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Use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital information items.

“A library represents the mind of its collector, his fancies and foibles, his strength and weakness, his prejudices and preferences. Particularly is this the case if to the character of a collector he adds – or tries to add- the qualities of a student who wishes to know the books and the lives of the men who wrote them. The friendships of his life, the phases of his growth, the vagaries of his mind, all are represented. ”

—Sir William Osler

EXPLICATION

The heart of any library is its collection.  The value of a library’s collection is reflected in how much it is used by the community.  Collection management refers to the activities central to developing and maintaining a collection that is diverse, relevant, and accurate.  Developing a library’s collection is not a simple matter of purchasing materials but requires consideration of many factors such as the make-up of the patron community, the mission of the library or parent organization, how the collection will be organized, how and when weeding will be undertaken, how donations to the library will be handled, how challenges to materials are handled, and of course, funding.  Consideration must be given to the library’s core collection and how acquisitions build on and compliment that collection.  Furthermore, mode and ease of access must also be considered.  Should items be provided in the physical library, online, or both?  Is it important for all branches to provide copies of an item or is providing a means of access via interlibrary loan sufficient?  Should the collection be demand-oriented or value-oriented?  And who will make decisions regarding acquisitions, evaluation, deselection, and preservation?  No matter how comprehensive a collection development policy is, it is important to remember that it is a dynamic, rather than static, policy and must be evaluated regularly.  As a collection grows in size, the collection development policy will necessarily become more detailed.  Comprehensive collection development policies help librarians justify acquisitions by providing guidelines on selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation and should reflect not only the principles and philosophy of the library or parent organization but also the American Library Association’s overall commitment to intellectual freedom through access to information.

Selection

In order to make appropriate selections for a library’s collection, collection developers must have in-depth knowledge of the library’s collection, understand the purpose of the collection, and be keenly aware of the collection’s strengths and weaknesses.  Lee (2000) asserts, “an effective collection must be developed with a solid understanding of its community information needs” (p. 1109).  The purpose of a library’s collection will depend on the type of library and the purpose of the parent organization.  Public library collections seek to meet the information needs of a diverse patron population, while school and academic library collections will reflect the mission of the school they serve and will be made up of items that further the education of the patrons by supplementing and complementing classroom materials.  Special library collections may be more focused on a certain topic or specific types of materials, such as law libraries or map libraries, and target more specific information needs.

Librarians must be aware of their biases and be able to overlook them in order to build collections that reflect the many points of view inherent in a diverse patron community. Regularly conducted community analyses help public librarians keep abreast of the dynamic information needs of patrons.  This brings up the question of selection philosophy:  demand vs. quality.  Because taxpayer’s fund library purchases, should selections be made based on their demands, or should a more altruistic stance be taken in the interest of “better[ing] the collective intelligence of the community and improve[ing] its emotional, educational, and cognitive levels” (Disher 2014 p.53).  A well-balanced collection will reflect aspects of both philosophies.  Furthermore, the process of selection makes it necessary to be clear about the institution’s policies regarding challenged material in order to justify a selection for purchase as well as defending it in the face of any future challenges.

Specific types of materials require different considerations.  For example, selection of audio/visual materials requires ensuring that the proper equipment is available in order to use that format.  Selection of journals and newspapers requires considering the cost versus the benefit.  Selection of children’s material and young adult material requires consideration of reading as well as maturity levels of users.  Non-English language material may require soliciting help and suggestions from the public as well as publishers and reviewers.

Digital and electronic collections may include citation and full-text databases, e-books, photos and images, downloadable and streaming media.  Recommendation and selection of digital electronic resources should be covered in the collection development policy and should be handled in much the same way as print materials.  Special consideration may be necessary when comparing print versus electronic versions of an item and determining which format best satisfies the needs of patrons.

Because funding is rarely sufficient to meet all the needs and demands of the patron community, it is important that collection librarians perform due diligence when deciding how to spend those precious funds.  This may include reading reviews of potential purchases, acquiring advance copies of books or periodicals, and previewing digital materials via free trials or demonstrations offered by sales representatives.  A collection librarian’s toolbox should contain a list of trusted reviewers and websites providing reviews as well as a list of trusted publishers, noting the types of materials for which each publisher is known.

Evaluation

Any library’s collection should be regularly evaluated to ensure its continued value to patrons.  Evaluation criteria may include accuracy and currency of materials, usage, and physical condition of materials depending on evaluation goals.  Collection-based evaluations, the type most often used by public libraries, may include list checking, shelf scanning, or bibliographic analysis.  Collection-based evaluations provide data on collection size (growth or shrinkage), trends, expenditures, as well as how budgeting has affected the materials.  User-based evaluations focus on access to, and use of, the collection and may entail circulation data analysis, interlibrary loan analysis, or user surveys.  Both types of evaluations are useful in identifying strengths and gaps in the collection.  One outcome of evaluation may be weeding of the collection.  Weeding, or deselection, may occur for any number of reasons including the physical condition of materials, currency and accuracy of information, materials no longer meet the criteria of the collection policy, and/or space constraints.  Collection development policies should include criteria for handling of discarded materials.

Organization

According to Evans and Saponaro (2005), the law of least effort refers to “people expend[ing] as little as possible of their resources (time, money, effort) to secure information” (p.22).  Put simply, “ease of access trumps all” (Disher, 2014).  Users care about access and convenience.  If the value of a collection is reflected in its use by the patron community, then organization is critical to ensuring access to the collection and thus creating value through usage.  The most common forms of organization are the Dewey Decimal classification systems and the Library of Congress classification system, both of which classify content by subject.  However, as most patrons are not well-versed on either of these systems, it is important to devise other schemes to ensure patron access to materials.  Strategically located displays draw patron attention not only to “New Arrivals” but also to books highlighting specific topics, genres, or authors.

Consideration must also be given to organization of digital items.  Library displays should make note of digital items such as e-books as well as print items.  Well laid out library webpages make it easy for patrons to locate digital items as well as databases and other information resources.  Organization of online items should include easy-to-follow tutorials explaining at least basic use of online resources.

Preservation

A collection that is well-used is going to have items which fall into disrepair:  pages falling out, written on, or smudged with food, worn bindings, etc.  The condition of books should be checked by circulation staff and repaired as needed.  CDs and DVDs may require polishing to remove smudges and small scratches.  In some cases, it may be necessary to update items from one format to another in order to allow their use with current technology, for example, replacing popular VHS tapes with DVDs.

Preservation refers not only to the upkeep and repair of items in the collection but also preservation of information in the form of collections that preserve the history and cultural identity of a community.  Preservation of unique collections may include providing special climate control (e.g., temperature or humidity), use of appropriate materials for repair, and special tools for handling items (e.g., gloves).  It also may entail converting physical items into a digital format.

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

Certainly INFO-266, Collection Management, is the class in which I learned the most about collection development.  In this class I learned that collection development should be tied to, and reflect, the mission and vision of the library and, when appropriate, the parent organization.  I learned how to gather information–both anecdotal and statistical–about a library’s service community as a means of gauging what materials will best suit the needs and interests of that community.  I learned about the importance of having a comprehensive collection development policy.  And I learned that an important part of collection management is weeding, eliminating items that no longer fit with the purpose of the collection as a whole or reflect the needs and/or interests of the community.

Other classes that also had sections related to collection development were INFO-210, Reference and Information Services, which focused on reference collections, and INFO-282, Correctional Library Management, which focused on the special considerations that must be made when developing a collection for the incarcerated, including exclusion of works portraying violent behavior and inclusion of a large variety of materials that support the rehabilitative efforts of inmates.

EVIDENCE

1.  What is a Collection? (discussion post)

The first piece I offer as evidence of my mastery of Competency F is a discussion post from INFO-266—Collection Development.  The premise of scenario two was to assume myself to be the head of a special library devoted to model and prototype railroading.  Some board members are interested in “expanding the scope of the collection to include a variety of models, including some that have historical value” (Disher, 2016), while others believe the models should be in a museum instead of a library.  For the post, I had to explain the difference between a museum collection and a library collection as well as explain my position on the suggestion.  My answer—that the models should be included in the library collection—is based on the premises that “items [in a library] must be connected to each other in some way” and “the intended audience or users define or are used to define what items are ‘appropriate’ for their use” (Disher, 2014, p.1).  User-defined collection development is central to a demand-oriented selection philosophy.

2.  Collection Development Philosophy

The next piece of evidence is another discussion post for INFO-266, this one in response to articles regarding collection development philosophy.  In the first article, “The case for quality book selection,” Bob champions a value-oriented philosophy, arguing that librarians are better suited than patrons to decide what material patrons should be reading.  The second article, “Give ‘em what they want: a one-year study of unmediated patron driven acquisition of e-Books,” Fischer advocates for demand-oriented collection development, noting that funds are better spent purchasing materials (in this case, e-books) that patrons demand because the materials will certainly be used.  Both questions posed by the instructor required a discussion of my impressions of the two arguments in an effort to determine which argument was more in line with my collection development philosophy.  From my answers, it is clear that while I feel it can be appropriate to expose patrons to reading material other than that which they usually choose, my collection development philosophy is more in line with that of demand-oriented rather than quality-oriented.

3.  Selection Recommendations for a Public Library

Collection development is a key task in any library.  One assignment in INFO-266 required making selection recommendations for the San Jose Public Library using some basic information about the library and a budget allocation of $750.  First, I collected additional information about the patron community by analyzing the demographics and geodemography of the primary service area.  Armed with this information, I made a preliminary plan to select items targeting the needs and interests of specific facets of the community.  I not only had to decide what titles to purchase but also the number of copies of each item.  For each item, my rational was supported with information based on my pre-selection analysis.  My recommendations reflect a tendency towards a demand-oriented collection development philosophy.  This assignment was challenging because as a student, I am use to working towards providing THE right answer for a question or task.  However, as pointed out by my instructor in comments provided at the end of the assignment, there is no right or wrong answer for this type of assignment.  All a librarian tasked with collection development can do is strive to build a collection that best meets the information and entertainment needs of library patrons and to do so within the constraints of budget allocations.

CONCLUSION

As stated previously, the heart of any library is its collection.  Collection development is a critical task requiring understanding of the purpose of the collection, the mission of the institution housing the collection, and the make-up of the patron community in order to determine its interests and information needs and make appropriate selections for purchase.  It also requires regular evaluation of the collection and the users in order to keep the collection current, accurate, and relevant as well as how to preserve items for use and special preservation requirements inherent in certain types of collections.

The discussion and evidence presented here demonstrates my understanding of the necessary components in a comprehensive collection development policy as well as my understanding and mastery of collection development tasks.

References

Disher, W. (2014). Crash course in collection development. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Evans, G. E., & Zarnosky Saponaro, M. (2005). Developing library and information center Collections (5th ed.). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Lee, H.-L. (2000), What is a collection? J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci., 51: 1106–1113. doi:10.1002/1097-4571(2000)9999:9999<::AID-ASI1018>3.0.CO;2-T

Design, query, and evaluate information retrieval systems.

“…unretrieved information is the same as nonexistent information.”

-Donald and Ana Cleveland

EXPLICATION

It is human nature to categorize and organize objects and information.  Librarianship has always required such actions in order to facilitate effective retrieval of information for library patrons.  Once upon a time, the information retrieval (IR) system used in libraries was the card catalog.  However, in the current era of technology, more advanced IR systems are at once a quicker and more efficient, as well as more complex, mode of accessing information.  Designing, querying, and evaluating IR systems are important technical skills for twenty-first century librarians.

