B. Environments
B. compare the environments and organizational settings in which library and information professionals practice;
Introduction
W. Clement Stone wrote “be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you” and “you are a product of your environment” (BrainyQuote, 2012). These quotes illustrate the importance of understanding different environments and settings in the informational world.
My interpretation of this competency is that I recognize that a traditional public library is not the only place from which to obtain information, nor is it the only place a librarian or information professional can work. There was at one point in history, a stereotypical librarian but it was just that… a stereotype (Haycock and Sheldon, 2008, p. 42). Today, there are a multitude of venues where librarians and information professionals work. Therefore, I am hopeful that as a future information professional, there will be a variety of job opportunities. Examples of these would be reference, medical, or law librarians; informatics professionals; and archivists.
In order to understand this competency, it is important to compare different environments on a select set of criteria. I chose to look at three environments and compare them based on their mission statement as well as the clientele that they serve. I chose a “special library”, an academic library, and a public library.
The first library that I chose, Neill Public Library (NPL) has a mission state that is written to be in line with that of the governing body, The American Library Association. According to their statement, they feel “that the mission of this library is to provide an open and non-judgmental environment” (Neill Public Library, 2001). This mission statement also helps them guide the practices, programs, and materials that they offer. The library is open to the public and anyone, as long as they are a resident of the town or county can get a library card. The material that NPL has, with few exceptions, open to the public. They allow anyone with a library card to access the computers in the library as well as being free.
The second library I chose to compare was an academic library. This library serves the community of Washington State University (WSU) as well as the Pullman community but is primarily an academic library. Their mission statement states that they provide “access to a diversity [sic] of information, ideas, and creative works” in order to be in line with the mission of the university as a land-grant school (Washington State University Libraries, 2010). The libraries serve students and faculty of the university with the materials and programs they provide. Unlike the public library, many of the services are only open to those who are students or faculty, for example, the journals that the university subscribes too.
Lastly, the third library that I chose to compare is a “special library”. This library is that of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). Its mission statement is included within the USHMM’s mission statement. This statement, similar to that of an academic library in that it is to serve as a place of study, as well as “documentation and interpretation of Holocaust history” (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d.). However, this mission statement is more related to the entire museum collection and its use in preservation and education. Therefore, their clientele is a wide variety of people from children to adults, though the USHMM recommends that visitors to the museum’s permanent exhibit be 11 or older (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (2), n.d.). It is worth mentioning, however, that in order to do research in the physical location of the USHMM library; one must be a researcher such as a college or graduate student or a teacher.
In comparing these three environments it has been important to understand the functions and clientele that they serve in order to understand how their mission statement fits with the organization. Each library represents a different place in the field if libraries and therefore, each serves a different need.
I define this competency to mean that I have the ability to look at different environments and places where information professionals work, not just a public library. “Libraries, as Wilson (1984) has noted are part of the bibliographic sector in our society” (Rubin, 2004, p. 361). This not only means an information professional with an MLIS can work in a library but they can also work in publishing, as vendors, and in other networks. It also means they can work in the medical and law fields (Haycock and Sheldon, 2008, p. 45). Additionally, information professionals can work in technical and other computer related areas (Rubin, 2004).
The reason this competency is important to the profession as a whole is that the world is rapidly changing. Therefore, people need to expand their perceptions of where information professionals work. The profession still needs people for traditional libraries. However, there are other opportunities for information professionals to work in other types of libraries as well as in other settings such as computer related businesses. One of the places that offer such ideas for different environments is not only Haycock and Sheldon’s (2008) list of different types of settings (p. 43-53) but also the Occupational Outlook handbook. This publication is from the US Department of Labor. Their website (2011) lists places such as archives, museum, technology, schools, etc. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20110 for careers for those with a MLIS. Information professionals with an MLIS who understand the wide range of their skills will have more opportunities in a bad economy.
