Collection Development for My Random Life.

My Maverick Bar: A Search for Identity and the “Real Work” of Librarianship | In the Library with the Lead Pipe.

My colleague Kim has written a great reflective piece on what it is to be an academic librarian today. Her personal take is to connect libraries with Knowledge. Yes, Knowledge with a capital “K”.

“I see no work in librarianship more real than the collection, protection, and dissemination of Knowledge, and the empowerment of others in means to acquire it”

For me, I feel that librarians would fine great value in undertaking more deep reflection like this. I have heard more often then I would like to hear that there is no need for theory in librarianship… that there is no such thing as a philosophy of librarianship. I think to some degree we, as a profession,  have lost sight of what it means to be a librarian and what it means to do the work of a library. Instead of simply the management of resources, personnel, access points and budgets as the constraining influences which provide the direction a library should take, we definitely should dig deep and figure out what the purpose of library is, and should be, even if this goes against the prevailing thought of “keeping up appearances” or “return on investment”. Not only should we make libraries relevant… or perhaps Relevant (with capital “R”), we also need to make libraries meaningful… er… Meaningful.  This Meaning is not only to the individual patron, but to the community, society at large, as well as the profession and discipline of librarianship. One of the only ways I know to tap into that is to be reflective and truly philosophical in order to provide the truest insight into the direction of a library and the meaningfulness of the work and activities that occur within its purview.

Kudos to Kim for a great post.

ALA has gathered advice and resources on getting  job in this tough economic market. Check it out here: http://www.getajob.ala.org/

A colleague has written his two cents concerning about getting an interview at an academic institution.

Preparing for an academic interview – ALA | Get A Job!.

I like what Jonathan has to say. Though, I might quibble on a little point.

I have been on multiple job interviews and a member of a few search committees myself. Truthfully, I really wish libraries would open up their hiring practices beyond the MLIS. I think in some cases (not all) we hurt libraries by limiting to the ALA sanctioned MLIS. We have created our own job security with the MLIS. Get the piece of paper get the job. Pretty much it is a giant bureaucracy with blinders on.  Yet, in some situations the most qualified person for a library position can be drawn from people without an MLIS. This pool of candidates may have greater  experience with technology, computers,  web site creation, public relations, literacy, history, archives,  languages, fund-raising, teaching etc.  These are all skills libraries need to remain relevant to our public. Limiting to only those candidates with an MLIS weeds out these potentially great hires.

I guess the basic question is, is it easier to train someone to be a librarian or is it easier to train a librarian to learn a language, learn JavaScript, learn to teach, learn whatever?

I am not saying ditch the MLIS by any means. Actually, I think libraries under-value it in many respects. Most libraries these days, in my humble observation, concern themselves more with managing resources and draw little from library theory. If you want someone to manage resources, you mind as well just hire someone with a business background or any background that helps the library. If you want someone with vision, an understanding of the cultural role of a library,  and the place libraries reside within communities, get yourself a librarian with an MLIS ASAP!  I, personally, would love to see more library theory being talked about in libraries. Let’s talk about WHY we are developing our collections not simply HOW we manage them.

If it is about selecting the right people to make your organization a better place, why limit your choices? Make some tough choices in your hiring committees, don’t put limitations simply to make your job easier.

Just finished the Book Whisperer for a young-adult literature class I “may” be taking over the Summer (yes, “may” there is some doubt, but it is a long story). The book advocates for carving out free reading time in classrooms and for teachers to do what is basically reader advisory for students.

The title inspires me to be the Library Whisperer which I am going to do in this class. I will work to advocate to teachers taking the class with me that they actually take advantage of all the great librarians out there to help them with developing their own collections and book suggestions.