Library education

When I first explored the idea of attending library school I was amazed to find there were so few accredited programs around the country. Having earned my Bachelors degree at the University of Maryland, which has a fairly large Library Science program, I got the impression that Library Science programs were pretty standard, like education only with smaller graduating classes. It wasn’t until I started looking at different programs that I even thought about what might be taught in library classes. It is interesting to see how different the programs can be.

We seem to be at this time in the middle of a change in the way librarians are taught, as can be seen by the many MLS programs that are changing to MSLIS. There is no doubt that computers have changed the way people access information and the way libraries function. But how are librarians to be educated in this new era? Some are advocating a shift to a completely technology focused curriculum. But I don’t think that is the best way to go. As Richard J. Cox points out, libraries still possess books and “despite the impact of e-books, e-journals, and the Web on our profession, library-school students still need to learn about printed books. After all, there's little sign that the 500-year-old information revolution started by the printed word is losing its significance.”(2006) The demise of the printed book has been predicted since the advent of the computer but has yet to materialize. I think that it is as important today as it has ever been to learn the fundamentals such as cataloging.

Another argument against moving to a curriculum with an emphasis exclusively on technology is the speed at which technology itself it developing. When computers first came into the home you have to learn another language in order to use them. I don’t argue that it isn’t important to learn about the technology in use today but I think that by focusing too much on the technology of today we run the risk of becoming quickly outdated. I like how Leonard Kniffel explains it in “As Library Schools Struggle, Change Happens Anyway”:
“There's an argument going-around that we should be educating students not for today's jobs but for jobs that do not now exist. But it seems specious: Is it possible to educate people for jobs about which we know nothing? Instead, we have to ask ourselves if we are educating people or if we are training people. In recent years, library education seems to have moved toward the latter. But graduate school programs ought to be educating, which does not mean equipping students with a set of skills that will be obsolete in three years but with a set a professional values and ethics that will serve them for an entire career.”(Kniffel, 2003)

Another aspect of Library education that has been getting some attention is the question of how much real-life experience is being offered in current programs. As we saw during our search of job listings in our last class, most employers desire some experience. One solution is the addition of a practice element, something that would offer the equivalent training experience that a teacher or nurse is required to complete during their course of study. Some programs, such as the University of South Florida, offer a graduate assistantship as a way of providing hands-on experience. “By offering pre-professional, broad-based library experience that can easily be combined with a graduate-school class schedule, the USF Tampa Library s graduate assistant program offers valuable opportunities for library-school students.”(Silver, 2008) Most of the people I know in the Clarion program already hold jobs in the library world but I think it would be interesting to explore other types of libraries or other departments within libraries to get a more comprehensive picture of libraries and library science.

I like that more programs are including “Information” in their Library Science programs. However, I think the emphasis should be more theoretical; more the study of how people interact with information and not so much the systems used to organize, store and retrieve it. I have the same problem in general with Library studies programs as I had with my undergraduate education; I had the idealized notion that my time at university would be some grand intellectual experience. For most the most part I got the feeling that students were just being “trained”. If we really want to be taken seriously as a profession we need more than just training. “Higher education is about more than employment protection and benefits. In the classic university model, learning prepared students for the real world. That idea needs resuscitation, particularly in library education.”(Cox, 2006)


Cox, R. (2006, June). Why Survival Is Not Enough. American Libraries, p. 42, 44. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Kniffel, L. (2003, December). As Library Schools Struggle, Change Happens Anyway. American Libraries, 34(11), 44-44. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Silver, S., & Cunningham, V. (2008, Spring). Preparing Future Librarians: the Graduate Assistant Program at the University of South Florida Library. Florida Libraries, 51(1), 12-13. Retrieved June 16, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database

The librarian image

If we’ve heard it once we’ve heard it a million times: libraries are places where books are kept on shelves and librarians are prim middle aged ladies with buns and sensible shoes that go around shushing everyone. Why are we so concerned with our image? In his essay “Move over Marian”, Will Manley speculates it is because “it hurts to be tagged with unfair and inaccurate images and stereotypes. Our unfair image not only hurts our feelings, it hits us in the pocketbook. We deserve more respect.”