As I enter the workforce, knowing how to compare different environments will help me diversify my options as I look for employment. I will also have the tools to do a variety of work. The skills that I have learned through both work experience and school classes will transfer in a variety of jobs I may find employment in a place of which I never thought. In addition to a variety of jobs, understanding the comparison of different environments can help me develop different ways to enhance the community programs and services of the organization where I am employed.
Most of my experience in comparing different environments comes from school assignments. For example, in my undergraduate career, I took Public History in which we discussed different areas for public historians. At SJSU I have taken classes in which different libraries were compared such as LIBR 200, Information and Society; 210 Reference, LIBR 220, Readers’ Advisory; LIBR 246 Web 2.0, and finally, LIBR 256 Archives and Manuscripts. The material discussed in these classes has helped me in understanding the different areas that librarians and information professionals work.
The following pieces of evidence to prove competency for understanding the environments and organizational settings have come from a variety of places. They will be discussed in further detail in each paragraph.
Evidence
The first piece of evidence that provides proof of my competency is a paper I wrote for LIBR 200, Information and Society on the value of the information professional. In this paper I compared different environments in which those with an MLIS work, specifically looking at an archivist at a state university. In addition to the value of the archivist to the library system, I also looked at the contributions archivists made and how these contributions affect other parts of the library as well. Archivists are an important part of the information environment because they often manage fragile items that need protection (Rubin, 2004). Therefore it is important that I understand and know how they fit in the organization for which they work.
The second piece of evidence that provides proof of my competency in this area is an observation I did for LIBR 210, Reference. For this assignment I had to choose a reference desk and observe them for at least ninety minutes. I chose to observe the reference desk at Washington State University’s main library. The first part of the assignment was to observe how many people came to the reference desk without interfering. The second part was to actually sit at the desk with the reference librarians and hear the questions being asked. In addition to the observations, I was required to discuss what areas the library did well, in addition to the areas upon which they could improve. Understanding how a reference librarian works is important to an information professional due to the fact that even though they may not be a traditional reference librarian, they will still be asked reference questions. For that reason it is important to know how reference works as well as knowing how to do a reference interview.
The third piece of evidence provides proof of my competency in comparing environments is a paper I wrote for LIBR 220, Readers’ Advisory. This assignment required me to visit three public libraries and observe and discuss their readers’ advisory areas. One of the libraries I went to was the Spokane Public Library, located in Spokane, Washington. I chose this library for an assortment of reasons but one of the main ones was that it was a large library compared to the public library with which I was familiar. In this assignment I was required to critique the library on its displays, resources, staff, and readers’ advisory interview. Having done two out of the three site visits for LIBR 220, the Spokane Public Library has been the best one so far. The ability to critique and compare different parts within a library is important for an information professional because it provides an understanding of how different areas work within the library as a whole.
The final piece of evidence for proof of my competency is a proposal to which I contributed as part of a group project for LIBR 246, Web 2.0. For this project we were required to create 2.0 tools for a specific type of library. As the leader of the group I chose to do our project for a museum library. Once we decided what 2.0 technologies we were going to use, our group did research to find similar institutions that used those same technologies. We also looked at organizations and institutions that were similar to ours such as other museum libraries. Through this project of gathering information and comparing different organizations, we gained a better understanding of what would fit our library and what would not.
Conclusion
The evidence above proves my competency in understanding the comparison of different environments and organizations in which library and information professionals practice. This knowledge will help me as I search for a job, being open to a wide variety of venues, and giving me ideas about promoting my skills and knowledge
References
BrainyQuote. (2012). Environment [web site]. Retrieved online from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/environment.html.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011). Librarians. Retrieved online:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm.
Haycock, K. and B. Sheldon. (2008). The portable MLIS: insights from the experts. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.
Neill Public Library. (2001). Mission and Vision Statement. Retrieved online from http://www.pullman-wa.gov/departments/neill-public-
library/about-your-library.
Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Mission Statement. Retrieved online from http://www.ushmm.org/museum/mission/.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (2). (n.d.). Plan a Visit. Retrieved online from http://www.ushmm.org/visit/.
Washington State University Libraries. (2010). Mission and Vision statements. Retrieved online from http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu
/general/values.htm.