Design

An information retrieval system is “a mechanism for obtaining, analyzing, categorizing, and disseminating information” (Cleveland and Cleveland, 2001, p.15).  Effective IR system design requires consideration of users and their information needs on an individual level as well as the needs of the organization as a whole.  Organization of information is critical to its effective retrieval.

Effective organization begins with assigning metadata to the items included in the IR system.  A surrogate, which Cleveland and Cleveland (2001) define as “an abbreviated and orderly image of the knowledge record” (p. 2), contains attributes relevant to the information item.  Attributes may be objective and describe the item itself, such as title and author, or subjective and describe content (often referred to as aboutness).  Assignation of attributes depends on the judgment of an individual; thus, problems with subjective attributes can occur if the person assigning those attributes is unfamiliar with the subject area and the technical jargon inherent to that subject, or when a key concept is overlooked.

The next step in IR system design is creating field names and subject headings.  Field names represent the attributes that will make up the surrogate record in the IR system.  Subject headings are essentially the filing system for items.  Subject headings are assigned based on a controlled vocabulary, which refers to the specific words chosen to represent concepts and the rules for their usage (Cleveland and Cleveland, 2001, p. 35).  Controlled vocabularies are used to promote consistency in indexing and to decrease or remove the ambiguity inherent in natural language.  Assigned terms should reflect the vocabulary inherent to the particular subject area addressed by a particular document.  For example, a designer may assign the term “youth” to represent underage individuals between the ages of twelve and eighteen.  In assigning this subject term, the designer also indicates a list of synonyms, such as teen, juvenile, young adult, that may possibly be used in a query by searchers.  Any time a user enters one of the synonyms, the IR system will redirect the query to the subject term (or preferred term) of “youth” and return relevant items.  Use of controlled vocabulary increases the precision of the IR system by supplying results that are most relevant and excluding irrelevant information.

An effective IR system will include a searchable thesaurus or list of subject terms that aids in the general understanding of a subject area by allowing users to determine the assigned preferred terms of the controlled vocabulary.  The list should allow users to discern hierarchical (broader and narrower terms), equivalent (variant forms/synonyms of preferred term), associative (terms related in concept by neither hierarchical or equivalent), and homographic relationships between terms. Ambiguity may also come into play for homographs: words that are spelled the same but have different meanings, such as bear (the animal) and bear (to carry).  An effectively designed IR system should delineate the difference in terms and lead users to the preferred term for each meaning.  Scope notes (SN) provide users with guidelines for a term’s scope and limitations with regard to usage.

The most relevant information organized in the best possible manner means nothing if users cannot access it.  Interface design is an important consideration because it must take into account a wide variety of user skills and abilities.  Rose (2006) points to three principles key to interface design that take into consideration information-seeking behavior:

• Search goals should match interface (e.g., basic versus advanced search),
• Facilitation for selection of appropriate contexts for search, and
• Support for interactive nature of search tasks (e.g., refinement and exploration).

Other considerations for effective interface design include providing shortcuts for experienced users, ease of maneuverability (e.g., reversal of actions, movement between pages), providing search history, providing suggestions for related terms along with search results, displaying and highlighting document metadata and query terms, and ability to sort results based on specific criteria (e.g., relevance, currency, etc.) (Shneiderman et al. 1997, Hearst 2009).

Query

Queries may be simple or complex; provisions for each are evident in the basic and advanced search pages offered by most databases.  Users may input their own terms or, for more effective and efficient querying, use controlled language terms by locating them in the thesaurus or subject heading list.  Different types of IR systems may require different types of queries or query strategies.  For example, querying a search engine such as Google can be accomplished using natural or every-day language.  A direct question can be entered directly into the search box and Google will more than likely deliver a large number of results.  While many people think that any information need they have can be fulfilled by “Googling” it, it is important that users understand that finding relevant, appropriate information to a query on Google may be akin to finding a needle in a haystack.  Search engines such as Google retrieve results based on algorithms that frequently change and which often have less to do with returning relevant results as they do with returning results based on website rankings.  While databases seem daunting to many people, the truth is they are a more efficient and effective means of locating relevant, appropriate information. However, querying a database may require users to create queries using more specific terms such as key words representing major concepts or preferred terms designated in a controlled vocabulary.

Drilling down through a large number of items in a database may be more readily accomplished by employing a specific type of search tactics.  Some recognized search tactics, as noted by Booth (2008), include:

• Building blocks – dividing a query into facets, including variants and synonyms, and adding the concepts together using the Boolean operator AND
• Citation pearl growing – beginning with a very precise search to locate one highly relevant citation, then using index and text terms to broaden the search, repeating this until all relevant terms have been identified
• Successive fractions – the first facet in a query represents a major topic. Other identified facets are added to each results set using AND, with the intention of narrowing the result set to a manageable number of relevant items
• Drop a concept – If a query becomes too specific and the result set falls to an unacceptable level (or zero), the least relevant facet is dropped from the query
• Interactive scanning – users unfamiliar with a topic use a broad concept for the initial search and scan the large set of results to become more familiar with concepts within that topic

According to Booth (2008), berry picking, a model proposed by Marcia Bates, is perhaps the most common strategy, particularly for users unfamiliar with a topic and those working towards developing a sound research question, as “it reflects the natural interactions of the end-user whose information needs constantly change as they examine and process the results of each search set” (p. 315).  Berry picking begins with a general query and evolves into more specific queries as users learn more about a topic and their interest develops in a certain direction that will eventually become the primary research question.

Indexing of controlled language terms may be pre-coordinated or post-coordinated.  Pre-coordinate indexing refers to the practice of combining terms prior to searching, i.e., combination of terms is not controlled by the user.  Currently, most databases use post-coordinate indexing, which allows users to combine search terms using Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT.  When explaining the concept of Boolean logic to students, I suggest they think of a query as a mathematic equation where the search terms are the “numbers,” Boolean operators describe the functions to be carried out, and the results list is the “answer,” i.e., what comes after the equals sign.

Ex.:  censorship AND school libraries NOT academic libraries AND children OR youth = results list

Queries may also employ the use of quotation marks to enclose a search phrase, instructing the database to search for the exact term, and truncation where an asterisk is used to denote an unspecified ending to a word.  For example, libr* may return results for librarians, library, librarianship, etc.

Queries can be refined and focused either pre-or post-query by use of filters (also called limiters).  Most advanced-search pages offer filters concerning document type, publication information (publisher, date of publication, etc.), language, and intended audience.  Post-query filters may include those already mentioned as well as those for subject and source types.

Evaluation

Evaluation of databases involves determination of effectiveness, usability, satisfaction, and cost (Rowley & Hartley, 2008).  Effectiveness is measured by examining an IR system’s recall—the ability to retrieve relevant information—and precision—the ability to suppress or exclude irrelevant information.  Usability evaluates the IR system interface as well as user experience.  Shneiderman and Plaisant (2004) note five key components of interface usability:

• Learnability – ease of use for basic tasks upon first encountering the interface,
• Efficiency – ease and efficiency of task accomplishment after learning how to use interface,
• Memorability – ease of use after a period of non-use,
• Errors – number and severity of errors made during use as well as ease of recovery from errors, and
• Satisfaction – “How pleasant or satisfying is it to use the interface?” (Shiri, 2012, pp. 243-244).

Satisfaction is difficult to measure because individual satisfaction is subjective and may depend on such factors as user familiarity and skill with querying IR systems and the perceived relevance of results by a given user.  For any user, relevance of results depends on “a wide-ranging set of variables, including cognitive, psychological, educational, social, and cultural” (Cleveland and Cleveland, 2001, p. 27).  Cost is also difficult to measure.  Both satisfaction and cost may be evaluated based on the amount of use a database receives.  Data-gathering methods for IR system evaluation include think-aloud sessions (where interviewers record users talking through their thought process), screencapturing (allowing evaluators to analyze specific points during user sessions), pre- and post-search questionnaires, and post-session interviews.

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

I was introduced to online databases during my first semester in college.  I was taking an expository writing class which required a fair amount of research.  An affinity for databases was born and continued to grow throughout my undergraduate years, so much so that several of my instructors suggested I consider getting an MLIS degree.  Needless to say, I took their advice.  During my time in the MLIS program, I have taken INFO 202, Information Retrieval System Design; INFO 244, Online Searching; INFO 247, Vocabulary Design; and INFO 248, Beginning Cataloging and Classification, all of which have enhanced my understanding of classification of items for purposes of discovery as well as how IR systems work.  I have not only queried and evaluated a wide number of IR systems but also constructed a thesaurus of controlled terms.

Throughout my college career, I have tutored students in the use of databases.  For the past five years, I have worked with freshman English students at a local community college, instructing them in the use of databases.  For most students, it is their first time using databases for research.  I instruct them in how to compile a list of potential search terms, how to formulate simple and complex queries, and how to filter results using system-supplied limiters.  I also show them how to choose the right database(s) based on their research topic and how to use an IR system’s thesaurus to formulate the most effective queries.

EVIDENCE

1.  Design: Thesaurus Construction

The first item of evidence provided demonstrates my understanding and mastery of concepts related to the design of IR systems.

An important part of effective IR system design is constructing a thesaurus of subject terms. As noted previously, the thesaurus aids in the general understanding of a subject area by allowing users to determine the assigned preferred terms of the controlled vocabulary.  For an assignment in LIBR-247, Vocabulary Design, I had to analyze fifteen subject statements provided by the instructor, extract the key concepts from those statements, compile a controlled vocabulary based on those concepts, and construct a thesaurus from the controlled-vocabulary terms.  This assignment required demonstrating an understanding of facet classification, term selection, and creating an index that shows the relationship between terms.  This assignment not only brought home the amount of work and close attention to detail required to produce a useful thesaurus but also the fine line separating an exhaustive thesaurus and one that is over-bloated with inappropriate or unnecessary terms.

2.  Query: Web of Science Exercise; Successive Fractions Query Technique

The next two items of evidence demonstrate my understanding and mastery of concepts related to querying IR systems.

Querying an IR system not only involves choosing appropriate search terms but also how to use the features and functions provided by a database as a means of fulfilling an information need.  While there are many features and functions that are common to most IR systems, such as basic and advanced search options as well as various filters for refining search results, there are some features that are unique to specific IR systems.  Efficient and effective querying comes from successful employment of these features and functions.  One assignment for LIBR-244, Online Searching, required demonstration and understanding of the features and functions provided by the database Web of Science in order to answer a series of information inquiries provided by the instructor.  This assignment demonstrates my ability to master the use of IR systems in order to locate information that fulfills a need or answers a question.

Librarians should be familiar with different search strategies for querying IR systems, not only for their own purposes of locating information for patrons but also to show patrons with different skill levels and information needs how to efficiently and effectively locate information.  A post for LIBR-244, Online Searching, required formulating a research question and employing one or more search techniques to retrieve appropriate information.  I wanted to try a search strategy that I had not used before, so I used Successive Fractions.  I put a slight twist on the method by choosing subject terms from both the ProQuest and ERIC thesauri to use as synonyms for my search terms.  While the method proved useful in this exercise, I note at the conclusion of the post that I agree with Booth’s (2008) assertion: “more important than placing an appropriate label on a specific search tactic is judicious selection and use of such techniques to match a corresponding information need” (313).  There are tactics from each of the search styles that I find beneficial and use from time to time, which I believe is probably true for all IR system users.