But are the two things really related? It may be that we get so upset about this issue because it seems like it is tied directly to the “pocketbook” issue. However, there is just as negative a stereotype for computer technicians: geeky guys with greasy hair and pocket protectors who scoff at the ignorance of the uninitiated. But they don’t have a problem finding funding for their departments or worry about how much money they make. I suppose that the “pocketbook” element has more to do with the profession being service oriented. Service professions are routinely underfunded even when they are highly valued. It is easy to focus on image as the main issue but “our image "problem" shouldn't be a top priority. Rather, we should concentrate on getting adequate funding for the provision of library services as well as fair compensation tied to our educational backgrounds and value provided to the communities we serve.”(Cook, 2007)

But still it rankles and many are trying hard to change perceptions. Of course there are plenty of librarians that don’t fit the stereotype and they are out there giving talks at conferences and creating web-pages.
“The Web is one of the most powerful tools for broadcasting librarian images. Because computer technology is so important to library functioning, many librarians are techno-savvy and in addition to designing library web pages at work, for example, they also design their own home pages. Viewing these websites shows that librarians can't be classified into just one type, especially the old-fashioned, stodgy, shushing type! . . . With so many librarians online, it's no surprise that the web also hosts a number of sites dedicated solely to dispelling librarian stereotypes and exploring librarian images. Some librarians are concerned about the creation of a librarian anti-stereotype--librarians may be viewed as cool, but they should also be appreciated for their values, such as fighting censorship, and their valuable skills.” (Ogden, 2002)

However, we must be careful that by emphasizing how “different” we are that we are not just creating another stereotype. I agree with Rachel Gordon that by highlighting this issue as much as we have we may be doing ourselves a disservice, particularly when it comes to younger librarians. “Our unfortunate fixation on image as a defining generational characteristic also makes us just as guilty of promoting misconceptions as nonlibrarians. (Can we stand another article in the general press that trumpets the amazing new discovery that librarians can be young, trendy, stylish?). (2007)

Being a reader I had many literary examples of librarians to choose from. I also had very positive library experiences, and perhaps these things combined helped to give me a more realistic view of librarians. But I have to admit I myself have always been enamored of the of the “librarian as a disguise” stereotype; take off the glasses and let down the hair and voila, a sexy woman. However if we do want to change perceptions I stand by my assertion that we need a spokesperson. I don’t think that having celebrities on @ your Library posters is enough. We need a great movie or T.V. character, someone to fire the imagination of the general public and make them curious about libraries and real librarians. But really the only way to change someone’s perception of librarian as a stereotype to for them to get to know some librarians; here again advocacy comes into play, as it does in so many of the issues we have discussed.

I think that after considering Nancy Pearls’ appeal that we all “lighten up” (Fialkoff, 2007) I must agree. Let’s show a little humor about it. I recently received an invitation in my e-mail to “a free showing of the fabulous film The Hollywood Librarian (www.hollywoodlibrarian.com) on Sunday evening September 28, 2008 at 4:p.m. at the newly restored Ambler Theater on Butler Avenue in Ambler.”(C. Conti, personal communication, June 12, 2008). I think we should all go, wearing glasses and buns and sensible shoes or tweedy sport coats and argyle sweater vests, in the tradition of self-effacing events like Baltimore’s “Honfest”. How the image of librarians affects our mission can only be negated by getting out there and meeting people and forcing them to confront their preconceived notions of librarians and libraries.

Cook, L. (2007). Another Kick at the Image Issue. Feliciter, 53(2). Retrieved June 15, 2006 from Wilson Library and Literature Full Text database.

Fialkoff, F. (2007, February 15). The Image Thing. Library Journal. Retrieved June 15, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Gordon, R. (2004, March 15). Find Your Image between the Extremes. Library Journal, 129(5). (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ701707) Retrieved June 15, 2008, from ERIC database.

Ogden, A. (2002). A technological history of librarian images: World wide web. Recatologing Librarians: We’re not all “sshhh!” and no play!. http://www.slais.ubc.ca/COURSES/libr500/02-03-wt1/www/A_Ogden/tech4.htm

Evaluation of Libraries

In one of our discussions we were defending the idea of librarians as professionals. David brought up the point that “in the academic environment librarians are constantly thought of as second class citizens because we are not conducting research, teaching, grading, and advising students.”(Magolis, 2008) This got me thinking not only about the research and publishing that librarians do but also the nature of evaluation of libraries in general.