Introduction
W. Clement Stone wrote “be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you” and “you are a product of your environment” (BrainyQuote, 2012). These quotes illustrate the importance of understanding different environments and settings in the informational world.
My interpretation of this competency is that I recognize that a traditional public library is not the only place from which to obtain information, nor is it the only place a librarian or information professional can work. There was at one point in history, a stereotypical librarian but it was just that… a stereotype (Haycock and Sheldon, 2008, p. 42). Today, there are a multitude of venues where librarians and information professionals work. Therefore, I am hopeful that as a future information professional, there will be a variety of job opportunities. Examples of these would be reference, medical, or law librarians; informatics professionals; and archivists.
In order to understand this competency, it is important to compare different environments on a select set of criteria. I chose to look at three environments and compare them based on their mission statement as well as the clientele that they serve. I chose a “special library”, an academic library, and a public library.
The first library that I chose, Neill Public Library (NPL) has a mission state that is written to be in line with that of the governing body, The American Library Association. According to their statement, they feel “that the mission of this library is to provide an open and non-judgmental environment” (Neill Public Library, 2001). This mission statement also helps them guide the practices, programs, and materials that they offer. The library is open to the public and anyone, as long as they are a resident of the town or county can get a library card. The material that NPL has, with few exceptions, open to the public. They allow anyone with a library card to access the computers in the library as well as being free.
The second library I chose to compare was an academic library. This library serves the community of Washington State University (WSU) as well as the Pullman community but is primarily an academic library. Their mission statement states that they provide “access to a diversity [sic] of information, ideas, and creative works” in order to be in line with the mission of the university as a land-grant school (Washington State University Libraries, 2010). The libraries serve students and faculty of the university with the materials and programs they provide. Unlike the public library, many of the services are only open to those who are students or faculty, for example, the journals that the university subscribes too.
Lastly, the third library that I chose to compare is a “special library”. This library is that of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). Its mission statement is included within the USHMM’s mission statement. This statement, similar to that of an academic library in that it is to serve as a place of study, as well as “documentation and interpretation of Holocaust history” (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d.). However, this mission statement is more related to the entire museum collection and its use in preservation and education. Therefore, their clientele is a wide variety of people from children to adults, though the USHMM recommends that visitors to the museum’s permanent exhibit be 11 or older (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (2), n.d.). It is worth mentioning, however, that in order to do research in the physical location of the USHMM library; one must be a researcher such as a college or graduate student or a teacher.
In comparing these three environments it has been important to understand the functions and clientele that they serve in order to understand how their mission statement fits with the organization. Each library represents a different place in the field if libraries and therefore, each serves a different need.
I define this competency to mean that I have the ability to look at different environments and places where information professionals work, not just a public library. “Libraries, as Wilson (1984) has noted are part of the bibliographic sector in our society” (Rubin, 2004, p. 361). This not only means an information professional with an MLIS can work in a library but they can also work in publishing, as vendors, and in other networks. It also means they can work in the medical and law fields (Haycock and Sheldon, 2008, p. 45). Additionally, information professionals can work in technical and other computer related areas (Rubin, 2004).
The reason this competency is important to the profession as a whole is that the world is rapidly changing. Therefore, people need to expand their perceptions of where information professionals work. The profession still needs people for traditional libraries. However, there are other opportunities for information professionals to work in other types of libraries as well as in other settings such as computer related businesses. One of the places that offer such ideas for different environments is not only Haycock and Sheldon’s (2008) list of different types of settings (p. 43-53) but also the Occupational Outlook handbook. This publication is from the US Department of Labor. Their website (2011) lists places such as archives, museum, technology, schools, etc. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20110 for careers for those with a MLIS. Information professionals with an MLIS who understand the wide range of their skills will have more opportunities in a bad economy.
As I enter the workforce, knowing how to compare different environments will help me diversify my options as I look for employment. I will also have the tools to do a variety of work. The skills that I have learned through both work experience and school classes will transfer in a variety of jobs I may find employment in a place of which I never thought. In addition to a variety of jobs, understanding the comparison of different environments can help me develop different ways to enhance the community programs and services of the organization where I am employed.