3.  Evaluation: Poets.org; ERIC and MediaSleuth

The next two items of evidence demonstrate my understanding and mastery of concepts related to evaluation of IR systems

It is important to evaluate IR systems to determine their effectiveness and usability as well as to determine where improvements can be made.   One assignment for LIBR-202, Information Retrieval, entailed evaluating an IR system based on authority, timeliness, scope, intuitiveness, functionality, and precision using a specific user model.  I evaluated the IR system on the Poets.org website with two user models in mind:  1) greeting card designers (User Model A), and 2) students utilizing the database for research information for high school-level English literature classes (User Model B).  Evaluation criteria were rated either positive, negative, or neutral.  This was my first attempt at evaluating an IR system.  The IR system provided on the Poets.orgwebsite is relatively basic; however, it is still important to evaluate it in order to determine its usefulness to a wide variety of users.  One of the most important lessons gleaned from this assignment was an understanding of why consideration of user model is important in determining the effectiveness and usability of an IR system.

An assignment for LIBR-247, Vocabulary Design, necessitated evaluating two IR systems, one a freely available web-based system and the other a subscription database. Both IR systems are more sophisticated than that provided on the Poets.org website.  Again, features and functions were evaluated with regard to effectiveness and usability.  This assignment also required making suggestions for improvements to each of the IR systems.  This assignment taught me how important it is to think about the features and functions that may provide the best possible user experience.

CONCLUSION

Information retrieval systems are almost ubiquitous: whether people are querying Google for restaurant suggestions, Amazon for a book or other product, or a subscription database for information items, they are using IR systems.  It is important that librarians, as gatekeepers of information as well as those most often tasked with organizing information, have a firm understanding of concepts related to design, query, and evaluation of information systems.  The discussion and evidence presented demonstrates my mastery of these concepts and my ability to put them to use.  And while I feel I have mastered these concepts, I also understand that as IR systems become more sophisticated, as a librarian I will need to continue updating and refining my knowledge.

References

Booth, A. (2008). Using evidence in practice. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 25, 313-317. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2008.00825.x

Cleveland, D. B., & Cleveland, A. D. (2001). Introduction to Indexing and Abstracting (3rd ed.). Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Hearst, M.A. (2009). Search user interfaces. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Rowley, J. & Hartley, R. (2008). Organizing knowledge: An introduction to managing access to information. Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited.

Shiri, A. (2012). Powering search: The role of thesauri in new information environments. Medford, NJ: ASIS&T.

Shneiderman, B., Boyd, D., & Croft, W. B. (1997, January). Clarifying search: A user-interface framework for text searches. DL Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.dlib.org/dlib/january97/retrieval/01shneiderman.html

Shneiderman, B., & Plaisant, C. (2004). Designing the user interface: Strategies for effective human-computer interaction, 4^th ed. Boston, MA: Addison Wesley.

Apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy.

“Leadership is working with goals and vision; management is working with objectives.”

-Russel Honore

EXPLICATION

Planning, management, marketing, and advocacy are key elements in ensuring the success of any organization including libraries.  Planning involves both short- and long-term strategies for advancing and enhancing the mission and vision of a library.  Management involves day-to-day supervision of staff, resources, and facilities as well as overseeing implementation, completion, and evaluation of planning strategies.  Marketing ensures that the user community knows what the library offers them and how it benefits them to use what the library offers.  Advocacy involves keeping stakeholders apprised of successful implementation of programs and services and how they are useful to and used by the community, in order to ensure continued funding.

Planning

The purpose of any organization is defined by its mission and vision statements.  Mission statements address an organization’s long-term values and aims, while vision statements provide the guidance for achieving those aims.  Different types of libraries will have different missions depending on the purpose of the library and the information needs of its users.  Planning entails establishing “meaningful, achievable, and quantifiable objectives” (Hirsch 2015, p.406) based on the purpose of the library and defining how to implement those objectives as well as allocating budgets and establishing criteria for measuring progress and evaluating achievement.  Operational plans address day-to-day activities through establishment of procedures, policies, and rules.  Strategic plans address long-term goals that further the overall mission and vision of the library.  Effective goals are developed by thinking SMARTER: Specific, Measurable, Acceptable, Realistic, Time-frame,Extending, Rewarding (Evans and Ward, 2007, p. 154).  Effective planning begins with a SWOT analysis to identify a library’s internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as its external opportunities and threats.  Ideally, a SWOT analysis incorporates input from all affected and interested parties.  Planning is a forward-looking activity that entails a certain amount of risk, uncertainty, and doubt.  In order to ensure a library’s continued importance to the community, regular planning procedures should be undertaken to identify changes and trends as well as evaluate overall performance with regards to the mission and vision of the library.

Management

Librarians may be called on to manage people, resources, and facilities.  Evans and Ward (2007) assert, “knowing who should make a decision is essential to keeping things flowing” (p.129).  Staffing hierarchies determine where and by whom specific types of decisions are made within the library.  In general, the objectives of any manager’s work include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting (Evans and Ward, 2007, p. 9).  These objectives remain constant despite changes in the library.  Management styles vary and include:

• Scientific: focuses on production and workers,
• Administrative: focuses on overall operation of an organization,
• Behavioral: humanistic approach focusing on workers,
• Systems: focuses on interdependence of various parts of an organization with regard to input, transformation, output, and feedback,
• Contingency: no universals management answers; answers to problems are derived on a situation-to-situation basis,
• Quality: emphasis on customer satisfaction, and
• Composite: draws on the best aspects of other management styles.

Mary Parker Follet defined management as “‘the art of getting things done through people’” (Evans and Ward, 2007, p. 7).  It therefore benefits managers to encourage workers to perform well, which is best accomplished by leading through example.  From years of working in an office environment, both as support staff as well as management, I have learned that encouragement of staff is accomplished not only through tangible incentives but also by demonstrating a willingness to undertake any task that works towards the overall benefit of the organization as well as acknowledging the good performance of individual workers.  The multiplier effect speaks to the positive value to an organization of good performance by individuals.  Furthermore, “the combined good efforts of people far exceed what any one person can accomplish and one poor performance has a much greater impact than several good performances” (Evans and Ward, 2007, p. 11).  In other words, a manager is only as good as his or her staff and vice versa.  No matter how well the staff performs, poor management skills can negate or undo the good.

Marketing

No matter how much time and effort is put into planning and executing projects, library programs and services are only meaningful if the public actually uses them.  The user community must be informed about what materials, programs, and services the library offers and why those programs and services are important and useful to them.  Evans and Ward note that a key question to consider when creating a marketing program is “‘Why is a nonuser a nonuser?’” (p.85).  In answer to this question, they identify eight reasons, which, in terms of the “product” of library services, are:

• Not knowing what the library offers,
• Inability to locate needed information or unavailability of materials at time of need,
• Preference for different information sources,
• Lack of understanding of value offered by library services and programs,
• Cost versus return: time and effort is more than user is willing to expend for information,
• Lack of understanding regarding use of library services and programs, and
• Expectation of poor service (Evans and Ward, 2007, p. 86).

Effective marketing strategies inform the user community what is available and why it is useful to them.  Evans and Ward assert, “thinking about the organization in terms of the user tends to broaden the scope of possible activities” (p. 88).  In terms of marketing, this means understanding how to get information about the library to the user community, particularly nonusers.  It is best to employ a variety of methods for informing the user community about library materials, services, and programs, including social media, websites, flyers, advertisements, news letters, etc.  Marketing is an ongoing activity necessary to keep the benefits of using the library, rather than other sources of information, in the minds of users as well as to draw nonusers to the library.

Advocacy

In regard to libraries, advocacy entails demonstrating to stakeholders that high-quality materials, services, and programs offered meet the community’s needs and that the community is taking advantage of what the library offers.  This is particularly important for libraries that rely on public funding.  Measurable impacts of programs and services should be reported to stakeholders and supporters as a means of demonstrating the merits of investing in the library.  Librarians can also advocate for their organization by providing a regular and active presence at local government meetings as well as local club, organization, and foundation meetings and events, and regular communication with local, county, and state officials.

Advocacy is for the ultimate benefit of library users as effective advocacy garners funding and donations that increase the value of the library to users.  Advocacy that ensures adding and continuing programs of benefit to users is particularly important in correctional libraries.  Because correctional libraries are under the jurisdiction of the correctional organization (usually the Department of Corrections), all materials and programs must be reviewed by the parent organization to ensure that the ultimate goals of the institution are upheld, particularly security and rehabilitation.  It is important that correctional librarians advocate for materials and programs that support the rehabilitative efforts of inmates because the correctional library is often the sole source of these materials for inmates.

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

While most of my jobs have placed me in the position of being “the managed,” I did have one job where I was an office manager.  I managed a staff of nine who provided support for the geologists and engineers in an environmental consulting firm.    I worked hard to master what Mary Parker Follet termed “‘the art of getting things done through people’” (Evans and Ward, 2007, p. 7).  Having been one of the support staff myself for years, I understood how important it was for me to “lead by example.”  My management style could be described as composite (see above) because I had to act as intermediary (and often, mediator) between support and professional staff, manage workflow, and ensure the quality of reports that went to clients and state agencies.  In other words, as a manager I had to wear many hats, which I believe is what a good manager should do, particularly in a library environment where staff and resources may both be in short supply.  Furthermore, I conducted weekly staff meetings in an effort to keep each department apprised of progress on specific projects, upcoming work, and to give staff a chance to air issues and problems as well as ask questions and offer suggestions.

While most of my experience with the principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy came in INFO-204, Information Professions, many of my classes offered tactics and skills related to these principles.  In INFO-203, Online Learning: Tools and Strategies for Success, I learned how to create a blog, a tool that can be used in marketing.  In INFO-240, Information Technology Tools and Applications, I created a website, an essential for any library in the 21st century.  And in INFO-282, Correctional Library Management, I learned about managing this special type of library and how to advocate for inmates within the confines of stringent department of corrections rules and regulations.

EVIDENCE

1.  Mission and Vision Statements

Key elements of any strategic plan are an organization’s mission and vision statements.  As noted previously, these statements address an organization’s long-term values and aims as well as provide the guidance for achieving those aims.  Much of the work for LIBR-204—Information Professions revolved around a group project requiring development of a strategic plan for a library or one department of a library.  The type and purpose of the library was at the discretion of the group.  There were three people in my group and, as I was the only one not working fulltime as well as attending school, I took the lead on the project and drafted many of the components.

The group decided our library would be one attached to a children’s museum, with the primary purpose of collecting, restoring, and preserving children’s books to ensure their continued access for future generations.  The first task, then, was to draft mission and vision statements for the library.  In accomplishing this task, I first perused mission and vision statements from a wide variety of libraries in an attempt to get a better understanding of the function of each type of statement.  Once I felt confident in my understanding, I drafted the mission and vision statements provided here as the first piece of evidence demonstrating my understanding of the elements upon which successful planning is crafted.