It is a misconception that librarians do not do research; granted most of the journal articles I have read are not research based, I have read many that are. There may not be as much research going on in Library science as there is in other fields such as anthropology or physics so I suppose that the argument by professors might be more about the nature and amount of that research. There does seem to be a more practical rather than theoretical leaning to the research of librarians. However, there is research happening for example the effectiveness of a particular marketing strategy, the learning outcomes of freshmen, and usage studies. Most research in library science that I have read seems to be aimed at the study of who uses libraries and how they use them.

This leads me to the topic of evaluation. It seems that libraries and librarians constantly have to defend their existence and their need for funding, and it doesn’t seem to matter where or what type of library. But evaluation does more than this. As Rubin puts it:
“Most information services take place within an organizational context, and administrators and managers need the means to determine whether their organizations are, in fact, accomplishing what they set out to do. Such information is critical not only in evaluating current activities, but also in planning for staffing, planning future services, and determining the direction of collection development. It also provides political and economic justification for budget requests.”(2004, p.64)

How do we best evaluate the library? The usual statistics can be gathered; things like the number of items circulated, questions asked at the reference desk, hours logged into the public use computers. But does this really give us a good indication of how well the library is doing? It is easy for commercial enterprises to know if they are successful, it’s all revealed in the bottom line. But “clearly, numeric data will not address every question that arises in the management of complex organizations like libraries, even if some numeric data relating to a question are available. But neither is loose application of qualitative methods appropriate.”(MacDonald, 2007) The results from focus groups, surveys and observational studies can sometimes be just as difficult to interpret as a pure statistical analysis.

But it is for more than proving the worth of the library to those in charge of funding that we should look at what is happening at the library. If the primary mission of libraries is to serve the user then evaluation of libraries need to make sure that we are achieving our goals or if we need to reevaluate them. “The concept of the user-centered library emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s, fostered by strategic planning, total quality management, the external demands for accountability and measurable outcomes, and rapidly changing information and budgetary environments. Management strategies emphasized the need to focus on the customer and customer needs rather than organizational inputs and tasks.” (Hiller, 2004)

This past year I volunteered for the library’s strategic planning committee. I consulted not only the previous year’s annual report but also the ‘05 OCLC report on Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources, the WCU ’06 LibQual survey and the results of our library retreat the previous fall (which I think of as a sort of extended focus group). While these sources do not provide a complete picture of what is happening in our library they did give me some ideas when it came to the planning process.

I do agree with Rubin that “some types of libraries have an easier time than others in measuring and evaluation their services using [out measures]”. It must be difficult when you are trying to be so many different things to so many people to really get measure of your success. For example how do you prove how successful you are as a “place”? Do you just count the number of community events, or how many teens come to hang out after school? But evaluation is important for any library in order to keep itself on track.


Hiller, S., & Self, J. (2004, Summer). From measurement to management: Using data wisely for planning and decision-making. Library Trends, 53(1), 129-155. Retrieved June 13, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

MacDonald, B. (2007). When numbers alone are not enough: Applications of qualitative methodologies. Feliciter, 53(1), 26-29. Retrieved June 13, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Magolis, D. (2008, June 10) Discussion forum #6 [post 7]. Message posted to http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=42286175612&topic=5446

Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman, Publishers, Inc.

What is library? A little about the history

Oxford English Dictionary defines library as: “A place set apart to contain books for reading, study, or reference. (Not applied, e.g. to the shop or warehouse of a bookseller.) In various applications more or less specific.” I think this definition telling in many ways. It begins with a description that is what most people think of when the word library is mentioned, a place with books, but I think it is interesting that the editors have added that last line which illustrates a library is more than just books.

Having a background in Classics it will come as no surprise that I loved reading about the history of libraries. Of course I had already read a little about the history of libraries. The nature and purpose that we as modern Americans think of when we think of libraries is a relatively new idea. From what evidence we have it appears that the first libraries were more like business or government records depositories than any library we have today. “Besides business records, the temples preserved the texts of hymns, prayers and incantations.” (Lerner, 1998) Our modern American library did not appear until the middle of the nineteenth century.

