Identify, evaluate, conduct, and apply current research and thought in library.
COURSE TAKEN: LIS 600: Foundations of Library and Information Studies
TEXTBOOK: Hirsh, S. (2015). Information services today. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
During my first semester as an MLIS student, I learned about the changes taking place in librarianship and the skills required for success in the field. I read the textbook Information Services Today, as well as journal articles about the nature of information, library user needs, and the impact of technological change. I reflected extensively on these readings on the class discussion board and in reflection papers (see LIS 600 Reflection Paper 1 under Papers and Presentations). I also contributed to a research project co-coordinated by my professor, Michael Crumpton. Below is a summary of how my first-semester studies impacted my thinking.
The “Information Professional”
My experience in LIS 600 transformed my ideas about what librarians do. Before taking the course, I had not realized how much of a librarian’s day is spent working with technology. The impact of technological change on librarianship is reflected in the term “information professional,” a term used repeatedly throughout the textbook in place of “librarian.” The term calls to mind “information science,” a discipline I usually associate with computer programmers. I have mixed feelings about the term “information professional,” as my emotional connection to libraries and the word “librarian” is very strong. I find “information professional” to be a rather impersonal, vague, and “corporate” term that encompasses a little of everything without really saying anything. At the same time, I understand that many MLIS professionals do not or will not ultimately end up working in libraries. Furthermore, while the word “library” often evokes the image of books, librarians these days are organizing and conveying information in many formats. “Information professional” may better represent the scope of a librarian’s work.
A Librarian’s Work
Having never worked in a library, I have only experienced the environment as a patron. I have long known what services libraries offer (e.g., book lending, computer classes, cultural programming), but did not realize just how multifaceted a librarian’s skill set must be. In dialoguing with my classmates and reading the work of Domenic Rosati, I learned that many librarians use coding knowledge in their daily work. In addition, in order to respond to patrons’ needs, they must be at home with numerous computer software programs and devices. As the Information Services Today authors have noted, librarians are running makerspaces, helping people with job applications, embedding their services in online courses, offering assistance in offsite locations, and even loaning out garden plots. I am delighted that librarians can do so much but am worried that they are overextending themselves. I also worry that the technological assistance being provided has become a permanent fixture in some people’s lives rather than a bridge to self-sufficiency. While using a library computer station can be advantageous in some respects (especially for people who do not have permanent homes or need supplemental technical advice), having one’s own computer can allow one time to master certain technical skills in a way that may be impossible to do at a public computer terminal. Being dependent on library computers can also be demoralizing, especially if just getting to the library is a struggle, as it is for many.
Scholarship & Research
LIS 600 opened my eyes to the importance of scholarship and research in library science. Before starting my MLIS, I had never really thought of library studies as being a “publishing” discipline. Now that I know about the body of scholarly literature available, I not only read assigned articles but frequently seek out supplemental articles to deepen my understanding of topics. I also read the American Libraries Direct newsletter to stay up to date on research and happenings in the field. In November 2016 I did some research of my own when I interviewed a program coordinator at a local literacy center. As I think about that conversation, two points stand out in my mind. One is that the literacy center relies heavily on the library to provide job hunting and technical resources that the center itself cannot afford. The second is that the center resembles a library in many ways. Like libraries, they promote reading literacy and computer literacy, strive to serve underserved populations, and offer a broad range of services beyond what their organizational name implies (such as ESOL classes, voter registration, and community forums). Many of the values important to the literacy center – civic engagement, open government, and advocacy – resonate strongly with librarians.
Stacy Torian 