Service
I am excited to be a participant in the library community at this time of great technological and societal change. In the past the primary job of the librarian was maintaining the collection, while today the primary job of the librarian is assisting the user and community. This includes an increased need for librarians who can assist users with navigating new technologies and programs used to access information. As a Manitoba Youth Initiative Intern at Jake Epp Public Library I conducted tutorials and provided assistance to a wide assortment of individuals. This experience highlighted the potential value of librarians in minimizing the digital divide and increased my awareness of the diverse composition of society. It is part of our responsibility as librarians and information professionals to serve all client groups with respect and understanding. Contemplating service, I recall a paper I wrote in the first semester of the program about library pioneer Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan. One of Ranganathan’s first and greatest contributions to library science was the Five Laws of Library Science. The Five Laws of Library Science are:
The first law embodies the importance of service and promoting the use of library materials. This relates to the need to consider access of materials for all patrons and potential users. The second law provides a great segue to access and suggests books (and other materials in a library collection) are for everybody, including individuals from all social environments (e.g. poor or disabled). The third law suggests an appropriate reader should be found for every item, which entails serving users who ultimately select materials. The fourth law emphasizes the importance of meeting the needs of the library user efficiently. The fifth law emphasizes libraries must grow to survive. Librarians need to constantly think about how to respond to the continuously changing needs of users and the communities they serve.
During my time in SLIS, as an intern at Jake Epp Public Library, and over the course of my practicum at Rutherford Library I learned many skills essential for evaluating library and information systems and services. For example, I have compared Internet search engines, compared Scopus and Web of Science databases, written a literature review of 21st century reference collections, written a paper on the importance of financial management to the success of libraries, and gained experience with library systems, including eLM (eLibraries Manitoba), ILS (Insignia Library Systems), and fILL (Free/Open-Source Software Interlibrary Loan Management System). As I complete my degree I am more aware than ever of the centrality of service to the library profession. A centrality I expect to be maintained in the future. For more information on the future of libraries and librarians check out my presentation on the future of libraries.
- Books are for use.
- Every reader his book.
- Every book its reader.
- Save the time of the reader.
- Library is a growing organism.
The first law embodies the importance of service and promoting the use of library materials. This relates to the need to consider access of materials for all patrons and potential users. The second law provides a great segue to access and suggests books (and other materials in a library collection) are for everybody, including individuals from all social environments (e.g. poor or disabled). The third law suggests an appropriate reader should be found for every item, which entails serving users who ultimately select materials. The fourth law emphasizes the importance of meeting the needs of the library user efficiently. The fifth law emphasizes libraries must grow to survive. Librarians need to constantly think about how to respond to the continuously changing needs of users and the communities they serve.
During my time in SLIS, as an intern at Jake Epp Public Library, and over the course of my practicum at Rutherford Library I learned many skills essential for evaluating library and information systems and services. For example, I have compared Internet search engines, compared Scopus and Web of Science databases, written a literature review of 21st century reference collections, written a paper on the importance of financial management to the success of libraries, and gained experience with library systems, including eLM (eLibraries Manitoba), ILS (Insignia Library Systems), and fILL (Free/Open-Source Software Interlibrary Loan Management System). As I complete my degree I am more aware than ever of the centrality of service to the library profession. A centrality I expect to be maintained in the future. For more information on the future of libraries and librarians check out my presentation on the future of libraries.