I have read about the library at Alexandria but I was amazed to find out about some of the less that honorable acquisition practices of the time. According to Rubin, the Ptolemies (I and II) “aggressively collected materials” as he so euphemistically describes their stealing of books from anyone and everywhere they could. (2004, p.263) What a strange practice this seems like now.

Rubin also points out that prior to this time most ancient cultures, particularly the Greeks, “had been an oral culture, and consequently there was little need for libraries”. (2004, p.263) An interesting side note about this is the fact that according to Plato’s transcriptions of Socrates conversations, it would appear that Socrates was not a fan of the written word.
“For this discovery of your will create forgetfulness in the learner’s soul, because they will not use their memories; they will trust to the external written characters and not remember of themselves. The specific you have discovered is not an aid to memory, but to reminiscence, and you give your disciples not truth, but only the semblance of truth; they will be hearers of many things and will have learned nothing, they will appear to be omniscient and will generally know nothing, they will be tiresome company, having the show of wisdom without the reality.”(Plato)So it seems we are not the first to worry about the effects new technology will have on our society.

Something that I think is quite ironic is the fact that it appears that we have the monks to thank for saving much of the older printed works. I used to think that the monks were copying texts for some educational or preservationist purpose I didn’t realize that “sometimes copying was used as a punishment”. (Rubin, 2004. p.268) Imagine the horror of those monks if they knew that the work they did as a means to have a more religious life would pave the way for the Renaissance and the secularization of the western world.

For most of history libraries were the province of the wealthy. This makes sense when considered in light of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which seems to be the basis of the “prerequisite conditions” Rubin quotes as needed for the formation of public libraries. It is not until people have enough to eat and somewhere safe to live that they can begin to desire something like a library. It is also no coincidence that libraries began to grow as the country became more industrialized and more people learned how to read. The ALA was established in 1876, the library bill of rights was adopted in 1948. The library as we know it is a modern invention.

I love what Lerner has to say about the inception of public libraries:
“The idea of the public library is, on the face of it, an improbable one. Only recently in human history has there been widespread agreement that people have inherent rights deserving of universal respect. (Remember that the United States enforced chattel slavery until 1865.) The idea that every person should be educated is an even more recent and radical one. And the idea that society should provide its members with the means to continue their education independently was more radical still.” (1998, p.138)

Now we see the library is changing again or perhaps it is just continuing on its path or as Lauren said in her discussion board 3 post, “I don't see a next chapter in American libraries, I see a further continuation” (2008) It will be interesting to see what happens as we progress into the twenty-first century.


Kurz, L. (2008, May 27). Laruen Kurz (West Chester) replied to David’s post [post #19]. Message posted to http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=42286175612&topic=5373

Lerner, F. (1998). The story of libraries. New York. The Continuum Publishing Company.

"Library Bill of Rights," American Library Association, June 30, 2006.http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/statementsif/librarybillrights.cfm

Plato. Phaedrus. Retrieved from http://www.netlibrary.com/Reader/

Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman, Publishers, Inc.

Simpson,J. (Sr. Ed.). (1989). Oxford English Dictionary Online. (2nd ed.) http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50132733?query_type=word&queryword=library&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&result_place=1&search_id=HvHL-rSta87-3983&hilite=50132733

Library in a web 2.0 world

After hearing that David Magolis, the instructor for the LS 504 class intended to include some basic technology use in our instruction I was glad, if a little nervous. One of the negatives of the program at Clarion is the minimal instruction of technology. But looking at the trends web use is becoming more entrenched in the American way of life. In order to best serve our patrons/customers we as librarians should know how to use these tools. As I read recently, “if our users are now experiencing a living, social Web, shouldn't they find librarians waiting for them? Involved. Savvy. Creating conversations. Building community. I urge the groups I speak to not to be afraid of these tools and to look for ways to incorporate them into their work flow and professional lives.” (Participation, 2007)

A British study of the “Google Generation” revealed that not only does the generation who grew up using computers and the internet have different was of research and processing the information they find but “As adults learn the new technologies, they behave much like the young do in information space”. (Loertscher, 2008) I think we need to use and understand the technology that library patrons use in order to better serve them.

There has been some criticism of libraries and librarians adopting these technologies. I can understand some of their trepidation. There have been many failed social technology tools. Remember Friendster? It’s still around but I never hear about it anymore; it has lost popularity due to MySpace and Facebook. But to ignore these new tools would be a mistake. Even though many web tools fall out of favor and are lost to the sands of time there are many that have become a part of our everyday; tags and instant messenger are two that come to mind.