2.  Management Philosophy

“A good boss helps create a positive atmosphere and recognizes employees for their excellent service, good ideas, and jobs well done” (Auld, 2004).  Over the years, I have worked for a number of different companies in a variety of offices.  I have experienced both good and bad bosses.  The assignment for the second piece of evidence offered—also from LIBR-204—was to read a number of articles on management styles and compose a brief essay describing my management philosophy.  I was particularly struck by Skip Auld’s article “Good boss, bad boss: What makes a good supervisor, manager, director, or other type of leader,” from which the above quote comes, and which embodied my thoughts on what makes a good boss.  If, as Mary Parker Follet believes, management is “‘the art of getting things done through people’” (Evans and Ward, 2007, p. 7), then it is in the best interest of those in management positions to create an atmosphere that encourages employees to want to come to work and perform their jobs in a way that benefits them as well as the organization as a whole.  As the old saying goes, “You get more flies with honey.”

3.  Strategic Plan

As mentioned previously, much of the work for LIBR-204 revolved around a group project for which the culminating product was a strategic plan for a specific type of library.  A strategic plan is a long term plan (2-5 years) whose key elements are an organization’s mission and vision statements.  Strategic plans generally involve a SWOT analysis to assess strengths and weaknesses of the organization as well as determine opportunities and threats that could affect the organization.  Based on the findings of the SWOT analysis, strategic initiatives with clearly defined goals and objectives were developed.  The final piece of evidence offered as demonstration of my understanding and mastery of this competency is the strategic plan in its entirety.  Sections of the strategic plan largely created by me include the mission and vision statements, the weaknesses and opportunities defined in the SWOT analysis, the strategic initiatives, and the needs assessment.  Additionally, I helped with defining the library’s organizational hierarchy, products and services, and user analysis, as well as the timeline, success measures, and outcomes provided in Appendix A.  This was a complicated assignment, particularly as I have never worked in a library, and it required a lot of research into the various components making up a long-range strategic plan.  I believe this document demonstrates my ability to participate in creating and carrying out such a plan.  Furthermore, it demonstrates my ability to work as part of a team as well as my ability to lead a team by demonstrating a good work ethic and a willingness to learn and incorporate ideas from my peers.

CONCLUSION

All organizations, including libraries, have a purpose which is advanced and enhanced through planning, management, marketing, and advocacy.  Planning involves developing objectives and goals that reflect the mission and vision of the library.  Management of a library or any of its departments is best carried out through incorporating a combination of management theories that creates an atmosphere of unity and appreciation which encourages employees to work towards carrying out the mission and vision of the library.  No matter how viable the programs and services of a library are, marketing is required to make the user community aware of what the library offers and why it benefits them to utilize those programs and services.  Advocacy helps ensure that the great services and programs offered by the library are noted by stakeholders who, in turn, ensure the continued funding of the library.  The discussion and evidence presented demonstrates my understanding and mastery of these concepts.

References

Auld, S. (2004). Good boss, bad boss: What makes a good supervisor, manager, director, or other type of leader? Public Libraries, 43(4), 206-211. Retrieved from Library Literature & Information Science Full Text (H.W. Wilson) database. (Accession No. 502931153)

Evans, G. E., & Ward, P. L. (2007). Management basics for information professionals (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman.

Hirsch, S. (Ed.). (2015). Information services today. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield.

Recognize the diversity (such as cultural and economic) in the clientele and employees of an information organization and be familiar with actions the organization should take to address this diversity.

“The library card is a passport to wonders and miracles, glimpses into other lives, religions, experiences, the hopes and dreams and strivings of ALL human beings, and it is this passport that opens our eyes and hearts to the world beyond our front doors, that is one of our best hopes against tyranny, xenophobia, hopelessness, despair, anarchy, and ignorance.”

–Libba Bray

EXPLICATION

Malcolm Forbes, entrepreneur and publisher of Forbes magazine, defined diversity as “the art of thinking independently together.”  This perfectly describes library’s ideals.  Libraries should be, and are, havens of diversity.  Libraries are for the use and benefit of all people regardless of socioeconomic, cultural, religious, racial, age, or gender differences.  A collection reflecting the community’s diversity will not only provide relevant materials for certain groups within the community but also provide new points of view that broaden the perspective of all patrons who open themselves up to new ideas.  Understanding and embracing the diversity of the patron community means not only understanding and addressing their various information needs but also understanding the nuances required for interaction with people from different backgrounds and abilities.  It means reaching out to members of the patron community who might not otherwise find their way to the library or who may not have a full understanding of the library’s services and programs.  Libraries support independent thinking and celebrate diversity by providing access to a wide variety of ideas, information, and points of view through materials, services, and programs, thus ensuring the continued right of intellectual freedom for all people.

Because they serve a diverse population, libraries must provide access to information needed by, and relevant to, that diverse population.  This requires consideration of the demographic makeup of the patron community and an understanding of their diverse information needs in order to design programs and services that best meet those needs and fulfill the American Library Association’s (ALA) (2016) commitment to “promot[ing] equal access to information for all persons.”  The ALA provides guidelines for outreach and programming for such underserved populations as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people; the incarcerated and ex-offenders; older adults; people of color, people with disabilities; poor and homeless people; rural communities; and Native Americans.

Libraries may be the sole source of certain types of materials and services for some of its patrons. For example, providing access to career enhancement materials and job opportunity resources is particularly important to lower-income and minority patrons.  The Pew Research Center reports that as of 2015, more than 53% of job seekers in households earning less than $50K are likely to use library resources to help find jobs.  Furthermore, over 60% of black and Hispanic job seekers turn to the library for job opportunity resources and training.  According to a study conducted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, “low-income adults are more likely to rely on the public library as their sole access to computers and the Internet than any other income group.”  In today’s world, even if a job does not require any technical skills or computer knowledge, just applying for the job may require those skills.  Job seekers need computers to fill out and submit applications online, and to create resumes and cover letters which also must be submitted online. Just as important, they need regular e-mail access in order to communicate with potential employers.  Economic status cuts across all cultural and racial lines.  What unifies them is their need to utilize the library to fulfill their information needs.

In certain regions, a language other than English may be the primary language of many patrons. Libraries in these areas should reflect this by including materials in languages dominant to patrons.  Furthermore, libraries in areas with larger concentrations of non-English speaking patrons should employ librarians who speak the language(s) of those patrons.  The services provided should reflect those that will be important to those patrons.  For example, in Corona, California, the public library not only offers literacy classes for ESL patrons but also has a volunteer who comes in several times a month to offer immigrant patrons help with attaining citizenship.

Age is another factor to consider when determining how to meet the diverse needs of the patron community.  Most libraries have children’s sections with materials ranging from picture books to young adult series, along with periodicals and reference materials geared to that age group.  Many libraries employ children’s librarians who have concentrated their studies on working with and meeting the information needs of younger patrons.  Library collections should also reflect the needs of older patrons, who may have trouble seeing or hearing or be less technology savvy than younger patrons, by including such items as large-print materials and offering classes teaching the basics of using computers, tablets, and the Internet.

Mobility of patrons should also be considered.  Often times the patron community includes people of all ages who have difficulty walking or who may use a wheelchair.  For these patrons such details as ensuring that there are computer stations and tables that are the right height for a person in a wheelchair or perhaps making sure shelves are far enough apart to accommodate the passage of a wheelchair should be taken into account.  Furthermore, reference and circulation desks should accommodate these patrons by having at least one section that is lower so that patrons in wheelchairs do not have to crane their necks to make eye contact with a librarian. Libraries should also have services that accommodate those patrons whose mobility issues do not allow them to visit the library such as on-site libraries in assisted living facilities and nursing homes that offer regularly-rotated materials as well as a robust offering of online books and resources. Attending to such details as these ensures that patrons with these special needs will feel welcome in the library, and that those who cannot physically come to the library will still have access to resources to fulfill their information needs.

In school and academic libraries, it is particularly important to consider the diversity that comes with different learning styles and abilities.  In school libraries, it is important that the collection reflect not only a wide range of reading levels but also a wide range of maturity levels.  In academic libraries, it is important to consider the range of learning styles of patrons, including those who learn differently.  Chodock and Dolinger (2009) point out that The ALA’s Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy “stipulates that libraries should not merely accommodate the needs of people with disabilities, but instead should word toward ‘facilitating their full participation in society’ through applying UD [Universal Design] principles” (p.26).

Incorporating the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL)—multiple means of representation, multiple means of expression, and multiple means of engagement—when designing learning tools and tutorials as well as services and programs helps ensure the right to access information for this underserved population.

In correctional libraries, addressing the diversity of the patron community means understanding the various issues (aberrant thinking and behaviors in particular) that have caused those patrons to become incarcerated and providing them with the information they need to correct the aberrant thinking and behavior in order to become rehabilitated and successfully reintegrate into society.  A robust correctional library collection will not only contain a wide variety of materials to aid that rehabilitation but also reflect the diversity of reading levels, languages, and cultural backgrounds of the incarcerated.

Recognizing and accommodating the diversity of the patron community is not only achieved through the library’s collection, programs, and services but also by employing a staff that reflects that diversity.  For example, in an area with a large Hispanic population, it would be beneficial for the library to employ one or more librarians who speak Spanish and who are familiar with the unique cultural experiences that shape the needs of that community.  Such individuals could be seen as advocates for that particular segment of the patron community.  They could also help fellow staff members to overcome or put aside any previously held biases about particular segments of the population.  Furthermore, as stated in the ALA’s Article B.3 Diversity (Old Number 60) (2016), libraries should “seek to facilitate equitable participation of all people within decision-making processes … and strive to create an environment where all are welcome and where diversity is a collective goal.”  A diverse staff brings diverse ideas to the table that help ensure the information needs, services, and programs of the diverse patron community are properly accommodated.

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

Living in southern California, I am, obviously, immersed in a diverse population.  Having grown up in a homogenous small town, I was in culture shock when I first moved to California.  However, in the thirty years I have lived here, I have come to revel in the diverseness.  I have worked and gone to school with people from a wide variety of ethnic, economic, and cultural backgrounds.  Furthermore, when I was a tutor during my undergraduate education, I worked solely with students whose “diversity” was in how they learned, i.e., students with learning disabilities.  I had to learn, often through trial and error, how to communicate with these students in a way that allowed them to understand the concepts I was teaching.  I attended a number of training seminars in which I learned about the different types of disabilities or students had and how it affected their ability to take in and process information.  Learning to work with these students required me to look at curriculum, lectures, homework assignments, and tests through their eyes in order to decide how best to present them with tutoring help.  It was an invaluable experience.

During my time in the MLIS program, I have taken many classes that dealt with the topic of diversity as it pertained to different aspects of librarianship.  In INFO-210, Reference and Information Services, I learned how people’s backgrounds–economic, culture, etc.–can affect not only how people seek information but also the types of information they seek and how they use information.  In INFO-266, Collection Management, I learned about the importance of understanding the diversity of the service community in developing a collection relevant to that community.  And in INFO-282, Correctional Library Management, I learned that in collection development and program development, it is important not only to consider such aspects of diversity as cultural, religious, and economic status but also the diversity in the types of crimes they have committed.  This, too, is a library environment where my background in working with diversity in learning abilities would also be particularly handy, as many inmates have limited education and often have learning disabilities.

