"If libraries didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent them"
At some point when I worked at the Saint Paul Public Library, I found this blog post with its strangely catchy rephrasing of Voltaire. The sentence became a kind of mantra that appeared in my head whenever I read about the changing role of libraries, the decline of paper books, the crisis of funding combined with all of the inventiveness happening in public libraries.
In our first class, I really appreciated how we didn't start with prescriptive ideas of what libraries are or should be. Instead we started with the things that made us excited, and also what this concept of service might mean outside of the specific context of libraries (but with obvious deep connections). I like that for some people, "libraries" meant helping teens learn and engage with their communities, and for others "libraries" meant collecting resources that would help students answer legal question or grow as scholars. Sometimes it's daunting to look out at our community institutions like libraries and imagine how much they are going to change in the coming years and decades.
I like the idea of really understanding and fostering passion for service in its own right, and how, combined with caring about information and civic spaces, this might lead us to the idea of a library or our role within libraries. Even if the libraries we want to nourish and grow and contribute to look markedly different in the future, I feel like service is really at the core of how we're operating within communities. Even if technology shifts the outlines of "librarianship", our passions and values and commitments will still coalesce around spaces of learning, growth, community, and information in the service of answering important questions -- one way or another we'll invent the library.
I really agree with your point about the benefits of not starting with a firm definition of what a library is/should be was a great way to start the class. From our introductions to the class it is clear that we are a diverse group with a wide range of interests. And, likely, will end up working at a wide range of libraries. But it won't matter what type of library we end up working at, we will still need to provide excellent service to our patrons.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't familiar with the blog post that you referenced, but it made me excited to point you to the Westgate branch of the Ann Arbor District Library, which has its grand re-opening tomorrow! It is striking for many reasons: 3x the space it used to have (and more parking in the rear!), a collection sorted by topic (non-fiction) or genre (fiction) instead of Dewey and author name, a Sweetwater's cafe, and a tools collection -- all great. But more significant to me is that there is a ton of open space reminiscent of a seating area inside a shopping mall or even a piazza/indoor town square idea -- social space -- and also a small room in the back with a fireplace for the quiet, contemplative work. It's definitely worth visiting and easily accessed by AATA bus (myride.org). http://www.aadl.org/node/345699
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that everyone's individual definition of what a library is informs the services that libraries try to offer (or at least try to offer). I also like how you point out that despite technological advancements, the library's commitment to growth and education still remains.
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