Some may ask why they should waste time and energy learning new web tools that may not be in use next year. But with so much free source content out there what do we have to lose? The time and energy learning new web tools is never ill spent. Even if you never use a particular program I have found that learning how to use it makes learning the next one easier. I don’t think the web itself is going to fall out of favor anytime soon.

Another argument against web 2.0 in general is the general inherent lack of control. In her article discussing Andrew Keen, former internet entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, and his negative view of the web 2.0 phenomena, Carol Tenopir says that she can understand Keen’s concern that the proliferation of social sites and amateur content are “eroding the authority of expertise and threatening traditional journalists, authors, and other sources of quality information.” (2007) Mr. Keen’s concern it that it is becoming harder to discern origin and veracity of information out there. I say that is even greater reason for librarians to use and understand the technology. I would also argue that determining the authority and truth of information is not something new. The aphorism “don’t believe everything you read” is an old one.

I think the argument advocating libraries use of web 2.0 to expand service was best put by Marshall Breeding, who said:
“Today's libraries operate in a dual existence, divided between in-person and online services. In the business realm it's not at all unusual to have brick-and-mortar establishments and to offer ecommerce on the web. Library-as-place and the delivery of excellent service to patrons visiting in person remains the heart of most libraries. I think the need to deliver the library's content and services both physically and virtually is just part of our reality. The online presence of a library is increasingly important and demands the same degree of creative thinking and planning as that devoted to its physical facilities and activities.” (2008)


Breeding, M. (2008, April). Content, community, and visibility: A winning combination. Computers in Libraries, 28(4). Retrieved June 5, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Loertscher, D. (2008, April). What works with the Google generation?. Teacher Librarian, 35(4). Retrieved June 5, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Participation in a 2.0 world. (2007, September). Library Technology Reports, Retrieved June 5, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Tenopir, C., & Tenopir, C. (2007, December 15). Web 2.0: our cultural downfall?. Library Journal, 132(20). Retrieved June 5, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Value of Information

“Part of understanding the nature of information is trying to understand
its value. Although information has had value over the centuries, attempts
to determine its monetary value have arisen as its critical value has become
more prominent. With the industrial society evolving into an
information-based society, the concept of information as a product, a commodity
with its own value, has emerged.” (Rubin, 2004. p.57)

One of the major themes when talking about libraries, where they are and where they are going, is that of information and the competition that libraries face from for-profit providers. As librarians we believe in the importance of information. What is becoming clear is that others too see the value in information, and they want people to pay for privilege of access.

Most people probably have no idea how much those databases like EBSCO cost, that is if they even know what they are. I myself first of all had no idea what databases were, how to use them or that they could be accessed through my public library. I was, and still am, a regular user of the public library but was not exposed to databases until I started working in the circulation department of the Delaware County Community College library. There I overheard the librarians leading students through searches at the reference desk. But it wasn’t until my car was broadsided and needed to consult the consumer reports car buying guide that I finally asked one of the librarians how to do my own searching.

Not only are people unaware of the nature and purpose of the available databases in the public library but students and faculty in academic libraries seem to have some misunderstandings as well. For example I recently had a student come to my service desk asking about some periodicals. As I engaged her in conversation I discovered that the student had been searching on the internet for articles and was stymied when she got to the “order the article here” type messages. When I explained the access she had available to her through the university I could see the relief wash over her.

We are in good times right now at the WCU library. Not only is the current university administration very pro-library but there seems to be a lot of available funding. But as I said earlier, for-profit companies are aware of the increasing status of information as a commodity, and they are charging high fees for the privilege of access. What will happen when a new President comes to the University? This is not just a hypothetical question as the last President just retired. What will happen when the budget is reevaluated and more money is needed for facilities due to increasing energy costs? Regular users of databases more and more are coming to expect full text access, which of course costs more.

It used to be that you could go to an institution and view any of their materials, with the advent of databases however this is not possible. This may be leading to a kind of academic digital divide.