EVIDENCE

1.  Advocacy Assignment: Celebrating Our Diverse Community

Advocacy is important to ensuring that the needs of a diverse patron community are met.  The Public Library Association (PLA) defines advocacy as “the process of acting on behalf of the public library to increase public funds and ensure that it has the resources need to be up to date.”  As anyone associated with library service knows, funding for libraries is as likely to be decreased as increased, necessitating innovative ways to provide information and services for patrons.  The first piece of evidence is an advocacy letter for an assignment in LIBR-204, Information Professions.  The assignment addressed one strategic initiative goal developed for a previous group assignment. The letter utilizes theories of Library 2.0 put forth by Casey and Savastinuk (2010), specifically in regards to exploiting user knowledge and participation.  It is a letter to members of the community, enlisting their support for and participation in a program that would bring together and celebrate the diverse cultures that make up the community.

2.  Community Walkabout

In order to meet the diverse needs of its patron community, it is important for librarians to understand the demographics of that community.  In the case of public libraries, an excellent way to get to “know” the community is to conduct a walkabout.  The next piece of evidence is an assignment from INFO-266—Collection Development.  The purpose of the assignment was to conduct a walkabout—a walking (and/or driving) tour—of the community served by a specific public library.  Visual observation of the area and its inhabitants yields important demographic information that can be further corroborated (or not) by follow-up online research at a later date.  The resulting information is compiled in a summary report culminating in projected assumptions about what kinds of materials should be included in the library’s collection.  The walkabout provides an excellent way to begin gaining an understanding of the diversity of the patron community.

3.  Collection Evaluation

The next piece of evidence offered, also from INFO-266, builds on the information gathered in the community walkabout.  For this assignment, visual observations made during the walkabout are compared to online research into the demographics of the area.  Anecdotal and statistical information from such sources as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Nielsen: My Best Segments website, which specializes in geodemography, are compiled in an effort to determine if the area library’s collection (in this case, the Wildomar Public Library) meets the diverse needs of the patron community, to determine holes in the collection, and to provide recommendations for future acquisitions to fill those holes.

4.  Understanding the Diversity of Correctional Library Patrons

The final piece of evidence offered is a discussion post for LIBR-282—Correctional Library Management.  One of the 14 Principles of Correctional Library Management—set forth by William Mongelli, course instructor and long-time correctional librarian for the Massachusetts Department of Corrections—addresses the role of correctional librarians as authoritarian, disciplinarian, humanitarian, and librarian (termed by Mongelli to be the ARIAN roles of the librarian).  This discussion post addresses the roles, specifically noting how understanding the patron population affects the interaction between the librarian and the patron inmates.  Furthermore, it also addresses how knowing the patron community and understanding its unique needs in terms of information and services is particularly important in a correctional library where patron-driven interests may not reflect the real needs of those patrons.

CONCLUSION

In order to meet the various needs of its community, librarians must understand the diverse elements making up its patron community.  Information resources, services, and programs should reflect the diverse needs of the patron community.  Additionally, library staff should include those who are best suited to understand the unique and diverse elements of specific groups within the patron community and, thus, advocate for that segment of the patron community.  In this way, the library fosters a sense of inclusivity where all patrons feel welcome.

The discussion and evidence provided for this competency demonstrates my understanding of the diversity inherent in any library’s patron community and how that diversity should inform the collection, programs, and services provided by the library, as well as interaction with the patron community in order to ensure equitable access to information for all people.

References

Advocacy. (n.d.). Retrieved from Public Library Association website: http://www.ala.org/ pla/advocacy

B.3 Diversity (old number 60). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aboutala/ governance/policymanual/updatedpolicymanual/section2/diversity

Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2010). Library 2.0. Library Journal. Retrieved from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2010/05/technology/library-2-0/#_

Chodock, T., & Dolinger, E. (2009). Applying universal design to information literacy: Teaching students who learn differently at Landmark College. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 49(1), 24-32.

Horrigan, J. B. (2015, September 15). Who uses libraries and what they do at their libraries. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/09/15/who-uses-libraries-and-what-they-do-at-their-libraries/

Shepard, D., & Bittner, M. (2010, March 25). First-ever national study: Millions of people rely on library computers for employment, health, and education. Retrieved from http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases/2010/03/Millions-of-People-Rely-on-Library-Computers-for-Employment-Health-and-Education

Describe and compare organizational settings in which information professionals practice.

“Libraries are where it all begins.”

-Rita Dove

EXPLICATION

As we have learned through our time in San Jose State University’s School of Information’s Masters of Library and Information Science Program (MLIS), while we will all receive the same degree—the MLIS—there are a wide variety of concentrations available for study within the confines of the degree.  These concentrations vary depending on the career pathway chosen by students.  While many of the classes are relevant to most or all concentrations, there are some classes that teach specific skillsets needed for specific types of libraries.  This is necessary because all libraries are not created equally.  While all libraries provide access to information for patrons, there are differences inherent in the various types of libraries that require specific knowledge and skillsets.

Public Libraries

Public libraries generally correspond with local (city) or county delineations and are “supported in whole or in part with public funds” (ALA, 2008).   Public libraries serve specific geographic areas: a single library located in a more remote area may serve several small towns while a city may have several libraries within its boundaries, each serving a pre-designated neighborhood or area.  Smaller public libraries may operate with a small staff covering all aspects of librarianship while larger libraries will generally be divided into departments that cover acquisition, circulation, cataloging, reference, programming, children’s services, etc. There are no restrictions imposed as to whom may utilize library services, although to borrow materials, patrons must have a library card.  Mission and vision statements prescribe public libraries to strive to provide a wide and varied range of organized materials, services, and programming that best meet the needs and interests of their diverse patron population.  Understanding the information needs and interests of the patron population is vital to the continued importance of the library to the community and requires regular and continuous monitoring and analysis.  Librarians can keep a finger on the pulse of community by attending public meetings, meeting with organizations and clubs, written surveys, and one-on-one communication with individual patrons.

As public libraries essentially serve the citizenry at large, the patron population may include people that span the spectrum of age, economic means, culture, religion, education, language, and ethnicity.  The materials meeting the needs of this broad spectrum of patrons should include not only print materials—books, newspapers, periodicals, reference volumes—but also audio and video selections as well as online resources such as subscription databases and e-books.  Furthermore, most public libraries now provide computers and Internet services, an important service because in some areas public libraries may be the only place patrons have access to this type of technology.   As hubs of the community, most public libraries provide rooms that may be used by members of the community for meetings, education sessions, or entertainment.  In addition to public funding, many public libraries rely on donations as well as supplemental funds accrued through the efforts of groups such as “Friends of the Library.”  While funding may not allow all libraries to meet all the needs of their patron communities, each public library will continually strive to provide materials, services, and programming that best reflect the needs of their patrons.  Hours of service vary from library to library but most public libraries provide service hours matching the needs of the diverse patron community, meaning daytime, evening, and weekend hours in some combination.

School Libraries

School libraries are those located in schools serving students from pre-K through twelfth grade.  The mission of school libraries will reflect those set forth by the parent institution or school district.  While school library collections are limited by the age range of students served, within those limitations there must be a wide range of materials to meet various levels of educational abilities and maturity.  For example, an elementary school must provide materials that meet the abilities of those students who are just starting to recognize words as well as those students whose reading abilities exceed those within the normal spectrum (i.e., a fifth grader who can read at a ninth grade level).  Similarly, high school libraries should provide materials reflecting a wide range of reading abilities as well as interests and maturity levels.  Materials will not only be academic in nature but will also include materials for pleasure reading.  Acquisition decisions may be made by the librarian in conjunction with teachers in order to ensure that funds are used to procure materials reflecting the educational and information needs and interests of students.  Funding for these libraries is through the school district’s or parent institution’s budget.  School libraries in private institutions may receive direct donations.  Most school libraries employ one professional librarian.  Some will also have library assistants or media technicians.  Hours of operation are generally limited to those during which classes are in session, allowing one person to fulfill most aspects of librarianship in all but the largest schools.

Academic Libraries

Academic libraries serve the students and faculty of colleges and universities.  Smaller colleges may have only one academic library to serve the entire college population while larger universities, such as UCLA, may have multiple libraries which serve various disciplines.  Funding for academic libraries comes directly from the parent institution’s budget. As with public libraries, academic libraries are generally divided into various departments that fulfill operational needs (acquisition, circulation, cataloging, reference, etc.)  Larger universities may also employ departmental “experts” who oversee the information needs of specific academic departments such as English and Literature or Engineering.  These specialists “work closely with students, faculty, and staff, … [and] are typically expected to have more, or more specialized, formal education than other information professionals” (Gilman, 2015, p. 62.  For example, an engineering department specialist may have an undergraduate, graduate, or Ph.D. level degree in engineering as well as an MLIS.

The mission of academic libraries reflects the mission and goals of the parent institution.  In general, the materials and services offered by academic libraries are meant to support the learning and research needs of its students and faculty.  As such, the offerings will generally be less broad than those in a public library but will be more in-depth pertaining to the various academic disciplines, with heavier concentrations of non-fiction and reference materials.  Acquisition and weeding policies will likely be more stringent than those in public libraries because currency, accuracy, and relevance of information is critical to the education of students.  In some cases, academic libraries may allow community members not otherwise affiliated with the college to utilize the materials and services offered.  Hours of operation vary from college to college.  Generally, academic libraries are open six or more days per week, particularly during hours when classes are in session, as well as most evenings.  Many academic libraries are open 24 hours at least once per week.

Special Libraries

The term “special libraries” refers to information organizations providing materials and services in specific areas or to specific types of patrons.  Examples of special libraries include those found in jails and prisons, private-sector businesses, non-profit organizations, museums, hospitals, as well as law libraries (both public and private), presidential libraries, and theological libraries affiliated with a specific church or religion.  Funding is generally from the parent organization, although some special libraries receive endowments in the form of monies and materials.  Materials in special libraries will not cover as broad a spectrum as those in other types of libraries but the materials will usually be much more relevant and in-depth.  While all of these types of libraries provide unique and specialized materials, they “‘have specific unifying characteristics, particularly the philosophy of service tailored to the specific information needs of each customer’” (Dee, Abram, and Hunt, 2015, p. 82).  Missions and goals reflect those of the parent organization with the intent of ensuring services that meet that organization’s goals.  The number of librarians working in a special library will vary depending on the size of the library and the amount of funding available.

Librarians working in special libraries are most often subject specialists with a degree related to the organization’s specialization—for example, a degree in fine arts for those working in art museums—as well as an MLIS degree.  In addition to many of the duties common to most kind of librarianship (reference, cataloging, etc.), librarians working in special libraries may also acquire and archive information resources aligned with the institution’s specialization.  Patrons of special libraries may include employees of the parent organization or business as well as scholars engaged in research, and many of these patrons possess more than basic research skills.  Dee et al. (2015) note “the value of information professionals comes through the programs and services that they provide—above and beyond standard professional reference and research support activities” (p. 86).  Because they work with specialized information in one particular topic area (i.e., law, art, manuscripts, etc.), information professionals working in special libraries tend to become more familiar with, and attuned to, the information needs of their patrons.

Dee et.al. (2015) note that marketing is “especially critical” for special libraries (p.87).  The value of the special library in terms of services, information resources, and programs, must be articulated to those within the organization as a whole as well as potential patrons such as scholars engaged in research for which the special library may provide relevant and/or unique information.  Marketing the special library is not only important in maintaining its viability in its subject area but also in building relationships that may result in procurement of materials or monies through endowments and donations.  Furthermore, special librarians must build relationships based on trust, awareness, and understanding.  Patrons must feel they can trust these librarians to keep confidential any information requests made and to understand the importance of receiving the best, most accurate and relevant information to meet their needs.  For example, in a prison law library, where inmate research is pertinent to their own case, the information provided by a law librarian may mean the difference between incarceration or freedom, one year or five years of incarceration, or even life or death.

