Assignment 2: Libraries
The job for librarians seems simple, but it's probably more complicated then we think it is. Librarians need to know what they're doing in the library: which means knowing how to find certain things, the ability to speak to people, and knowing what they're talking about. Librarians have the ability to help people whenever they need it the most when they have to find something. Many librarians are pretty cool as they are. Each has their own personality that makes going to their library fun.
I don’t think that I could tell every librarian that they all have to do the same thing. Every librarian is so unique. What I like someone else may not like so I couldn’t say what would be cool for every librarian to do. The library of the future will hopefully be pretty amazing. Many people believe that the libraries will disappear because everything is becoming accessible over the computer. But I believe that libraries will be around for a while. We may not use books but they’ll always be remembered. The books themselves may or may not become little things that you can access over the computer on a tablet or something equally as awesome as that. Libraries will always keep up with whatever the times are going through even if it takes a little longer than the rest of the world.
Excellent post, Taylor! Everyone DOES have a different idea of what would be cool for librarians to do, and that’s why I asked the question—to see what you and each of your classmates think would be cool. This is something that I share with others in my profession, as most of the time, what we do in libraries and the services that we offer in libraries are very much user-driven. Students wish that they didn’t have to interrupt their studies to pack up their belongings to go get lunch, so we have a café attached to the library as well as a microwave, fridge, and vending machines inside the library on the 1st floor for their use. Practicing doctors and nurses are often too busy to carve time out in their schedule to travel to our library for research assistance, so we offer to go to their offices at their convenience to provide services like teaching them how to search a complicated database or how to use reference management software (something that helps researchers and writers keep their citations and sources straight as they write papers so as to meet requirements or avoid plagiarizing or getting their facts mixed up, for example). These are just a few of the user-driven services that we've added here. Public libraries have lots of other difference services, some of them have nothing to do with "needs" but "wants." I currently take free knitting classes at the Denver Public Library, and a friend goes to their dating group, called Overdue Love. It's all great fun and really enriches lives.
ReplyDeleteTina M. Moser, MLIS
Access Services Library
Health Sciences Library
University of Colorado, Anschtuz Medical Campus