Philosophy

What drew me to the opportunity to work at my childhood library five years ago was the fact that the Handley library was one of my favorite places as a child. It was so magical to me, so frequently visited, so tied to memories of imagination, contented curiosity, creativity, security….It was a constant in my life, safe, reassuring, like a warm hug, like a family friend.

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Soon after I began working as an Information Services Assistant in 2018, I realized that despite the worlds of imagination the library had opened for me, my own view of the library was very limited. I had been viewing the library through my childhood eyes (a viewpoint – I realize now – informed by my whiteness and privilege). In my role as an Information Assistant working with adults, I began to see that the library is much more than books, much more than a place; that library patrons  and patrons’ needs are incredibly diverse. For example, I assisted a homeless individual who had no ID. He needed a copy of his birth certificate from another state, a difficult task as he had no email address and no mailing address. The process took several weeks. I also very fondly remember assisting a woman who spoke little English with completing an online application to schedule a visit with her husband who was in prison. Although I knew that giving her the time and focus she needed would take me away from other patrons, the desk, the phone (and it did), I also knew that if I didn’t help her, it was not going to happen at all. When we were finished, she took my hands, squeezed them, and thanked me with tears in her eyes (which made me teary as well). My viewpoint from the Information Desk was like a window into my community, and I found myself compelled to know all the circumstances and factors behind what one might call “non-traditional” library needs. This has been a focus for me in both my work in the library and my coursework in this program, as evidenced by my Speaking Notes assignment, my Professional Submission,  and my Personal Growth plan.

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I also became keenly aware of the limits in the ability of the library to meet many of these needs. The majority of the patrons I worked with were adults with limited or no basic computer skills and/or digital literacy skills. Because of this, they required a greater amount and longer duration of assistance with their tasks than the Information Services Assistants can offer. Additionally, these tasks are often urgent and of grave importance (legal, financial) and so are emotionally charged, which leads to a great deal of frustration and distress. It is clear that what these patrons need is the opportunity to acquire these skills in a calm environment. However, Information Services Staff have neither the time nor the skillset to become computer skills instructors. They can (and do) provide library resources like online tutorials and classes, and refer patrons to other community organizations. However, it is my belief that the library can and should go further. This has been a focus for me in both my work at the library and my coursework in this program, as evidenced by my Collection Plan, Grant Proposal, Serving the Underserved assignment, and Professional Submission.

I think the one word that could sum up my philosophy of librarianship is Access. In terms of librarianship and libraries, access can look like a lot of things.

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Through the library we have access to things that delight and inspire us - to the books, movies, music, art, games, podcasts, and programs that let us revel in all of the beauty and creativity there is to be experienced. To other people’s stories, to distant lands and cultures, high art, low art, fascinating history, amazing scientific discoveries – all of it. Everyone gets a ticket to the show.

 

The library provides access to resources – these could be academic resources and assistance for students, continuing education resources for adults, or social and community resources. One of the most important resources the library offers is access to the Internet – in our increasingly-digital world, lack of Internet access is a barrier to fully participating in society. Hildreth (2013, as cited by Rubin & Rubin, 2020) estimated that more than 100 million people, one-third of the population, are digitally illiterate. By providing free Wifi and public Internet computers, and resources to acquire/build digital literacy skills, libraries can help bridge the digital divide, ensuring that no one gets left behind.

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Access can mean simply access to a Place. For some who we may call marginalized or disenfranchised, simply having a place to be is crucial. The library doesn’t charge admission, there is no bouncer at the door. You don’t have to fill out a lengthy application, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone. For someone whose daily circumstances are uncertain - because they have no Home Place (or their Home Place is a Bad Place), the safety and reliability of the library building itself is stabilizing. Further, the equity of the library as a Place can be essential to maintaining a person’s sense of autonomy and agency. For anyone whose sense of autonomy and agency are compromised due to life circumstances, disability, age, or any number of reasons, the library is a liberating space where they can move freely under their own steam. Before I began working at a public library, I had no idea how important this is for so many.

I believe that all of these forms of access – and any other forms it might take in the context of library service – combine to form the library’s most important role in its service to the community. I embrace the “Turning Outward” approach emphasized by the ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) initiative, which “requires that libraries shift from a library-focused, internal perspective to an external, community focus” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020).

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In my work as an Information Services Assistant at a public library, I have found that the assistance I give is not so much about book recommendations or research, but mostly about access to resources and help with digital skills, and most of the patrons I assist are older or living with poverty or homelessness. Seeing how the library serves as a lifeline  for so many who may feel otherwise untethered has shaped my philosophy of librarianship. Throughout the MLIS program, I have taken every possible opportunity with my assignments to focus on issues of access for marginalized groups, and I plan to continue this focus going forward in my career. I have an over-arching passion for library advocacy, and am pleased to say that since I began the MLIS program, I have been promoted to PR & Marketing Associate for Handley Regional Library System. Library marketing and advocacy is challenging – one key thing I’ve learned is that, because of the sheer number and diversity of the library’s services, paired with the diverse needs of the community, libraries can’t employ cookie-cutter methods for advocacy and outreach. Like the library itself, its advocacy methods need to be diverse, creative, responsive, and ever adjusting to the changing needs of its community and the micro-populations within it. I am a creative person, and I am excited to combine my creativity with my passion to tell the library’s story in my new role.

 

Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.