Defending what we do

Sometimes libraries get threatened in little ways, usually by those who don't see the importance of what we do.  It's the library closures that get all the attention, not the little things that happen all the time.

A couple of years ago I was working in a public library.  The man who supervised the library was in charge of Parks & Recreation for the entire county.  He knew nothing of libraries or why we did things the way we did.  At the time I was the Collection Development Librarian.  I worked with all the other librarians to decide what books to buy and then I was in charge of ordering, receiving & processing all those books.  I loved my job. 

When our Director retired after 25 years, her supervisor (the P&R guy) came in and said we needed to restructure everything because we had 3 vacancies (2 in reference and the Director).  I get that, we weren't a huge library system with lots of librarians, and I was absolutely willing to do my part.  He looked at me and said "you need to do Young Adult services and Collection Development".  I had no experience with YA.  None.  I took 1 YA Lit class in library school and it had been 8 years before.  He looked at me and said "But you're a librarian, you should know how to be any type of librarian.  Just figure it out."

Fast forward two years.  I am now in a small technical college library.  Yesterday I got called to my VP's office where I was informed that our Computer Technology teachers need the library computer labs.  Their labs can't be modified the way they want them to be modified so they want the ones we have and we would not have access to them at all.  I seriously wanted to cry.  We have 15 computers on the floor of the library and we do have wireless but most of our students do not own a laptop or tablet.  In exchange for our two lovely labs, they want to give me 2 smaller labs on a different floor in the same building.  Our administrative side is itching to take these labs.  They've been calling my VP every day to see if they can take them over and start working on them.  They said that the old labs upstairs can't altered the way they want them to be altered because of the wiring in the walls.

So now I'm being asked to defend the value of our services and why it's important to have library services in the library.  It would be easier to defend why we exist at all.   

Why are libraries so easy to attack?  Librarians are typically seen as a passive group so those who like to intimidate find us to be easy targets.  Why on earth would libraries would need all those books and computers?  People have that stuff at home!  Just because you have an oven doesn't mean you know how to cook.  Why assume that because a person has a computer that they know how to use it?  Why assume the people have it at home at all?  People need us more than ever.  People are not information literate.  In fact, I know that I could teach every person on this campus something they don't already know about searching for information.  Does that mean they'll come and find out what I have to share?  Hmm...

USA Programming

Soon summer will be over (not soon enough for this summer hatin girl) and it will be time for a full set of classes to get started again so I need to get back to my Library Instruction ideas.

One of the few awesome things about summer is the programming on the USA Network.  I got addicted when Monk started.  I started to watch it because I like Tony Shalhoub, but I stayed because it was awesome tv.  Then Psych came along, still my absolute favorite show.  One of the only shows I will watch over and over and over.  Just can't get enough of Shawn & Gus.

Now USA has gone over the top with their offerings and I'm watching almost all of them.  Well last night it got me to thinking about Library Instruction.  It used to be that all over their programming was related to crime.  Most of it still is but now they've expanded.  So we have Burn Notice, Covert Affairs & In Plain Sight that look at the CIA & US Marshalls, Suits is all about lawyers, Necessary Roughness is a psychotherapist dealing mostly with a football player but other personalities too, Royal Pains is about a doctor, and I don't watch White Collar or Fairly Legal.  I'm sure they're good, I just couldn't get into those shows for some reason.

This is, I think, a good tie in for the library instruction that I do for a Sociology class that looks at social problems.  Different types of law enforcement, different types of help for different types of problems. 

If the Criminal Justice classes ever set foot in the door I could have all kinds of fun with them.  TV is full of law enforcement shows but the CJ instructors just don't see the use for library instruction for their students.  It's sad.  Maybe one day!

Summer in the library

This time of year I am a bit envious of my public library friends. They are all extremely busy on a daily basis with summer reading madness. I remember it well, it's only been two years since I was in a public library. The work day disappears and you feel like the only things you've done all day are pass out summer reading materials, tell people where the bathroom is, and suggest books to read to kids and teens.

These days I'm in an academic library and summer is not our busy season. I can go all day without a reference question. It doesn't mean I don't have things to do but there are times you feel like you could truly hear a pin drop. This will be at it's worst next week. It's July 4th week, we have no classes all week, and most of my staff will be on vacation so it will be even quieter than usual.

I will take the opportunity to begin the overdue weeding of our health collection. It's a great time to weed books because I don't feel bad about making noise while shifting things around.

Just think of me next week. Particularly if you are a public librarian, although I doubt you'll have time.