Use of special libraries may be limited to hours of operation of the parent business or organization or may be by appointment only.

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

Prior to entering SJSU’s MLIS program, my familiarity with library environments primarily was of public and academic libraries.  In addition to the countless hours of leisure time I have spent in public libraries, I have also worked as a volunteer in a local public library.  This is when I first really thought about what jobs were available in a library.  The library in my small hometown in northern New York had one librarian and my perception of librarianship was based on that, i.e., a librarian checked books into and out of the library and shelved books.  My time as a volunteer brought the realization that there are many tasks required to keep a library functioning smoothly: librarians, library clerks, volunteers who do everything from repairing and shelving books to assisting patrons in using the various forms of technology available in a library.

During my time as a student, I have spent countless hours in academic libraries.  Academic libraries are where I sought information to complete assignments and enhance learning, where I relaxed between classes and read the latest magazines, and where I occasionally took a nap so that I could stay awake in classes.  In addition to making good use of academic libraries as a student, I also used them for my work as a tutor.  Specifically, I frequently took tutees to the library to show them how to use the resources available to them.  While all of the students had been through a library orientation session upon entering the school, many forgot (or did not fully understand) what they had been shown and therefore failed to utilize the library and its resources. I would show them everything from how to purchase a print card and where to find copiers to how to use various online resources for research and how and where to locate print materials in the library.

During my time in the program, I have taken the opportunity to learn about other types of library environments by taking classes such as INFO-220, Resources and Information Services in Professions and Disciplines–Legal Research and INFO-282, Seminar in Library Management–Correctional Library Management.  In order to complete assignments for INFO-220, I frequently visited the local public law library, becoming familiar with its resources as well as talking with many of the librarians employed there.  I was not able to visit a correctional library for INFO-282, however, I did speak at length with the instructor of the class, himself a corrections librarian, as well as several classmates who worked in correctional libraries.  I also interviewed several correctional librarians working for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.  Another rotation of INFO-220, this one on the topic of Geographic Information Services (GIS), allowed me to become acquainted with map libraries.  In order to learn more about map librarianship, I interviewed the GIS librarian at a large local university.  I am grateful that the range of classes available in this program afforded me the opportunity to explore the opportunities for librarians in environments other than those of public and academic libraries.

EVIDENCE

1.  Comparison of Public and Academic Library Collection Development Policies

The first piece of evidence offered here is a comparison of the collection development policies for a public library and an academic library, completed for INFO-266—Collection Development, in order to gain a better understanding of how the elements making up collection development policies may differ for various types of libraries and patron communities.   This assignment drove home the idea that libraries are not places that contain books but rather are places that provide information.  The type of information provided and the format in which it is provided depends in large part on the needs of the patron community and the mission and goals of the institution which, in turn, is reflected in the collection development policy.  Public libraries, by the very nature of being public, must have a collection development policy driven largely by the wants and needs of its patron community.  Thus, demographics of the patron community are a key component in developing collection policies.  Furthermore, because of the wide variation in the ages and values of public library patrons, a more comprehensive policy for reconsideration of materials is necessary.  Author Scott Douglas believes “A library [is] nothing without its people.”  This is especially true for public libraries which are not guaranteed institutions.  Without the support (through patronage) of the community, public libraries are likely to see cuts in funding.  In order to remain a vital part of the community, the materials and information resources offered must reflect the needs and interest of that community.  In other words, it is the patrons who play a large part in deciding what is contained in the library.

In contrast, because all accredited colleges and universities are required to have an academic library, academic libraries are guaranteed institutions.  The patronage by students is guaranteed.  The mission and goals of academic libraries will, necessarily, reflect the goals of the parent institution, thus requiring that materials collected in academic libraries assist in and further the education of its patrons by supplementing and complementing classroom materials.  This requires consideration of faculty requests pertaining to curriculum as well as standards enforced by the accrediting commission.  In other words, rather than being largely patron driven as in public libraries, collection development in academic libraries must consider the wants, needs, and demands of all those who have an interest in upholding the mission and goals of the parent institution.

2.  Interviews with Correctional Librarians

Some of the most interesting and informative assignments have been those that entailed interviewing librarians.  While working towards my MLIS, I have interviewed reference librarians, library directors, academic librarians, map librarians, and correctional librarians.  I was particularly interested in interviewing the correctional librarians as I have strongly considered working as one when I receive my degree.  As with the public library service model, services and programs are developed to meet the needs of the patrons; however, the nature of those services and programs differ greatly, as do the patrons themselves.  In LIBR-282—Correctional Library Management—I conducted interviews with Brandy Buenefe, Principal Librarian for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, as well as correctional librarians Laurie McConnell and Thomas Herrera of the California Institution for Women.  These interviews, compiled in one paper, comprise the next piece of evidence.  These interviews allowed me to gain an understanding of the nature of working in a correctional library:  what the job entails, interaction with inmate patrons, and the unique position of balancing the core values of librarianship with the priorities and goals of correctional institutions.  These interviews also served to inform my opinion regarding the application of the public library service model in correctional libraries which is the subject of the next piece of evidence.

3.  Application of the Public Library Model in Correctional Libraries: A Discussion

Ethical librarianship requires upholding the principles set forth in the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (2008) and the Core Values of Librarianship (2004) that guide all aspects of librarianship.  Adherence to these ethics and values means librarians must provide unfettered and equitable access to information materials for all people in an effort to uphold the right of intellectual freedom guaranteed in the First Amendment.  It is assumed that this means the incarcerated as well.  The American Library Association (ALA) provides a document specifically addressing the topic of intellectual freedom as it pertains to inmates, thePrisoners’ Right to Read statement (2014).  This document declares “even those individuals that a lawful society chooses to imprison permanently deserve access to information, to literature, and to a window on the world. Censorship is a process of exclusion by which authority rejects specific points of view.”  This assertion rides on the assumption that the patrons of prison libraries are the same as patrons visiting public libraries.  This is a skewed view because, by the very nature of being in prison, the incarcerated have proven that they do not necessarily exercise critical judgment.

There are two prevailing service models for correctional libraries: the public library model and the therapeutic model.  While some aspects of the public library service model are applicable in the correctional library setting, there are aspects which are completely unsuited for correctional libraries and are antithetical to the mission and priorities of correctional libraries, chiefly those that allow “unfettered access” to all materials and consider the careful screening and choosing materials that support efforts to become rehabilitated and to successfully reintegrate into society to be a form of censorship.  The next piece of evidence, a group paper presented in LIBR-282—Correctional Library Management, discusses the pros and cons of the public library model applied in a correctional library setting.  Weighing the public library model against the 14 Principles of Correctional Library Management—set forth by William Mongelli, course instructor and long-time correctional librarian for the Massachusetts Department of Corrections—the group concludes that the ideal service model for correctional libraries is a hybridization, utilizing aspects of the both the public library model and the therapeutic model.

4.  Interview with a Geospatial Resources Librarian

One of the projects assigned in the INFO-220—GIS class was to interview a map librarian to learn about the similarities and differences inherent in working with a specialized collection.  While prior to this assignment I was aware that there were map librarians, I had no knowledge about what map librarianship entailed. I was able to interview AR (initials are used in the interest of privacy), the Geospatial Resources Librarian for UCLA’s Young Research Library.  In the interview, AR discusses his duties as a map librarian as well as the types of items contained in the Young Research Library’s collection.  While many of his duties are similar to those of other librarians, AR also needs to understand how to read maps and the uses of various types of maps as well as provide students with assistance in using specialized software such as Social Explorer and ArcGIS and with spatial thinking and approaches.  While this interview highlights the unique realm of map librarianship, it also reinforces the importance inherent in all types of librarianship:  knowing and understanding the library’s collection and knowing and understanding the library’s patrons.

CONCLUSION

Within the confines of librarianship, there are numerous career pathways available that lead to employment in a wide variety of settings.  Different types of libraries may require different or unique skillsets.  Some may require intimate knowledge of a specialized area in addition to a library degree.  However, there is one constant that is true of all libraries and librarians: they help users fulfill their information needs.  Or, as Rita Dove asserts, “Libraries are where it all begins.”

The evidence provided supports my exploration and understanding of a variety of information jobs and settings.  It also demonstrates my understanding of the similarities and differences inherent in working in different types of information settings, including patrons, policies, resources, as well as how the ethics and values of librarianship set forth by the ALA effect certain types of librarianship.

References

American Library Association. (2004). Core values of librarianship.  Retrieved fromhttp://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/corevalues

American Library Association. (2008). Code of ethics of the American Library Association. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/ proethics/codeofethics/codeethics

American Library Association. (2014). Prisoners’ Right to Read.  Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/prisoners-right-read

Douglas, S. (2016). Quiet please: Dispatches from a public librarian. Kregel.

Dee, C.R., S. Abram, D. Hunt. (2015). Information centers. In S. Hirsch (Ed.), Information services today (pp. 281-288).  Rowman & Littlefield.

 

Demonstrate awareness of the ethics, values, and foundational principles of one of the information professions, and discuss the importance of intellectual freedom within that profession.

“With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one – but no one at all – can tell you what to read and when and how.”

–Doris Lessing

EXPLICATION

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of speech for all people.  Supreme Court cases challenging various aspects of this amendment, particularly Martin v. City of Struthers, have confirmed that the First Amendment also assures the right to receive ideas.  In writing the decision for Martin v. City of Struthers, Justice Hugo Black (1943) states, “This freedom [of speech and press] embraces the right to distribute literature, and necessarily protect the right to receive it […].  [It is] vital to the preservation of a free society.”  In other words, intellectual freedom—“the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely” (ALA)—for all people is a constitutionally protected right.

In theory it is the government (i.e., elected, appointed, and hired officials) who protect the First Amendment rights of their citizenry, but clearly librarians also have a duty to protect that right.  In fact, in the post-9/11 United States, where suspicion and fear of terrorist acts led to the creation of the Patriot Act, it has become imperative that librarians carry that torch, protecting the First Amendment rights of the citizenry from threats imposed by government restrictions and what is politely termed as monitoring the information interests of its citizenry. This so-called monitoring is a direct affront to the First Amendment rights and intellectual freedom, as its goal is to judge and censor certain types of information.

The United States is considered a democracy in which the whole population has a hand in government via the right to elect officials to represent their interests, which necessitates an informed citizenry.  In the 21^st century world of information, this can be difficult.  There are unprecedented amounts of information available that reflect every possible facet of opinion.  According to Marek (2015), “the emergence of this information-based society has profoundly shaped the development of laws, rules, and policies that govern information use and flow” (p. 281).  The edicts of the Patriot Act, terrorist watchlists, and a variety of other measures instituted to “guarantee public safety” threaten to undermine the very democracy the United States claims to be by impeding the rights of intellectual freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment.  This puts librarians on the front lines of protecting that right.  To this end, the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, Core Values of Librarianship, the Library Bill of Rights, and The Freedom to Read Statement have become important “weapons” in ensuring the continued intellectual freedom of all people.

