A Life-Changing Discovery
I am so glad to be taking this class now, at the near end of my MLIS journey, because Professor Stephens is helping us develop our professional identities. By the end of this course, I will be ready to tackle my LIS career. In The Heart of Librarianship, Stephens (2016) talks about how he asked a library director what he should be teaching in library school, and her answer was to teach students to become leaders, innovators, the ones watching and planning for the future. I like her answer! I do not work in a library now and have very little experience working in one, so I never thought of myself as a library leader or an innovator. However, I am not going to think so small anymore. I am going to be a leader!
Stephens (2016) discusses the various answers to the introductory question, “What brings you to librarianship?”, when meeting a class for the first time. One of the best answers is, “I want to change people’s lives.” My response to that is–WOW! I never thought of it that way. You mean as a librarian/information professional, I can change lives?! Oh yes, of course I can and I will! I want to help people meet their basic and information needs.
Along these same lines, Eastell (TEDx Talks, 2019) says that the images of library staff as quiet creatures hiding from the world are long gone. Instead, she thinks of librarians as “gentle subversives, new radicals committed to bringing you good, quality information” (TEDx Talks, 2019, 5:20). Wait, what? I never considered myself a subversive or a radical, but I suppose I am going to be one as a librarian! Eastell goes on to say that library staff are super connectors within their local community, forging new connections between different groups and individuals. Certainly we will change lives! This is so exciting–to think of the LIS profession in this way.
Just a few days ago, my husband referred to librarianship as the “most boring thing ever” when talking about my upcoming core competencies portfolio with my daughter. I should have stuck up for myself and the profession right there on the spot, but I didn’t realize how much his statement bothered me until later. It is not the most boring thing ever! It is the opposite! Librarians and libraries are helping people; they are subversive and radical; they are forging new connections between people and organizations; and they are changing lives. I can’t wait to get started!
References
Stephens, M. T. (2016). The heart of librarianship: Attentive, positive, and purposeful change. ALA Editions, an imprint of the American Library Association.
TEDx Talks. (2019, June 13). Ciara Eastell: How libraries change lives [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Tvt-lHZBUwU?si=VJ5BQ1a3X0q9mjVX
Hey @Natalie! I also really love the idea of librarians being “gentle subversives”–that is EXACTLY where I want to get to, too! Swimming against the tide of misinformation and being an informational and compassionate haven is why I got into this in the first place!
Cheers,
Mei
@Natalie I am absolutely thrilled that you found such inspiration in this class and that you were taking it before you move onto the portfolio. I think that is the perfect way to take this class. Regarding standing up for yourself, perhaps as you are working on the portfolio, tell your husband and daughter about all the neat things that libraries are doing to meet the needs of their communities in so many different ways that you’ve learned in the program. 😀