“At the moment that we persuade a child, any child, to cross that threshold, that magic threshold into a library, we change their lives forever, for the better. It’s an enormous force for good.”
Barack Obama
This exercise has been invaluable. The four required topics provided just enough scope to explore different theories, functions and ideas and how they impact overall service delivery. The expectations and demands on information professionals were highlighted as I explored the sheer scope of the role and the skillset required to deliver appropriate outcomes for patrons and library stakeholders. Whilst I found Thinkspace clunky at times and limited in its function, the program served the intended purpose for the blog creation. With each blog entry, I reflected on the professional development and what unique skills would be beneficial.
Exploring the topic of Children’s Book Awards, I found myself reflecting on the lack of impact or consultation with children. It felt like an imposed decision to list shortlists and winners, much like the way that library collections often lack input from the group using them. In assessment 1 acknowledged the importance of working with young adults to improve program design targeted towards their age group, and I think it’s fair that young readers are also involved in the collection development. Perhaps its easier or we underestimate the value that children can offer to program, service and collections design. It’s certainly an area I’d like to explore more in a working environment and convert the theory into practice.
The topic of Censorship presented dilemmas around selection principles and how they can be utilised to improve collections and services. When we think about censorship, it’s usually from a deliberate angle, meaning those censoring are doing it to promote their own ideas and beliefs. I must acknowledge that I had to question some of my own thinking when reflecting on the application of selection principles and what we can do to ensure a consistent, fair and learned approach to collections development. The pursuit of lifelong learning is a major focus in librarianship. (Shahzad, K., & Khan, 2022). In this context, the needs of the child must be at the forefront of any collection policy and program design.
The topic of Inclusion was paramount to both inquiries into Digital Materials and Resources and Diversity. My discussion into how podcasts can enhance collections by offering diverse collections and services attempted to hone in on language diversity in particular and how products can appeal to different groups and reflect their needs and the way that they use the library. Again, I kept thinking about the scope of the role, creating pathways and programs that prioritise user needs and that appealing to target audiences is vital to success. Aside from the technology and the digital revolution, I’m also realising how much librarianship has changed over the years, and how impacted the profession has been. A dedication to consuming new research and to evolving best practice will serve me well as I endeavour to remain relevant and updated on theory, technology and the changing information landscape. Heidi Jacobs reflected on this when she revisited the book Our Enduring Values Revisited by Michael Gorman on the 15th anniversary of its publication. The book analysed the technological change in 2000 and advocated strongly for the role of libraries in our societies. (Jacobs, H. L. M. 2016) The rate of change since then is unsurpassed by few other professions. The skills required to stay on top of technological advances and the way that we consume information will be of paramount importance throughout my career. Further to that, it will be the way that I process my learning and ability to respond to patron needs that I hope will contribute to exciting, impactful and necessary program design.
References
Shahzad, K., & Khan, S. A. (2022). The relationship between motivational factors and librarians’ professional development (PD): A systematic review. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 96100062210836–. https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006221083685
Jacobs, H. L. M. (2016). Our Enduring Values Revisited: Librarianship in an Ever-Changing World by Michael Gorman (review). Portal (Baltimore, Md.), 16(2), 447–448. https://muse-jhu-edu.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/article/613853https://muse-jhu-edu.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/article/613853