“Many small and medium-size academic libraries can't afford the databases,
which, despite a sliding fee scale, still cost thousands of dollars. Most
medium-size college or university libraries will carry the major
secondary-source online index to a particular discipline, so that one can at
least know that an article exists even if one doesn't have immediate access to
it via the expensive JSTOR, which offers full-text articles from a wide range of
disciplines. But comprehensive citations from historic journalistic sources
generally aren't available unless a library purchases the full-text database.”
(Patterson, 2007)

This may not seem like a problem but if you are near a large research library it would be inconvenient, and I would add a waste of resources, to have to request items through ILL that previously could have been taken right off the shelf.

In a more philosophical sense the value of information is incalculable. The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom states that “intellectual freedom is the basis for our democratic system. We expect our people to be self-governors. But to do so responsibly, our citizenry must be well-informed. Libraries provide the ideas and information, in a variety of formats, to allow people to inform themselves.” (2007) Having access to information, and to read and hear a variety of opinions is one of the fundamental aspects of United States democracy. It is important that libraries continue to provide that access and the guidance to sort through it all. It would be a shame to allow consumerism to prevail over democracy.


American Library Association, (2007, May). Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q&A. http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/basics/intellectual.cfm

Patterson, M. (2007, November 9). Struggling to Keep Up. Chronicle of Higher Education, 54(11), 72-72. Retrieved June 14, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.

Rubin, R. E. (2004). Foundations of library and information science (2nd ed.). New York: Neal-Schuman, Publishers, Inc.

Ethics in Librarianship

We have spent a lot of time talking about the history, future and image of Libraries and librarians. One of the questions that came up was if librarians were professionals or not. Needless to say we all think that librarians should be classed as professionals but obviously the criticism from those outside the profession needs to be addressed. In his discussion on the status of librarianship as a profession Rubin says:

“The debate over the distinctiveness of librarianship will continue, and this
lack of clarity spills over into the question of whether it can rightfully be
called a profession at all. … The most popular approach, although not
necessarily the most intellectually satisfying, is called trait theory. In
this theory, professions are accepted or rejected based on whether they possess
certain traits. Among these traits are that a profession … exercises
control over the conduct of its practitioners though licensure and a code of
ethics.” (2004 p.468)

The ALA does have a code of ethics. However in a 2005 survey done by Kathy Hoffman, the executive director of the Research Medical Library the University of Texas, just over two thirds (68%) responded that they were aware of the ALA code of ethics. (2005)

"It is also a prudent bet that not too many libraries today have the Code posted
publicly (or privately) anywhere in the building. And, I believe it could be
safely contended that the great majority of librarians today would have a hard
time accurately and coherently stating even three of the eight principles in the
Code. How powerful and successful is such a tool when it is somewhat a nonentity
in actual practice? How can it be, truly, an "ethical" code when it is often
unknown, often ignored, or often deliberately unheeded?” (Bernstein ,2004)

Is it little wonder then that the general public has no awareness of librarian’s stance on such issues as privacy and access, not to mention a better understanding of library policy?

Ethics is probably one of the thorniest issues of librarianship. We can probably all agree that preservation and the advancement of literacy are noble causes and support them wholeheartedly, but when it comes to ethics however things become more ambiguous. The ALA itself acknowledges this by adding this preamble: “The principles of this Code are expressed in broad statements to guide ethical decision making. These statements provide a framework; they cannot and do not dictate conduct to cover particular situations.” (2008) This ambiguity makes it nearly impossible for a professional governing body to enforce or sanction violators; another element of Rubin’s criteria of professionalism. (2004)

Part of the problem of developing and upholding a standard code of ethics for libraries and librarians is the diverse nature of the library profession. We recognize that the mission and purpose of a rural public library will be vastly different from that of an urban corporate library but trying to adhere to the ALA code of ethics is difficult at best for some librarians. How should a school librarian balance the desire to uphold the code of ethics with the duties and perhaps even contractual obligations placed on them by the school that may conflict directly with that code?

Part of the problem could be the nature of the code itself. Alan Bernstein gives an interesting look at the Code of Ethics from a philosopher’s point of view in his article “Library Ethics 101”. He argues that “Examining the ALA code with a light toward actual practice reveals its unsoundness.” (2004) He then goes on to parse out the Code and give examples that reveal the ambiguity of the Code.

