Hello everyone!

My name is Brandon Thompson, and I am currently in the sixth semester of the Master’s of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program at San Jose State University (SJSU), where I am following the public librarianship career path. My journey in libraries started in 2011, when I volunteered for the Friends of the Library (FOL) at the Woodward Park Library (WPL) in Fresno, California. One of my duties as a volunteer was to help develop programs, and one of the ideas we came up with was a haunted attraction based on the poems of Edgar Allan Poe, where each scene featured a different one. This program was extremely popular and was an essential step in showing me that libraries were more than just large warehouses of books, but rather a social institution that supports lifelong learning, civic engagement, and social infrastructure. Unfortunately, I ended my volunteer tenure in 2015, due to wanting to devote my entire focus to my undergraduate career, and in 2019, I graduated with a B.A. in History. The academic library liaison was vital to my research needs, as he taught me how to navigate the databases, how to evaluate sources, and advanced research techniques. Further, I often used the physical library space as a safe haven. This part of my library journey showed me how important libraries are in the world of information literacy and as a third place. After graduating, I knew I wanted to work in libraries professionally, so I applied for and got a library aide position at the Victorville City Library (VCL) in 2021, where I was responsible for general circulation desk duties, such as creating library cards, shelving library materials, processing transactions, and filling out book request forms. I was also entrusted with working on various special projects, such as creating a DVD display and assisting with programming. In 2o23, I was promoted to library clerk, and I am still in this position as of writing this post. Just last week, I interviewed for a library associate position at the VCL, and I am anxious to hear the results, as it would be my first full-time position. As a library clerk, I am responsible for cataloging DVDs and Playaways and accepting passport applications as a passport agent.

I chose this class for two reasons. The first reason is that I really enjoyed the lectures given by Dr. Michael Stephens when I took INFO 200; the lectures were filled with great information, and Stephens seemed wholeheartedly passionate about libraries. The second reason is that the course name and description really piqued my interest. From previous courses, I have, of course, learned about the importance of keeping up with emerging trends and technologies, and I feel this class will take a deeper dive. However, after reading the foundational readings covering Library 2.0 and the Hyperlinked Library, I can already tell that this course is going to be transformational in our perception of library work. Embracing constant and purposeful change, user and staff participation, creativity and innovation, outreach techniques, constant self-reflection, and chaos will help library professionals transform their libraries into user-centric organizations that focus on what people actually want, rather than what we think they want (Buckland, 1998; Casey and Savastinuk, 2007; Stephens, 2016; Stephens, 2019). My favorite section, in particular, was the discussion on how to communicate with “reluctant” stakeholders who do not share the vision of Library 2.0, as presented in Casey and Savastinuk (2007) and Stephens (2016). This has always been a concern of mine, as the VCL’s main stakeholder, the City of Victorville, has a fairly conservative chain of command that would not embrace the kind of change Library 2.0 is calling for. I hope to learn more about how to communicate with these “reluctant” stakeholders in the future!

As for my personal interests, I have been going to the gym for about three years now, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. It has even reached the point where I no longer have a primary motivator driving me to go; it has just become part of my daily routine now! I particularly enjoy running, and even took part in my first ever non-treadmill 5K during a May the 4th Star Wars event. Pictured below is an image of me after the run. I also enjoy cosplaying, and have cosplayed as Darth Revan, Draco Malfoy, an OC pirate character, an OC horror character, and an OC post-apocalyptic character. I have not gotten the opportunity to cosplay as him yet, but I recently received a cosplay of Qimir, a character from The Acolyte Star Wars show. Pictured below is me in some of these cosplays.

                 Darth Revan:                          Draco Malfoy                                          OC Pirate Character (Far Right):

 

References

Buckland, M. (1998). Redesigning library services: A manifesto. American Library Association.

Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2007). Library 2.0: A guide to participatory library service (1st ed.). Information Today.

Stephens, M. T. (2016). The heart of librarianship: Attentive, positive, and purposeful change (1st ed.). ALA Editions.

Stephens, M. T. (2019). Wholehearted librarianship: Finding hope, inspiration, and balance (1st ed.). ALA Editions.