My philosophy of librarianship is founded on the core values of service, accessibility, empowerment, and compassion. I feel that if I use these values to guide my decisions, then I will be “furthering the library mission” (American Library Association, 2006). While I’m open to a variety of roles, I’m especially passionate about serving rural and underserved communities in a public library setting, and I have tailored my coursework accordingly. My goal as a future LIS professional is to provide compassionate leadership by providing innovative services that offer accessible resources in a manner that empowers citizens.

Service

The foundation of my philosophy of librarianship is service. Rubin and Rubin (2020) state, “underlying the value of service is a belief in the betterment of the individual and the community as a whole” (p. 540). Whether I am helping an unhoused patron access a computer in a public library or assisting a PhD candidate with their dissertation in an academic library, service is at the heart of these tasks. I demonstrate this value through multiple assignments, such as the program proposal and the grant proposal.

Rubin and Rubin (2020) also states that librarianship has a “nurturing characteristic” (p. 541), and I agree with that. I was a former Army nurse, and I believe that opportunity provided invaluable and transferable skills that will allow me to continue a career rooted in service. My prior experience in a public library setting has also prepared me for providing resources to a rural, underserved population. My coursework solidified this value, especially the classes I took that focused on collection development, program planning, and advanced leadership. I learned not only how to help the public in innovative ways but also how to be a service-oriented leader.

I especially grew in the area of service by learning how to create programs. While I assisted in teaching digital literacy courses in the past, I didn’t create the curriculum or the program itself. I had a limited understanding of program planning in general. However, through assignments in my User Services and Programming course, I have gained a clear understanding of the process of program development. I learned how to design programs from scratch, then create a pitch to stakeholders to secure funding. I’m excited to use these programming skills to serve diverse communities as I progress throughout my LIS career.

Accessibility and Empowerment
The American Library Association (2006) states access is a core value of librarianship and that “library workers create systems that ensure members of their community can freely access the information they need for learning, growth, and empowerment regardless of technology, format, or delivery methods” (para. 4). Through various courses, I learned to empower information seekers through accessible resources.

For example, I learned how to empower veterans by helping them access mental health resources through a user-friendly pathfinder. In my Community Archives course, I learned a great deal about empowering citizens by preserving and collecting their unique histories, which may not be valued in traditional repository settings.

Accessibility and empowerment also help promote and protect the intellectual freedom of the patrons. “Intellectual freedom empowers people to think for themselves and to make informed decisions while respecting each individual’s dignity and independence” (American Library Association, 2006). I help promote intellectual freedom through my digital literacy course series by empowering seniors with the skills to make informed decisions when using technology.

 

I demonstrate these values further by providing access to food security through a grant-funded program that I created for my Management and Leadership course. I did not have prior experience in grant writing, but I am now more skilled in this area. It’s crucial to understand my community's needs and then seek a grant that is specifically tailored to help close this gap.

Compassion

I want to adopt the following bullet points from the ALA’s Code of Ethics (2017) to promote compassion in my workplace.

 

• We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness, and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our institutions.

 

• We affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; to confront inequity and oppression; to enhance diversity and inclusion; and to advance racial and social justice in our libraries, communities, professions, and associations through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, services, and allocation of resources and spaces (American Library Association, 2017).

 

These two ethical principles resonate with my values because I believe it’s essential to demonstrate compassion towards my future coworkers, colleagues, and the patrons I serve. Despite what others look like or believe, I will treat them with fairness and respect. I will use my privilege and voice to stand up and confront injustices.

 

In my Advanced Library Management and Culturally Responsive Librarianship classes, I developed my leadership skills to become a more empathetic LIS professional. In both courses, I identified my weaknesses and acknowledged my own biases, enabling me to improve in those areas and become a kind yet effective leader.

 

I also want to help promote safety, which I believe is a byproduct of compassion. As a future library and information professional, I am excited to “cultivate curiosity” (American Library Association, 2006) while fostering a safe environment where individuals can learn and grow.

 

In conclusion, my coursework throughout the ODU MLIS program has helped me grow exponentially while fully supporting this approach to librarianship. These values will guide me in future library roles as I create inclusive programs and remove barriers to access while encouraging respect for everyone. As I continue to evolve, I look forward to improving in ways that enable me to be a service-oriented and compassionate leader who helps provide accessible and equitable resources that empower communities.

 

References

 
American Library Association. (2017, May 19). ALA Code of Ethics. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/tools/ethics

 

American Library Association. (2006, July 26). Core Values of Librarianship. American Library https://www.ala.org/advocacy/advocacy/intfreedom/corevalues

 

Rubin, R. E., & Rubin, R. G. (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.