Code of Ethics and Core Values of Librarianship

The Oxford English Dictionary defines “ethics” as “the codes of conduct or moral principles recognized in a particular profession, sphere of activity, relationship, or other context or aspect of human life” (OED 2016).  For librarians, it is the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association (2008) and the Core Values of Librarianship (2004) that guide all aspects of librarianship from decision making to professional conduct when dealing with patrons and coworkers.  Essentially, the Code of Ethics guides librarians in actions and decision making while the Core Values of Librarianship describe what librarianship should entail. These documents are critical to maintaining and ensuring intellectual freedom for patrons.  Adherence to these ethics and values means librarians must provide unfettered and equitable access to information materials for all people.  Furthermore, in assisting patrons in their search for information, librarians must shelve their personal beliefs and convictions, respecting all users’ right to access any and all types of information without judgment or censorship.  The actions and decisions of librarians must always be driven by “the public good”:  what is best for the public at large as well as the individuals that make up that public.  In other words, the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association and the Core Values of Librarianship remind librarians to always provide the highest quality service in a courteous and respectful manner to all who utilize library services and materials with the intention of ensuring the free flow of information and ideas.

Library Bill of Rights

Just as the Bill of Rights (1996) defends the liberties of the United States citizenry, so does the Library Bill of Rights defend the liberties of library users, particularly the right of intellectual freedom.  The principles set forth in this document speak directly to the continued protection of intellectual freedom.  More specifically, these principles seek to ensure that intellectual freedom is not compromised by its primary enemy: censorship.  TheLibrary Bill of Rights denounces the censoring of materials, declaring that libraries should provide information representing all variety of interests and enlightenment and expressing all points of view.  Furthermore, this document denounces the censoring of the types of people—and their varying viewpoints—who may use the library and its materials and services.

Freedom to Read Statement

The Freedom to Read Statement (2004) is an explication of the necessity for the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, the Core Values of Librarianship, and the Library Bill of Rights.  It explains the importance, nay, the essentialness, of the free-flow of ideas to a democratic society.  Furthermore, the current incarnation of this document emphasizes how the freedom to read is more important than ever in the post-9/11 world, reminding us that “suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension” (ALA 2004).   Among the assertions set forth in The Freedom to Read Statement are:

• the diversity of the citizenry necessitates providing the broadest possible range of views,
• new ideas may be different, but that does not mean they are bad or harmful,
• the ideas and points of view expressed in library materials do not necessarily represent the ideas and points of view of the librarians who ensure their availability,
• no one has the right to decide what other people think or what their points of view should be.

In essence, The Freedom to Read Statement decries censorship of all forms and upholds the First Amendment by emphasizing the importance of the exchange of ideas through reading that ensures a democratic society.

COMPETENCY DEVELOPMENT

Coursework

Most of the classes I have taken in the MLIS program have included discussions relating the foundational principles of librarianship to the particular course topic.  I first read the ALA’s Code of Ethics of the American Library Association, Core Values of Librarianship, the Library Bill of Rights, and The Freedom to Read Statement in INFO-200, Information Communities.  These documents provide the framework that guided my perspective throughout the remainder of my MLIS classes.  I revisited the documents often throughout my time in the MLIS program, in particular for INFO-210, Reference and Information Services; INFO-254, Information Literacy and Learning; and INFO-282, Seminar in Library Management–Correctional Library Management.  In fact, it was the Correctional Library Management class that really put my understanding of, and support for, these principles and ethics to the test.  In particular, I had to look closely at my stance regarding censorship as it pertains to the right to read and the “all for all” attitude towards access intellectual freedom.  As the evidence offered shows, a clear progression in my understanding of the topic of censorship as it pertains to intellectual freedom has progressed and deepened.

EVIDENCE 

1.  Censorship and Children’s Education

In theory, I have always been opposed to censorship.  However, the importance of fighting against censorship became clear to me during my first college class, Freshman Composition.  A class discussion happened upon the topic of banned books.  I shared with the class that I still read to my daughter every night (she was 13 at the time) and that we had recently read The Catcher in the Rye.  My daughter was a voracious reader from an early age and I had been reading to her nightly most of her life.  I explained that I had previously read the book myself and felt that the subject matter was not too sophisticated for her and that, in fact, the subject matter provided great fodder for discussions on important subjects.  Another student, much younger and raised with strict moral convictions based on her religion, verbally attacked me, declaring that I was an unfit parent and that my daughter would, no doubt, grow up to have serious behavioral issues and aberrant ideas.  The essence of my defense became the basis of my research paper for that class:  every book has something in it that is potentially offensive to another person.  However, just because a word or idea in a book is offensive to one person, does not mean that the book should be kept from all people.  This paper, “Censorship: The Long-Term Effects on Children’s Education,” explains the detrimental effects of censorship on children’s education.

2.  Censorship and Education: A Continuum of Effect

Censorship is an underlying theme in many of my undergraduate, as well as graduate-level, essays.  As shown in the first piece of evidence, I began by exploring the detrimental effect of censorship on the education of younger children, particularly in the area of reading comprehension.  Other undergraduate research papers explored how censorship of reading materials could have a direct effect on both the critical thinking and writing skills of students of all ages.  The next piece of evidence I present was written for LIBR-200 (now INFO-200).  It argues that the detrimental effects of censorship on minors can be viewed as a continuum and that teens may suffer more detrimental effects than younger children.  It explains the importance of providing a wide range of reading materials for teens:  in essence, the level of maturity varies greatly for those between the ages of 12 and 18.  Often, censorship practiced in classrooms and school libraries means that reading materials pander to the lowest level of maturity in order to ensure that “controversial” material (e.g., offensive language, sexuality, non-traditional family values, etc.) are not available to those not ready or equipped to handle these topics (or those whose parents do not believe they should be exposed to such topics).  As I note in my paper, “Censorship,” providing books on a wide variety of topics and that cater to a wide variety of maturity levels means that teens are more likely to find reading material that interests them and, in turn, will further their critical thinking skills and build their knowledge and sense of compassion.

3.  Censorship and the Prison Library

While I am clearly strongly opposed to censorship, there are areas of librarianship where censorship—or what is often considered censorship—is not only appropriate but necessary.  While taking LIBR-282—Correctional Library Management—I learned about the importance of providing appropriate reading material for the incarcerated as a way of supporting their rehabilitative efforts as well as maintaining security for prison employees and inmates.  The ALA’s Prisoners’ Right to Read statement (2014) is an interpretation of theLibrary Bill of Rights that supposedly addresses the special circumstances of providing reading material to the incarcerated.  However, this statement does not give serious consideration to the fact that correctional librarians are first and foremost employees of the Department of Corrections and, as such, are required by oath to uphold the goals and priorities of the prison, chief of which is security.  Among other declarations put forth in the Prisoner’s Right to Read are that “Correctional librarians should select resources that reflect the demographic composition, information needs, interests, and diverse cultural values of the confined communities they serve,” and “Correctional librarians should be allowed to purchase resources that meet written selection criteria and provide for the multi-faceted needs of their populations without prior correctional agency review. They should be allowed to acquire resources from a wide range of sources in order to ensure a broad and diverse collection. Correctional librarians should not be limited to purchasing from a list of approved resources” (ALA 2014).  This ignores a statement in The Freedom to Read Statement in which, while explaining the “fundamental premise of democracy,” that “the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad” (emphasis added) (ALA 2004).  By the very nature of being in prison, the incarcerated have proven that they do not necessarily exercise critical judgment.  Thus the necessity of careful screening and choosing materials that support their efforts to become rehabilitated and to successfully reintegrate into society.  This premise is fully explained in my paper, “Value-Oriented Collection Development in Prison Libraries Meets the Needs of the Patron Community and Stakeholders,” composed for INFO-266—Collection Development.

CONCLUSION

The ethics and values held by librarians are critical to ensuring the freedom to read and, thus, intellectual freedom.  The documents here-in discussed are librarians’ primary weapons against encroachment of those rights.  Adherence to the ethics, values, and principles expressed in these documents ensures that the First Amendment rights of the citizenry are upheld.

The evidence presented for this competency represent my exploration and understanding of the key principles of those documents as well as other documents put forward by the American Library Association.   Furthermore, the evidence documents a progression in my understanding of the topic of censorship as it pertains to intellectual freedom and its nuances when applied in certain types of libraries.   As a professional librarian, I look forward to being on the front lines of the fight to maintain intellectual freedom and feel that I am fully equipped to meet head-on any challenges to that right.

References

American Library Association. (1996). Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/

American Library Association. (2004). Core values of librarianship.  Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/corevalues

American Library Association. (2008). Code of ethics of the American Library Association.Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics

American Library Association. (2004). The Freedom to Read Statement. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/freedomreadstatement

American Library Association. (2014). Prisoners’ Right to Read.  Retrieved fromhttp://www.ala.org/advocacy/prisoners-right-read

American Library Association. Intellectual Freedom. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom

Marek, K. (2015). Information policy. In S. Hirsch (Ed.), Information services today (pp. 281- 288). Rowman & Littlefield.

Martin v. City of Struthers, 238 S. Ct. (May 3, 1943).  Retrieved from http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/319/141.html

When I was five years old, my grandmother, Nana, took me to the local public library so I could get my first library card.  I was so excited to be able to pick out books on my own, check them out, and take them home to enjoy.  After checking out several books, we stopped at the drugstore and had a soda, then went back to her house, where we sat together reading our books.  This was our weekly Friday ritual and it continued for several years.  While other children looked forward to Fridays so they could hang out with friends and have sleepovers, I looked forward to Fridays because it meant getting to visit my favorite place with my favorite person and getting a whole new load of books in which to lose myself.

As I got older, and after Nana was gone, I never lost my love for the library.  Perhaps it was in part because it was a place that reminded me of my grandmother, but I know it was also because I felt so comfortable there.  I stopped there several days a week when walking home from school, sometimes just to peruse new magazines and sometimes to load my backpack with new books.  The library, like my hometown, was small and run by one librarian.  But the contents of that library offered me the world.  Even during the long, cold winter months, I could visit anywhere in the world by entering that library and losing myself in a book.  The library truly was my second home and the books it contained were treasured family members.  And while I was enjoying myself by reading anything and everything I could find in the library, I was learning:  learning how to critically think, learning how to write, learning about other places and people and ideas.  I credit my success in high school and college to my early introduction to reading and the library.

Until I began college, at the age of 40, most of my library use was in public libraries.  They continued to be a place of refuge, a place to relax, and, eventually, a place to take my children.  However, once I entered the life of academia, I became intimately familiar with another type of library: the academic library.  From early in my first semester of college, I was a library habitué.  Once I was introduced to the wonders of online databases during a library orientation session, I was hooked.  As any of my instructors will attest, I became a research junky.  Any homework assignment or research paper became an “excuse” to begin hunting through databases in search for the right sources to support my arguments.  This continued all through my undergraduate years, when majoring in English Language and Literature meant I was writing a lot of papers.  I am not one of those people that looks for enough research to meet the minimum requirements set by an instructor; I am the student who must keep researching lest I miss finding the “key” source that perfectly supports my argument.  My upper-division English professors noticed this and began suggesting that I think about pursuing a degree in Library Science.  They encouraged me to talk to one of the librarians at the university who was a recent graduate of the MLIS program at San Jose State University.  Needless to say, I spoke to her and quickly realized that pursing an MLIS degree and becoming a librarian was what I was meant to do.   Now, as I complete the requirements for an MLIS degree, I feel even more strongly that I made the right decision, and that my whole life has been directed towards a career in librarianship.  Now, I am about to realize that dream.

