Reflection

The following is my reflection on the Student Learning Outcomes that are required in the Master of Library and Information Science degree at Old Dominion University. The Student Learning Outcomes reflect the kills, aptitudes, and competencies that are deemed essential to a person entering into the profession of public librarianship. For each SLO, I will describe how I hope to have met each standard using the projects I have created in the MLIS program.

 

SLO 1: Create innovative responses to the needs and interests of diverse and global communities.

Through my work as an Information Services Assistant, I have come to realize how diverse the needs are of the adults in our community. The needs represented to me have not been the kind typically associated with library work (such as reader’s advisory, reference, or research). Instead, they are needs that I wasn’t originally prepared for, that I don’t necessarily have skills for, that the library doesn’t have resources for, or that fall outside of the library’s purview. Even before I started the MLIS program, I adopted the goal of finding ways to meet these needs, either within the scope of the library’s purview, in partnership with other community entities, or with new or augmented resources and services. Several of the projects I created in the MLIS program also reflect this goal. The Collection Plan addresses two underserved populations in Winchester – seniors and Spanish-speaking individuals – by identifying their needs and offering a plan to meet them with additions to the collection and to services. Serving the Underserved and my Grant Proposal both address the needs of older adults and seniors who lack basic computer and digital literacy skills;  the latter proposing a new service, identifying possible partnerships, and outlining a marketing plan for the service; the former justifying the need for the service, requesting funds and outlining a budget. My Professional Submission identifies the need of greater support for individuals dealing with complex social issues who find themselves looking for support at the library. The growing trend of adding a social worker to library staff is indeed a very innovative response to this challenge, providing support for individuals in need by bridging service gaps, and lifting the burden from library staff who are not trained for it.

 

SLO 2: Demonstrate leadership attributes for a variety of information environments.

I believe leadership in the library profession can look like a lot of things: knowing your community and what it needs; knowing what your staff needs; being able to make longer-range plans; being willing to make larger-scale changes; representing your library – and being accountable for it - to the public and to other stakeholders. I chose my Grant Proposal for this SLO because I think it demonstrates leadership to be able to ask for funding – to know your library’s needs, to justify the need, to create a plan for the funding, and to show how you will be accountable for it. For my Speaking Notes assignment, I addressed stakeholders (the library Board), representing my library and its policies. I demonstrated leadership by clarifying the library’s position, assuring the competence of the library to address the challenge, and by providing development opportunities for my staff. In my Personal Growth Plan, I had to look at how I – and the library – may be failing to serve and be inclusive of differently-abled people. This reflection, and the plan that resulted from it, show leadership by my ability to learn from my community, to hold myself to higher standards, to facilitate changes, and to be accountable.

 

SLO 3: Interpret and apply basic and applied research to improve their professional practice.

Almost all of my assignments in the MLIS program required extensive research (which is enjoyable for me). However, before this program I had not done any demographic research, nor had I had the opportunity to apply my research to any practical aim. It was deeply rewarding to undertake this research of my own community and library. My Collection Plan was the final result of a multi-part, scaffolded process which included an environmental scan of the Handley library’s service area, and an analysis of the Handley library’s collection. I used my research to identify areas for improvement in the library’s collection, and to create a plan to address these areas. For my Grant Proposal and my Serving the Underserved assignment,  I once again conducted demographic research of my community, identifying seniors as a growing population and one that is underserved. I conducted research on the computer skills/digital literacy needs of seniors, the effects of the lack of these skills on their quality of life, and the benefits of acquiring these skills. I used this research to propose a new service, to justify the service, and to create a request for funding.

 

SLO 4: Access, synthesize, and evaluate information to assist information seekers.

My Collection Plan  - which identified weaknesses in the library’s service to seniors and Spanish-speaking members of the community – included examples of items I would add to the collection and services/programming I would add to our offerings. This required me to do research on what is on the market, and to evaluate what I found for quality and relevance. For example, when I was looking for print, ebooks,  and e-audiobooks in Spanish, I chose items that were given good reviews by reputable sources such as Kirkus Reviews or had won awards such as the Pura Belpré Young Adult Author Medal. My Collection Plan, Grant Proposal, and Serving the Underserved assignment all required me to conduct research, acquire data, and then to present this data in different ways. I was tasked with creating a “snapshot” of my community, which I did by translating the information into graphs, charts, and other visual graphics. In all three assignments I used the information I obtained to improve service to patrons. In the Grant Proposal and Serving the Underserved, I used the data I synthesized to create a way to meet the needs of older adults and seniors. In my Collection Plan, I used the data to create a plan to increase collection items and services for seniors and members of our Spanish-speaking community.

 

SLO 5. Integrate evolving technologies and theories that underpin their design, application, and use with library and information services.

We live in an increasingly digital world, and the public library has adapted to these changes in many ways: by offering digital content, access to databases, access to the Internet, and by integrating ICTs into both its function and its offerings. Unfortunately, many people are forced to utilize ICTs without the skills to do so. Through my work as an Information Services Assistant, I have worked with many adults/older adults/seniors who struggle with ICT, and have seen how deeply this can affect them emotionally and psychologically, especially when they are attempting to complete a crucial and urgent task. Throughout the MLIS program, I have focused my efforts on ways the library can help bridge this digital divide. Both my Grant Proposal and my Serving the Underserved assignment are examples of this focus. Both artifacts include research on the computer skills/digital literacy needs of seniors, the effects of the lack of these skills on their quality of life, and the benefits of acquiring these skills, and propose basic computer skills and digital literacy instruction programming.

 

 

SLO 6. Analyze current and historical trends to forecast future directions of the library and information field.

Because the library is a dynamic entity that is constantly adapting, to new technologies and to the changing needs of its community, it is essential that librarians are adaptable as well. They need to be aware of all the ways their community – and the world at large – is changing, so that they can not only meet their community’s needs in the present, but also plan ahead according to trends. My Grant Proposal and Serving the Underserved assignment both address the issue of the Digital Divide, using research that illustrates people’s growing dependence on ICTs and the corresponding growing need for basic computer skills and digital literacy instruction. My Professional Submission looks at the growing trend of public libraries adding social workers to their staff, in order to take on the complex social issues that librarians are not trained for.

 

SLO 7: Create a plan for continuous professional development and lifelong learning.

Because the library is always adapting to meet the changing and evolving needs of the communities it serves, librarianship is likewise not static. Librarianship requires mental plasticity, self-reflection, the willingness and ability to learn new skills and acquire new tools, the willingness to see other perspectives. For my Speaking Notes assignment, I was asked to write from the point of view of a library management position addressing stakeholders (the library Board) about patrons’ complaints of the behavior of homeless persons in the library. I chose this issue because it is something I deal with at my own work and can be challenging emotionally and psychologically. The Speaking Notes include several recommendations for staff development around this issue, and I have been added to my own self-development plan. My Personal Growth Plan is the result of taking many self-assessments for implicit bias. One of the assessments revealed a bias against physically disabled people. I created a plan for how I – and in turn the library – can better serve and be more welcoming and inclusive of differently-abled people. The plan includes my objective, how I might measure my progress, and what resources I might use to assist in my plan. The plan is ongoing – it is meant to keep me ever-conscious of my biases, and always willing to connect with the underserved members of my community to get their real experiences and feedback.