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Student Learning Outcome 1
Reflecting on the philosophy, principles, and ethics of the library and information field, I circle on the concepts of access, inclusion, rights and how they have an important role in librarianship. Through the readings, discussions, and activities in this program, I’ve learned that there are standards for libraries. Through my Foundations of Library and Information Studies class, we were introduced to the ALA Library Bill of Rights, which are principles that build a foundation for how libraries operate. Although not specific, there are interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights that further explore how these ideas can be applied and maintain the library’s integrity. I’ve learned that not all libraries are the same. And the communities these libraries serve are equally diverse with different needs.
Many of the class discussions I have participated in have been differing experiences and views on how libraries best serve their patrons. As libraries grow and expand from information hubs to community centers, it’s important these institutions don’t lose what makes them so important. Libraries are a place for everyone. They disseminate information without bias and allow everyone access to their resources. There are situations where libraries are more than a place for books and research, but also an escape or refuge. With the advent and evolution of makerspaces in the past twenty-five years, libraries have really expanded their services and programs to become a place for all learning. I have learned that now is the time libraries are embracing hands-on services and programs to better serve everyone’s needs no matter their pre-existing notions of libraries.
Artifact 1: Institutional Review Board Certification
Taking the IRB course through the CITI Program was enlightening. This training opened my eyes to different types of librarianship through the scope of research that involves human subjects. One aspect that intrigued me was the topic of protecting the welfare of those in the criminal justice system, specifically prisons. It made me think about how prison libraries operate and the rights prisoners have to library materials. My Foundations class explored ethics of how libraries serve patrons, even those who face adversity. Considering the fifth statement in the Library Bill of Rights, regarding the right to use the library, if the patron can’t come to the library, should the library come to them? There are many mobile and digital services for those who can’t physically come to the library. It’s only right that prisons have and maintain libraries for the benefit of enlightenment to prisoners.
There’s also the concept of how unconventional libraries such as these gather and manage resources. The IRB training really brought to light that not all libraries have available funding or support. Prison libraries especially rely on donations and are at the mercy of the materials they receive. Budgeting and collections development is different for this kind of library. There are no luxuries or end of year money or stakeholder support. As the IRB course also highlighted, prisoners are still humans and should be treated as such. Their rights and privacy don’t go away due to circumstance, and as the Bill of Rights states, “books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves.” Ethically, libraries serve their communities no matter what that community may be. I’ve worked in academic libraries, but that doesn’t mean I always work with students or faculty or researchers. We have community patrons to serve as well, but I won’t treat them differently because they aren’t part of the campus. They are still part of the library’s community.
This assignment from my Foundations class pushed me to explore the ALA Library Bill of Rights. The purpose of the paper was to read the Bill of Rights and the subsequent interpretations to choose one to analyze in the scope of ethical or advocacy issues and the impact that could have on the practices of information users, institutions, or society. I examined the interpretation dealing with labeling systems and how libraries are not meant to influence a patron’s opinion or impressions of library items. Labeling systems can be a tool for censorship and access, whether it’s to promote or dissuade.
Censorship and access are deep rooted ethical issues that face librarianship regularly and can have an impact on the operations of libraries as a whole. I advocate for access and more importantly open access. My focus in cataloging and metadata is to structure and update standards and systems so that bias labeling or potential censorship doesn’t hinder access. As a cataloger, I feel I can take an analytical approach to organizing data in records to promote search-ability with objective structured data. This would encourage the idea of access for all, which is a right for patrons.
In this assignment, we were asked to find a current news article related to library and information studies. I found an article that detailed one librarian’s response to the travel ban instituted in February 2019. The article focused on the librarian’s poster series that was designed to advocate the concept that libraries are for everyone and they represent inclusion. Because libraries try to eliminate bias, the sentiment of inclusion is in every aspect of librarianship. The article I picked really exemplified what my Foundations class was exploring with the Library Bill of Rights. Libraries are a place of equality and will not reject anyone based on faith or culture or where they come from. Even though the government at the time was exuding discrimination, this story showed that libraries were combating prejudice with compassion, understanding, and fairness through their principles and ethics.
There was further focus in the article on libraries and whether they should remain politically neutral or be activists. The fundamentals of institutions such as libraries are based on providing information to everyone, regardless of the subject. Libraries don’t have to be neutral or active so long as they allow access to all information. I may not have examined politics in libraries and where they stand had it not been for this assignment. Politics are personal for every individual which means libraries respect everyone’s views, but does it mean the library will agree with every perspective? This interests me as someone who would like to work for a Federal Government institution. Certainly being close to the political mecca presents ethical discussions like what is happening outside the library should reflect what happens inside the building. Libraries shouldn’t lose sight of what is most important, and that is providing information to all.
Patti Wilson
Writer & Librarian
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