The public library is a distinctly interesting space because (in my experience working in one), many patrons do not truly know what its function is. That might seem like a far-fetched notion, but what I mean by that is not that patrons do not know what libraries are, but that their expectations of them often skew toward one end of a diverse spectrum. The first side are the patrons who may be entering the library for the first time in many years and underestimate the public library institution, resulting in questions I answer frequently at the circulation desk, such as: how much does it cost to get a library card, can I sit inside and read without being a “member,” do I need to check in before entering the library, etc.? The patrons who ask these questions are often surprised when I tell them that access to public libraries is free, that they can sit anywhere they like and utilize whatever resources they need, including access to librarians, and that the library is a safe and open space for everyone to enjoy, again, yes, for free! Despite being saddened that patrons may have strayed from using the public library because they didn’t realize they could access it for free, it also makes my day to welcome them in and explain all the resources available to them. The other side of my proposed library spectrum is patrons who view the institution as the resolution to any frustration or point of conflict. For example, one of my coworkers once had a patron request that they personally exterminate a peacock on their property, which had been waking them up early in the morning with its peacock sounds. I have also been asked directly whether the library allows “homeless people” inside because they don’t want their children “exposed” to them when they visit.
Both queries (peacock and reference to unhoused patrons) prove to me that many do not understand the function of the public library because they overestimate or place added personal expectations/ responsibilities on the library space. All of which is to say that, as explained in the Hyperlinked Library model, the library (especially, in my opinion, the public library) is not a static place and every patron who enters it does so with vastly different conceptions and queries. It is then the hyperlinked librarian that utilizes socio-technological resources towards the goal of disrupting and subverting traditional organizational structures that may inhibit the user experience in a variety of ways. While our institutional goals, informed by core ethics and values, remain steadfast, the methodology employed to meet them must evolve.
I want to reflect on what that means to me personally as I begin to consider, as a burgeoning librarian, how I want to practice librarianship in my career. Recently, I have been inspired by TikTok, which is an insane sentence but hear me out! Over the past year or so, my page has been flooded with librarians around the world creating diverse, PLAYFUL content that appeals to a population that I think is underrepresented in libraries: teens and adults belonging to millennial and Gen Z age ranges. Again, speaking solely from my own personal experience, I have observed much library programming dedicated to either children or seniors, which is understandable when you consider that both of those groups are within transitional life phases that may require structural assistance via library patronage. However, there has been a huge recent surge in recreational readership among teens and adults that is largely influenced and informed by social media (BookTok, BookTube, Bookstagram, etc.), which I believe provides hyperlinked librarians with an opportunity to reach previously unavailable persons.
It is my opinion that the reason there is such a divided understanding of the library’s function is that cultural and mass media representation has made society view the library as a cold, one-dimensional space that may be perceived as exclusionary to certain people. Social media, for all its pros and cons, can help librarians change the narrative on what libraries are, what they do, and how they can serve all members within diverse communities.
References
Stephens, M. (2016). The hyperlinked librarian: Skills, mind-sets, and ideas for working in the evolving library. In The heart of librarianship: Attentive, positive, and purposeful change (pp. 1–34). ALA Editions.
Stephens, M. (2011, February 21). The hyperlinked library: A TTW white paper. Tame the Web. https://tametheweb.com/2011/02/21/hyperlinkedlibrary2011/
It truly amazes me how much people do or don’t know about how a library operates or the questions they seek answer to. I had a question the other day about a mom wanting to know if it was okay to let her 17-month old son go to his father’s court hearing. In the same day I was asked about Shakespeare. It’s never a dull moment at the library for sure. Misinformation about library services has not helped our cause and so being as open and informative with library processes will help combat some of that. Too many often think that libraries only house books, when in truth most libraries have had to reinvent themselves to be so much more like you have alluded to with the Hyperlinked Library model. Finding those connections with users and listening to their needs or wants helps to facilitate trust, learning, and a sense of community. The plethora of social media platforms can help to foster these connections and I am glad that you pondered this in your post.