The study of librarianship requires balancing the magic of our professional aspirations with the practicality of real-life limitations and critical assessments. In any radical, fervent pursuit of innovative ideas, miscalculations are inevitable. The burden of librarianship, then, is to honestly call out what does not serve our patrons, learn from that outcome, and move forward. We must embrace this cycle of failure and reflection to avoid becoming complacent.
This approach finds its framework in Michael Stephens’ philosophy, laid out in The Heart of Librarianship. Stephens encourages us to embrace chaos, let go of what holds us back, and lead with empathy. This perspective provides the MLIS student with the necessary permission to follow library bliss while staying grounded through regular reflection. By actively revisiting our goals, we ensure that our fervor remains directed toward meaningful progress, not just activity.
I am particularly interested in merging Stephens’ progressive strategy with a model grounded in community empowerment: community-led planning. The article “Working Hand in Hand” further highlights how planning that involves the community can create better outcomes. I believe this strategic approach should be married to Stephens’ philosophical one, mandating that the community actively informs and chooses its programming and even influences the library’s catalog options.
A healthy community comes together to share inspiration, but this exchange is only effective if librarians are actively listening. Our role must evolve from being gatekeepers of knowledge to becoming beacons of empowerment and pillars of support. When we operate from this stance, we recognize that failure is bound to happen, but it does not diminish our mission.
The important part is the continuous loop: being honest about initiatives that don’t work, trying new things, embracing the inevitable chaos, and remaining active listeners who support and connect with patrons. By adopting this heart-centered, community-informed, and highly reflective practice, we ensure our actions remain focused on the potential of the future, not shackled by the past.
References:
Barbakoff, A. & Lenstra, N. (2024). Working Hand in Hand – How to Conduct Community-Led Planning
Stephens, M. (2016). Holding us back. In The Heart of Librarianship.