I don’t think that any code of ethics can be completely free of potential conflict. Just consider the physician’s code “First, do no harm”. This statement seems indisputable, but just think of the conflict a doctor must go through when deciding to do something like separate conjoined twins knowing there is a risk of death or injury. The ALA’s Code of Ethics could do with some revision. As it stands there too many ways that it is compromised. As Bernstein suggests “Our professional organization's code of ethics should be written simply, yet broadly enough so that librarians do not risk breaking the very code (or breaking the law) to do their jobs, satisfy their patrons, and please their supervisors.” (2004)


Bernstein, A. (2004, Winter). Library ethics 101. Georgia Library Quarterly, 40(4), p.5-7

Hoffman, K. (2005, Fall). Professional Ethics and Librarianship. Texas Library Journal, 81(3), p. 96-8, 100-1

Rubin, R. E. (1998). Foundations of library and information science. New York: Neal-Schuman.

Future of the Library

We as a class and in the profession have been spending a lot of time talking about the future of libraries. What will the libraries of the future look like? What kind of service will be provided? Who will be working there and what skills will they need? Will libraries even continue to exist as a physical place? I have always had a difficult time looking into the future; when I graduated with my BA I hadn’t even looked for a job, I hadn’t thought about it yet it seemed too far in the future. Change in the library is not an isolated thing but just a part of a larger continuum. We need to look at greater social trends together with trends in information science to better understand where libraries are going.

Having now been forced to think about the topic of the future of libraries and in my readings, a few things have piqued my interest. The first is what has been dubbed the Digital Divide. A 2000 government report indicates a steady increase in the number of people who have access to computers and the internet at home. (Agency, 2000) However, it is clear that there is still a disparity in the U.S. not only along income and racial lines but also due to age and disabilities, as anyone currently working in a library, especially a public library, can tell you.

One of the missions of libraries has been to promote and increase literacy. That mission has now changed to include the digital as well as print literacy. Before I started working at a University I assumed that all student age people were computer and internet whizzes. Having gone to University myself before the widespread use of the internet I felt I was way behind. The first database search I ever did was in 2006 when my car was totaled and I wanted to get into Consumer Reports; I had to have one of the reference librarians walk me through it. Now I’m giving one-on-one tutorials on how to use the computer catalog and trying to explain how the article in a database is the same as if the student copied it out of a journal. It is unfortunate that the school system does not seem to have taken up the torch of information literacy.

Another thing that came to mind as I was contemplating and reading articles about the future of libraries is the effect the energy crisis will have. At a time when people will need public resourced the most will be a time when libraries themselves will face their own economic troubles and the potential for funding cuts will increase. In fact this has already started in some areas. In an editorial in the Library Journal, Francine Fialkoff says when considering this dichotomy:
Potential cuts couldn't come at a worse time, not just for those who use libraries regularly but for the society as a whole. Library by Design, the supplement accompanying this issue [of Library Journal], shows libraries poised to take a leading role both in building green facilities and in educating their communities about sustainable living, as the reality of climate change filters throughout our culture. In fact, instead of lowering the bar for library funding, libraries should be receiving a bigger piece of the pie. (Fialkoff, 2008)

The impending energy crisis also begs the question what will happen to all the electronic information if access to electricity becomes more difficult or cost prohibitive? Beyond the threat of complete system regression due to lack of oil is the very real and inevitable problem of format. As our technology changes we can still access the information in books but may not be able to retrieve information for older storage formats.

Currently the ALA posts several documents on its website outlining the mission, values, and beliefs of the organization. One of these is Libraries: An American Value, which states “Libraries in America are cornerstones of the communities they serve. Free access to the books, ideas, resources, and information in America’s libraries is imperative for education, employment, enjoyment, and self-government.” (American Library Association, 2006) I think that this holds true now as much as ever. Modern American libraries have their roots in the ideals of democracy and I would like to think libraries and library personal will continue to uphold their values and continue their mission no matter what changes the future hold.


Agency Group 04. (2000). Falling through the net: Toward digital inclusion. FDCH Regulatory Intelligence Database, Retrieved June 1, 2008, from Military & Government Collection database.

American Library Association. (2006, June). "Libraries: An American value". Retrieved May 25, 2008, fromhttp://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/americanvalue/librariesamerican.cfm

Fialkoff, F. (2008, May 15). Libraries are not a frill. Library Journal, p. 8. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts database.