Most of my experience in comparing different environments comes from school assignments. For example, in my undergraduate career, I took Public History in which we discussed different areas for public historians. At SJSU I have taken classes in which different libraries were compared such as LIBR 200, Information and Society; 210 Reference, LIBR 220, Readers’ Advisory; LIBR 246 Web 2.0, and finally, LIBR 256 Archives and Manuscripts. The material discussed in these classes has helped me in understanding the different areas that librarians and information professionals work.
The following pieces of evidence to prove competency for understanding the environments and organizational settings have come from a variety of places. They will be discussed in further detail in each paragraph.
Evidence
The first piece of evidence that provides proof of my competency is a paper I wrote for LIBR 200, Information and Society on the value of the information professional. In this paper I compared different environments in which those with an MLIS work, specifically looking at an archivist at a state university. In addition to the value of the archivist to the library system, I also looked at the contributions archivists made and how these contributions affect other parts of the library as well. Archivists are an important part of the information environment because they often manage fragile items that need protection (Rubin, 2004). Therefore it is important that I understand and know how they fit in the organization for which they work.
The second piece of evidence that provides proof of my competency in this area is an observation I did for LIBR 210, Reference. For this assignment I had to choose a reference desk and observe them for at least ninety minutes. I chose to observe the reference desk at Washington State University’s main library. The first part of the assignment was to observe how many people came to the reference desk without interfering. The second part was to actually sit at the desk with the reference librarians and hear the questions being asked. In addition to the observations, I was required to discuss what areas the library did well, in addition to the areas upon which they could improve. Understanding how a reference librarian works is important to an information professional due to the fact that even though they may not be a traditional reference librarian, they will still be asked reference questions. For that reason it is important to know how reference works as well as knowing how to do a reference interview.
The third piece of evidence provides proof of my competency in comparing environments is a paper I wrote for LIBR 220, Readers’ Advisory. This assignment required me to visit three public libraries and observe and discuss their readers’ advisory areas. One of the libraries I went to was the Spokane Public Library, located in Spokane, Washington. I chose this library for an assortment of reasons but one of the main ones was that it was a large library compared to the public library with which I was familiar. In this assignment I was required to critique the library on its displays, resources, staff, and readers’ advisory interview. Having done two out of the three site visits for LIBR 220, the Spokane Public Library has been the best one so far. The ability to critique and compare different parts within a library is important for an information professional because it provides an understanding of how different areas work within the library as a whole.
The final piece of evidence for proof of my competency is a proposal to which I contributed as part of a group project for LIBR 246, Web 2.0. For this project we were required to create 2.0 tools for a specific type of library. As the leader of the group I chose to do our project for a museum library. Once we decided what 2.0 technologies we were going to use, our group did research to find similar institutions that used those same technologies. We also looked at organizations and institutions that were similar to ours such as other museum libraries. Through this project of gathering information and comparing different organizations, we gained a better understanding of what would fit our library and what would not.
Conclusion
The evidence above proves my competency in understanding the comparison of different environments and organizations in which library and information professionals practice. This knowledge will help me as I search for a job, being open to a wide variety of venues, and giving me ideas about promoting my skills and knowledge
References
BrainyQuote. (2012). Environment [web site]. Retrieved online from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/environment.html.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011). Librarians. Retrieved online:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm.
Haycock, K. and B. Sheldon. (2008). The portable MLIS: insights from the experts. Westport: Libraries Unlimited.
Neill Public Library. (2001). Mission and Vision Statement. Retrieved online from http://www.pullman-wa.gov/departments/neill-public-
library/about-your-library.
Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science. New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Mission Statement. Retrieved online from http://www.ushmm.org/museum/mission/.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (2). (n.d.). Plan a Visit. Retrieved online from http://www.ushmm.org/visit/.
Washington State University Libraries. (2010). Mission and Vision statements. Retrieved online from http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu
/general/values.htm.
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