Sara B. Metcalfe
LSC 503 - Foundations of Librarianship
Unit 3 -
Due: Friday, September 17
Sensible shoes, sweater sets, hair in a tight bun, glasses half way down
the nose. Mention these traits to anyone on the street, and they will immediatly
think “Librarian”. Most people belive that to be a librarin, you
must be a spinster who lives alone with three cats. What have librarians
done to deserve such a horrible sterotype? Though it pains me to say it...
even though we’re upon the new millenium, this description still holds
true for a handful of “die hards” who believe that the correct
inflections of “Shh! This is a library!” should be the first lesson
learned in library school. Many capable people never concider such a career
because of the stigma it holds.
I always believed that the only people who could work in libraries were
those who loved to read, and did it every free second they had. Perhaps
this is where the idea of the spinster comes from? When Melvil Dewey had
his library school in Albany, New York part of the curriculm introduced
by his vice director Mary Salome Cutler was to write a “descriptive
and critical of 100 books”1. I
think all librarians in this day and age wish that they had the time to
read one hundred books (I’m embaressed to admit that the only time
I have to read is before going to bed...I’m usually asleep before the
end of the first page!)
A steaming cup of mocha java and a big comfy arm chair have begun a rennaisance
of the book and reading. With the revolution of the “super book store”,
such as Barnes & Noble libraries are quickly following in their footsteps
and initiating their own cafes and revolutionary reading rooms. Imagewise,
I believe that by reinventing themselves libraries are finally starting
to take a positive turn.
When I first mentioned the idea of going to library school, many of my colleagues
were thrillled, while others cautioned me that the prospect of finding a
job was bleak. This came as a big surprise to me, as I had been to a number
of the local job posting for librarians, and found more than I could possibly
hope for. The only requirement holding me back was the lack of a Masters
of Library Science. One fellow worker informed me that because I was “normal”
and didn’t fit the “image” that I would rise through the
ranks in no time. Sadley, I profess that this has been the case (and I thought
it was my squeaky shoes, and proficient “Shh!”). Again however,
I found that I could go no further without my Masters in Library Science.
We have C.C. Williamson to thank for this requirement. Williamson, a member
of the Carnegie Foundatin, was appointed to oversee the legitimacy of library
schools. In his report to the foundation, he mandated that a bachelors degree
be a requirement for acceptance into a libraary science program, thus creating
the masters in library science. In doing so, he accnowledged the ligitimacy
of library schools, and the library sciences as a profession.
In this age of technolgy and the world wide web, access to information has
become both accessable and overwhelming at the same time. How do you sort
out the over three million websites, and who do you get to do it? As librarians
have historically been the keepers and organizers of information, this job
has fallen in their laps. With this new job description, the image of the
librarian begins to change from spinster woman to business tycoon. I believe
that technology has really changed the way people see librarians. Information
and technology has become big business. Library professionals who can meet
the demands of the corporate world are generallly more accepted in society.
Good bye sweater set. Hello business suit. It is truly incredible how much
the library sciences have changed in the past one hundred years.
I believe that the first place to start reinventing the idea of the library
professional is in library school. I have met numerous people who decided
to attend library school because the library would be a nice safe place
to work, free of confrontatins. They could spend their days reading books
to children and putting on pupet shows. It amazes me how ignorant some people
are. Though I understand it is difficult to recruite competent students
for library school, standards for addmission need to be higher. So many
changes have been made to the library sciences that some Universities were
forced to close their library science program for a year, so that they could
“reinvent” themselves. Before applying to the Culinary Institute
of American in Hyde Park, New York, applicants must work a certain number
of hours in the food services. Perhaps the same requirement should be made
to the library sciences?
I will start to change the image of the library sciences by first completing
my library science degree. To expand my credibility, I will begin work on
a doctorate (in an field yet to be dertermined). Armed with these credentials,
I will work my way to the top of the library profession, and begin advocating
changes in the attitudes of the “Die Hards”. I will have the hippest
haircut, start shopping exclusivly at the Gap, and tattoo “Shh! This
is a library!” on my arm.
1 Wiegand, Wayne. “Dewey Declassified: A Revelatory Look at the “Irrepressible Reformer”. American Libraries. January 1996 (27,1) EBSCOhost