The End?

This is my last blog post of the semester and just as I started this blog with a time of reflection and self-examination, it seems appropriate to end the semester in a similar way.  How has what I learned this semester changed the way I see libraries and librarianship?  How will I apply this to my future work? Do I still have the same goals and vision for my career?

As I mentioned in my previous post, two of the learning experiences that influenced me the most this last semester was a professional ethics project and a paper that required me to visit two libraries.  The ethics paper was certainly the assignment that I enjoyed the most and, as I focused on library policies around people experiencing homelessness, I learned a lot about how libraries can create equitable and free access for a variety of patrons.  But even more than my own ethics project, engaging with my fellow students about their ethical scenarios and discussing the variety of approaches one could take to each situation was challenging and enlightening.  I found it to be a similar experience to when I took a mental health first aide class that taught you how to help and support people having a mental health crisis.  I lot of it was common sense, but I feel more prepared having thought out a crisis and how I would react ahead of time.

Having spent a lot of time thinking about libraries and librarians this semester, it was good for a project near the end of the term to get out and interact with real life people and places.  As much as I had been saying all semester that there is a lot of gray area in real life and that librarianship is more complicated than is seems in a class, the reality of libraries still was surprising and striking.  The librarians I met with are all doing their jobs well, but it was not the pristine ideal that I had subconsciously been expecting.  I have work in two different libraries, so I should have known better, but it had been several years and I have wanted to return for so long that I think I was seeing the profession through rose colored glasses.

My future work, I hope, will be more realistic and grounded as a result of this semester of learning about the reality and theory of libraries.  For example, I have gain skills in creating power point presentations and researching that I did not have before.  Both of these things are skills it seems that libraries are clamoring for.  I also feel like I can articulate the goals and ideals of library science in a clear and concise way.  As the librarian I will have to make decisions balancing different needs and values.  Now I will be able to make an informed decision and articulate to my coworkers and supervisors why I did what I did and what I was trying to achieve.

Looking back on my post about what my ideal job would be and what my goals for my career are, I believe that I still have the same vision that I had before.  It is, however, more refined and clearer than it was before.  I still would like to work in an urban public library, preferably as a reference librarian or manager.  I now know that the current trend in the major library system in my area is towards generalization and cross training of librarians.  As I make decisions about my education, hopefully I will be able to gain a broad base of skills.  I also want to make sure I recognize the fact that branch managers and even the chief librarian has someone supervising him or her.  Learning to work well with coworkers and bosses within a particular structure is going to be important.

I’m looking forward to continuing my library and information science education.  There is so much out there to learn and so many skills to be gained.  Thankfully, librarians are expected to continue to educate themselves throughout their careers and so this is just the beginning of a long and exciting process.