LIS Beliefs and Assumptions Revisited

My very first post talked about my initial assumptions and beliefs about the LIS profession. Looking back on this post I still agree with my original thoughts, but throughout my first course in this program I’ve learned that the library and information science profession encompasses much more than I originally thought. I still believe librarians are there to serve their patrons in a variety of ways. One major way librarians help others is by providing assistance in accessing information and providing materials and sources. Not only do librarians need to be able to help and serve patrons, they also need to stay up-to-date on current technology trends. Many patrons come into libraries to use the available technology and it is a necessity for librarians to be knowledgeable in any and all areas of technology offered and used in the library. This ties into my second belief about librarians being able to offer endless support. I had the opportunity to interview two librarians this semester and they definitely supported this belief. By keeping up with library and technology trends, librarians are able to offer this support to anyone who comes into the library. The last belief I posted was that librarians create a warm and inviting environment. I believe this is needed in order to make patrons feel welcome in the library. Libraries, however, are not just quiet places to read or look up information anymore. Many libraries have starting makerspaces in areas of the library, and these spaces offer opportunities for new learning experience and collaboration. Makerspaces are obviously going to be loud areas because people are working together on different programs to actively learn new things.

I’ve learned new things throughout this course from my classmates and assignments that have deepened my love for the profession. I love that libraries can connect to the community in order to benefit all people. Community outreach is an area that I didn’t think about much prior to this class, and I’ve learned how beneficial different programs can be. Some libraries have bookmobiles that travel to different parts of a community to offer resources. Public libraries can make a large impact on the community by offering different outreach programs. One area that I learned a lot about was the collaboration between public and school librarians. School libraries are not always present in schools, so the public libraries serve as their main library. It is so great to read and learn about different programs offered to students throughout and after the school year to help students build reading skills.

Overall, I still have the same beliefs about the LIS profession, but I believe my understanding has deepened. Librarians can offer so much to their patrons and community and I am very excited to continue my MLIS journey.