Conception of Librarianship

One reason a career in librarianship appeals to me is because the core values and principles of the profession align so closely with my own.  I firmly believe that reading is essential for building critical thinking skills, writing skills, and language skills.  Therefore, it is critical that all people have access to reading material that offers a wide range of ideas and perspectives.  It is critical that people be able to access this information without the fear of judgment by others, whether it be librarians, other patrons, or covert forces that, under the guise of national security, believe they have the right to monitor what people read and make assertions about those people based on their choice of reading material.  It is essential that libraries embrace diversity and reflect it in their collections.  A value-oriented collection supports these goals as it is meant “to better the collective intelligence of the community and improve its emotional, educational, and cognitive levels” (Disher, 2014 p.53).  As the American Library Association’s (ALA) Democracy Statement asserts, “an informed public constitutes the very foundation of a democracy; after all, democracies are about discourse—discourse among the people.”  Discourse necessarily requires taking in information (reading), processing and assimilating that information (critical thinking), and output of new information (writing and language skills).

I believe that an important concept relating to the discourse that is the foundation of democracy is information literacy.  Most one-shot library orientations offered in academic libraries reflect a behaviorist attitude in that learners are vessels that can be filled with knowledge.  In other words, these sessions generally offer step-by-step instructions that students are to emulate in order to demonstrate how to successfully locate information.  Students are given technical skills for finding information but, as stated in the Association of College and Research Libraries’ (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, “information literacy . . . has broader implications for the individual, the educational system, and for society.”  Information literacy entails the ability to determine how much and what type of information is needed, the ability to locate that information, the ability to evaluate information sources and to assimilate their information into “one’s current knowledge base” (reading and critical thinking), and to “use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose” (writing and language skills) (ACRL).  To accomplish true information literacy, I am an advocate of curriculum-based integrated information literacy instruction.

My advocacy for curriculum-based integrated information literacy instruction is based on my undergraduate work in the area of the importance of dialogue in the development of literacy as well as my observations and experiences in classrooms as both student and instructor.  During one of my classes at SJSU, I read McMillen and Hill’s (2005) paper arguing the merits of teaching “‘research as a conversation’” (p. 3).  This concept is based on Kenneth Burke’s (1941) assertion that “having a quality conversation requires careful listening/reading before speaking/writing, learning how to effectively research or tap into the conversation” (McMillen and Hill, 2005, p. 6).  In other words, students participating in this type of class would learn and hone the very skills necessary for “an informed public constitute[ing] the very foundation of a democracy” (ALA).  Pablo Freire (2000) states, “true dialogue cannot exist unless the dialoguers engage in critical thinking—thinking which discerns an indivisible solidarity between the world and the people and admits of no dichotomy between them—thinking which does not separate itself from action, but constantly emerges itself in temporality without fear of the risks involved” (p. 73).  With curriculum-based integrated information literacy, by the time students earn their degree, reading, critical thinking, and discourse are habitual, thus strengthening our society and ensuring its people’s freedoms.

Strengthening our society and ensuring its people’s freedoms is also at the heart of correctional librarianship.  The difference comes in recognizing that the stakeholders of a correctional library are not also its patrons: the stakeholders are the citizenry in the “free world” (i.e., those who are not incarcerated).  This is not to say that the core values and ethics of librarianship do not apply in correctional libraries because they absolutely do.  A value-oriented collection is still critical “to better the collective intelligence of the community and improve its emotional, educational, and cognitive levels” (Disher, 2014 p.53).   While the freedoms ensured by the core values and ethics of librarianship must be considered in providing library materials and services to the incarcerated, consideration must also be given to the special circumstances of those patrons.  There are two schools of thought regarding inmates’ rights to information access.  On one hand, many librarians believe correctional libraries should follow the public library model and its “all for all” philosophy regarding information access.  This side believes that denying any type of material, despite its content, is censorship.  I align myself squarely with the other side of this argument.  Correctional librarianship is unique for a number of reasons:

• The patrons are not the stakeholders, so consideration must be given to the often-opposing demands of each group,
• Correctional librarians are bound to uphold and support the mission, vision, and goals of the DOC, foremost of which is security and,
• Correctional libraries and librarians are invested members in the overall socialization effort provided by the other departments of the prison.

As you will note when reading the explication for Competency A, I am strongly opposed to censorship.  However, keeping certain materials out of the hands of prison inmates is not censorship; it is good sense.  By the very nature of their being incarcerated, it is clear that inmates do not make good decisions or behave in a way that is safe for society.  Or, as Mongelli (2009) concludes, “when it comes to people with problems, common sense dictates certain limits.”  The maladaptive thinking and behaviors that inform and result from the criminal thought process make it unsafe for certain types of reading materials to be put into the hands of inmates.  Rehabilitation of inmates requires the support of correctional libraries and librarians.  Just as in any other type of library, the materials and services should promote life-long learning through development of reading, critical thinking, and language skills.

Community Well Being

As a librarian, I look forward to working for an organization that contributes to the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of our communities.  While all libraries make these contributions to some greater or lesser degree, I think primarily of public libraries as primary contributors in all of these areas.  Many public libraries maintain special collections of cultural significance to patrons, such as documents, newspapers, yearbooks, maps, photographs, sound and video recordings, and artifacts pertaining to a town or city’s history or the history of a particular group of people that populate the patron community.  For example, the “Heritage Collection” at the public library I frequent keeps among its artifacts a collection of citrus labels. These articles allow users to learn about the history of the area which often fosters a greater sense of belonging and pride.

Libraries contribute to the educational well-being of communities in many ways.  First and foremost is by maintaining a relevant and varied collection that provides patrons with a wide variety of ideas and perspectives.  Providing access to newspapers, government documents, research, scholarly publications, and industry information allows people to make informed decisions about issues that affect them personally as well as issues that affect a wide range of people.   I also think it is important for libraries—particularly public libraries—to offer programs that support and encourage learning for people of all ages.  These programs may range from after school homework sessions for school-age children to literacy services for adults.  As previously stated, I believe that reading is the foundation upon which learning is based.  One thing I would like to see more of is public libraries offering some type of organized information literacy instruction.  In our information-saturated world, the only way to alleviate information anxiety is to teach people how to navigate that information.  The current election cycle has made it clear to me that most people have no real idea about what bias means and how it influences our information choices and ultimately our knowledge.  Without the skills and knowledge required to efficiently and effectively locate information, Zipf’s “Principle of Least Effort” has people running to social media sights such as Facebook for “knowledge.”

I think the last several years of economic instability has underscored the importance of public libraries contributing to the economic well-being of the community.  In addition to resources on how to construct resumes and cover letters as well as career exploration materials, libraries offer access to technology which is critical to securing employment in today’s world. Providing access to career enhancement materials and job opportunity resources is particularly important to our lower-income and minority patrons.  The Pew Research Center reports that as of 2015, more than 53% of job seekers in households earning less than $50K are likely to use library resources to help find jobs.  Furthermore, over 60% of black and Hispanic job seekers turn to the library for job opportunity resources and training.  According to a study conducted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, “low-income adults are more likely to rely on the public library as their sole access to computers and the Internet than any other income group.”  In today’s world, even if a job does not require any technical skills or computer knowledge, just applying for the job may require those skills.  Job seekers need computers to fill out and submit applications online, and to create resumes and cover letters which also must be submitted online.  Just as important, they need regular e-mail access in order to communicate with potential employers. Providing the tools that help patrons find and secure employment is an important function that not only benefits the individuals themselves but the community as a whole.

I think social well-being is the product of providing the aforementioned services.  Society benefits from well-informed, literate people being able to make educated decisions about issues of policy, laws, and certainly well-informed decisions when voting for those who will represent the interests of the citizenry.  Society benefits from libraries helping people find and secure jobs because as employment rates rise, quality of living increases and crime rates decrease.

Professional Goals

First and foremost, my goal is to gain employment working in a library.  I would be equally happy working in a public library, an academic library, or a prison library.  If I were able to pick my dream librarian job, it would be in either an academic or prison library.  I have already outlined my area of interest with regard to academic libraries.  People have questioned why I would consider working in a prison library.  The answer is simple: because I have an interest in helping people.  That is, at the very heart of it, what librarianship is all about. Correctional librarians have to have the desire to help inmates change their lives.  Part of this comes from developing a collection of materials that aids inmates in self-directed rehabilitation and supports their education efforts. But it does not and should not end there.  Correctional librarianship’s aim is not just to inform but also to correct.  Mongelli (2015) states, “the librarian, offering a structured socialization program, helps those who see need for change, with the encouragement of staff, fellow inmates, and the DOC.”  Other programs that aid in helping inmates making a positive change include those that address literacy, work and employment opportunities and job-seeking skills, as well as housing, health and family matters.   “Being able to obtain and hold jobs is a crucial factor in achieving successful reentry” (Lilenthal, 2013).  If the ex-convict is able to support himself/herself and his/her family, that goes a long way towards building a sense of responsibility and pride.  If the prison library can partner with an outside agency or public library to ensure inmate access to these types of services after release, it may further reinforce an inmate’s resolve to change his/her life and become a productive member of society.  I see providing opportunities for “a change of heart here, an epiphany there,” as being a rehabilitative agent for positive change in an inmate’s life as being an exciting and rewarding challenge.

Another goal is to continue learning and growing as a librarian.  I am an advocate of life-long learning not only for others but also for myself.  I plan to take advantage of opportunities that allow me to learn about new materials and programs that will benefit my library’s patrons.  If I do end up working in a prison library, I want to learn more about the use of bibliotherapy as a rehabilitation program, particularly the THINK FIRST method developed by Cynthia Blinn and widely used by librarians in the Massachusetts Department of Corrections.

Conclusion

My conviction to become a librarian has only been strengthened by my studies in this MLIS program.  I feel that my understanding of what librarianship involves and what it adds to the community as a whole as well as to the lives of individuals has grown and deepened.  As I prepare to embark on my library career, I do not know exactly where I will end up or what kind of library I will work in, but one thing is for sure: working in a library is my destiny and has been since the first time my Nana took me to the local public library.  In a library is where I belong.

 

References

Democracy Statement. (n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2016, from http://www.ala.org/aboutala/governance/officers/past/kranich/demo/statement

Disher, W. (2014). Crash course in collection development. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic.

Horrigan, J. B. (2016, September 9). Libraries 2016. Retrieved November 8, 2016, from Pew Research Center website: http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/09/09/libraries-2016/

Information literacy competency standards for higher education. (2000). Retrieved November 8, 2016, from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency

Lilienthal, S. M. (2013). Prison and public libraries: Programming for prisoners–current and former–helps fight recidivism. Library Journal, 138(2), 26.

McMillen, P. S., & Hill, E. (2005). Why teach “research as a conversation” in freshman composition courses? A metaphor to help librarians and composition instructors develop a shared model. Research Strategies, 20, 3-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resstr.2005.07.005

Millions of people rely on library computers for employment, health, and education. (2010, May). Retrieved November 8, 2016, from http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases/2010/03/Millions-of-People-Rely-on-Library-Computers-for-Employment-Health-and-Education

Mongelli, W.  Lecture 8: Library therapeutic programming, the MCI-Norfolk way. [MP3 Audio file]. Retrieved from http://amazon.sjsu.edu/html-mongelli/lecture8_Early_April_musings.mp3 (Links to an external site.)