (Indianapolis)

This job would require some different skills than the job as a Youth Services Librarian.  According to their ad, the Indiana State Museum wants someone who has strong management skills and who is able to manage staff schedules and budgets.  This person would most likely also have to be creative.  He or she would need strong communication skills as well.  

There is a certificate program within Wayne State University that would work well for this position.  So, if I wanted to be the Director of Exhibitions at a museum I would want to complete my MLIS and then do the Graduate Certificate in Arts and Museum Librarianship.  Another option would be the joint Master's program with the MLIS and the MA in History Degree program.

I am not sure what else I would do to get the job as the Director of Exhibitions other than to try to get a lower level job at a museum now so that I could start working within that environment.

Job Analysis Pt. 1

Looking through the ALA website at job postings I found one that I liked.

Youth Services Librarian for St. Louis Public Library.
http://joblist.ala.org/modules/jobseeker/Youth-Services-Librarian/20832.cfm

After I did this search I figured I'd try to "think outside the box" and see what other career I might want that would be related to the MLIS study.  Another job I'd consider would be the Director of Exhibitions, Indiana State Museum.
http://www.indianamuseums.org/index.asp?p=7

One of my favorite things about working in a library is putting together displays.  And I love art, and art history.  Researching different artists and art forms could be very interesting, and figuring out how to display them would be challenging, but use the skills that I've developed working in a library.

I know that there are many other jobs out there that I might enjoy that go along the lines of what I will learn for my MLIS.  I might enjoy being an archivist, or working in advertising.