Librarianship in the 21st CenturyThe library and information studies field is in constant motion as it adapts to the way information is offered. In ancient civilizations, information was recorded on stones and passed down through oral traditions. Then came the invention of the printing press and books became the medium of information transference. In the 21st century, we are experiencing a wealth of information being made available through the Internet and and increase of electronic devices that provides books, videos, podcasts, websites, and more avenues of information. Throughout history, librarians have been the defenders of knowledge, acting as gatekeepers to the various avenues of information and as guides to being able show users the best methods of gaining quick and accurate information.
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While the mediums of information continue to change, the basic principles and values of librarianship have not changed.
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American Library Association
Core Values of Librarianship
ACCESS
All users are granted equal access to all library information resources, in any format/medium.
DIVERSITY
Respecting and recognizing the diversity of the communities surrounding the libraries, librarians strive for equal representation of material and services, along with equal access to material.
THE PUBLIC GOOD
Libraries are essential to the public good, providing free and equal access to resources, straying away from outsourcing and privatization services -- libraries remain as pillars to any democratic society.
SERVICE
All library users will receive the highest level of service from librarians. Librarians are encouraged to participate in professional development to better their knowledge and service skills.
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CONFIDENTIALITY/PRIVACY
All user information, including personal information to what materials they use, is kept private from other parties.
EDUCATION AND LIFE-LONG LEARNING
Librarians value and promote lifelong learning, encouraging people to continue learning even after they've completed formal schooling. Libraries also act as additional educational resources for primary, secondary, and higher education.
PRESERVATION
Libraries and librarians preserve all forms of information, ensuring that the life of the material endures the tests of time and use. Archivists and special collections librarians are responsible for maintaining fragile collections, through preservation management and possibly utilizing conservation techniques to prolong the life of the material.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Libraries cannot solve the problems of society but it is the duty of libraries and librarians to inform people about the problems, giving opportunities to view the problem from all sides and make an informed decision/opinion.
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DEMOCRACY
To have an informed citizenry, information must be readily available to all parties; the First Amendment allows for the right of expression in many forms and under democratic principles, libraries must provide equal and free access to all.
INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM
Librarians uphold intellectual freedom through the availability of all types of materials and multiple viewpoints of controversial topics. They also are against any form of censorship, therefore will fight against challenges to certain materials.
PROFESSIONALISM
Librarians are held to a higher standard, being professionally qualified through graduate programs to maintain high quality services and materials to their patrons and also to train paraprofessional librarians.
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A User-Based Service Profession
Librarians have their core values and their Code of Ethics (add link to ALA code of ethics) but when it comes down it, what does it mean to be a librarian? A librarian is more than an answer machine in human form and much more than just a bookworm who loves to read. As a profession, librarianship is a user-based service profession, where services are designed and executed on the basis of the user who deals not in retail but in information. Information today comes in a myriad of forms from print media to electronic books to webpages to podcasts and YouTube videos and it is the job of librarians to make all that information navigable as well as usable for a user's needs. It is a common misconception that without the need for print books with the rise of e-readers and e-books, why will the physical library be needed? Librarianship goes beyond its materials, it is the service behind the information and it will not matter if the books are in print or on an electronic device, the demand for librarians will always be there. Imagine if the world was left with only Google and Wikipedia with no guidance from librarians or libraries, the world would then be steered in a plethora of directions with no clear indication of which way is up, down, left, or right. Librarians provide more than just an answer, going beyond to find the best results that are both accurate and tailored to the needs of the user. Yes, Google may get the user the answer but it is a program, without filtering out the fake news, the misleading information, and other unpleasantness from advertisements while a librarian teaches the methods of obtaining the answer without having to struggle in the vastness of cyberspace. Libraries also provide resources for life-long learning, because even though former schooling may end after a certain point, the world does not stand still, therefore, it is necessary to grow with the world. All in all, when it comes down the core of librarianship, it is all about the service and bridging the divide between the available information and the users.
Intellectual Freedom
Intellectual freedom is the antithesis of censorship, protecting the right for material to be offered to anyone and everyone. Despite the fact that the United States is a democratic society, censorship still occurs and the American Library Association (ALA) has dedicated a branch of its resources to addressing intellectual freedom, protecting libraries and librarians against challenges, and advocating the Freedom to Read, a statement declaring the right for every man, woman, and child to read what they desire. Intellectual Freedom is vital to an informed citizenry and protected under the First Amendment, as the freedom of expression declares that if an author has the right to publish or speak his/her views then every reader should have the opportunity to either read or not read the material.
When I started as a circulation assistant at Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library, I was introduced to Banned Books Week for the first time and I was amazed at the number of titles on the list of challenged materials. It became one of my favorite weeks of the whole year, with the promotions of challenged materials and educating the public about the challenges that still go on today. When I started the MLIS program at UNC-G, I had the opportunity to further explore the world of intellectual freedom and its relationships with the ALA. Intellectual freedom is one of my favorite subjects of study within librarianship as it is my belief that without intellectual freedom, libraries cannot function within the United States. It has made great strides in the past fifty years and continues to improve through the Office of Intellectual Freedom and its efforts to win the war against censorship.
CELEBRATE BANNED BOOKS WEEK!
Visit www.bannedbooksweek.org/ to find ways of promoting Banned Books Week, or how to ways to inform your patrons about intellectual freedom and challenges that still occur everyday in the United States.
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Censorship & Intellectual Freedom in Libraries: A Different Approach to Advocating Intellectual Freedom in Libraries
by Hope D. Alwine (unpublished) |
Models of Librarianship: The Changing Roles of Librarians
What is an embedded librarianship? "Embedded librarianship is a distinctive innovation that moves the librarians out of libraries and creates a new model of library and information work." (Shumaker, pg 4) Essentially, embedded librarians are encouraged to break away from the traditional model of reference librarianship, becoming a more dynamic presence within the realm of libraries. The goal is to form strong, lasting relationships and becoming an integral part of a user's research. In his book, Shumaker makes several arguments that reference librarianship is traditionally a passive role, with librarians only be reactive and the need for proactive and integrated librarianship is the model for the future of librarianship. I created an inforgraphic with the different models discussed in Shumaker's book, defining each model.