Philosophy of Practice
Summer 2024

When you first imagine the institution of the library, you may immediately think shelves upon shelves of books, computers with bright screens, and maybe even stoic architecture. You may think of checking out that next great novel, doing research for an academic endeavor, or printing a copy of your updated resume. You might even be so bold as to think of a community driven place where you can take part in various programs and events. These and more are all true, but none of it would be possible without the individuals behind the institution. The American Library Association puts it succinctly as “people make the library work, not the buildings they reside in.” (ALA, 2024)

Spending the last two years working in public libraries and learning with many of the great educators in the SLIS program at the University of Alabama, my understanding of the institution of the library has grown exponentially. With that, my understanding of the librarian even more so. We are not only stewards of information and defenders of access to that information, but we are committed pursuers for equity, inclusion, and lifelong learning. We have curious minds and strive to turn our little corner of the world into a multi-faceted support system for our community. Our space is welcoming and free in which to exist. We have a mission to uphold social justice and champion diverse voices. We believe “questions of information and social justice—including civic participation, digital inclusion, social services, digital literacy, and other community needs—are the defining issues for the present and future of libraries and other cultural heritage institutions.” (Jaeger, 2016) These are the outward goals that have come to form the bedrock of my philosophy on librarianship.

I’ve also begun to foster strong views on what a librarian should expect from their institution and community as well. Many public libraries, like the one I currently work in, are funded primarily by the communities they serve. We, as a library, are not concerned with driving up profits for investors. With this in mind, I feel strongly for the unionization of library workers in areas like the public library. I believe it is beneficial to both the workers and the management. “Union contracts relieve managers from overwhelming amounts of routine decision making, while also allowing employees to feel heard. They create a desired environment of fairness.” (Holley, 2022)  I believe in fair living wages, and I believe in work-life balance. Libraries should be community leaders in service and in staff treatment. This is leading by example.

What I believe should draw a person to library work is a need to advocate for the underserved, the ability to maintain a strong sense of empathy, and a genuine love for serving one’s own community. These core considerations will help us as librarians keep perspective. “In a political system grounded in an informed citizenry, we are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information.” (ALA, 2021) Throughout the past few years, in school and at work, I’ve discovered these various aspects of myself and I’ve seen them grow. I like connecting with people and I like connecting them to services that may enrich their lives. This is access. And just as it has evolved over the past two years, my philosophy of librarianship will continue to evolve; but the tools that have been forged through my education and experience will be with me every step of the way.

References:

American Library Association. (2021). ALA Code of Ethics. https://www.ala.org/tools/ethics

American Library Association. (2024). Core values of librarianship. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/advocacy/intfreedom/corevalues


Holley, R. P. (2022). Don’t Fear the Union: Successful Management in a Unionized Library. Journal of Library Administration, 62(1), 122–131.
https://doi-org.libdata.lib.ua.edu/10.1080/01930826.2021.2006990

Jaeger, P. T., Shilton, K., & Koepfler, J. (2016). The Rise of Social Justice as a Guiding Principle in Library and Information Science Research. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, 86(1), 1–9. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26561645