Don't Piss Off the Librarian

I'm not pissed, I'm just frustrated. Our little podcast generated some very interesting discussion on the value of libraries to communities. And whether they are necessary at all. It is rarely my intention to wanna be startin' somethin' (RIP MJ), but I just couldn't let the comments go unanswered. So I wrote this in response (more or less, now that I've had time to do some light editing):

Thank you all for this discussion. I don’t usually like soap-boxes, but I do want to address this:

“The librarian is a old creation. It is not unlike the old-fashioned phone operater of ‘Pennsylvania 6-5000′ fame or a telegraph keyer - the artifact of inefficiencies in the system. Eliminate the technical barriers of information exchange, you eliminate the need for libraries and librarians.”

This is an old and narrow conception of what libraries do. And this is our fault– we have done a terrible job as a profession marketing how we are actually used and how we see ourselves. A recent study by OCLC found that overwhelmingly, people see the library brand as “books.” Although this is not surprising to those of us in the profession, it is disheartening. Yes, we are in the market of providing access to books, but we also provide access to so much more. Contrary to popular belief, not everything is accessible on the free web. Libraries spend thousands of dollars to provide the public with access to online journal content and educational software packages like Learning Express Library and Mango Languages. We teach people to sign up for e-mail accounts, fill out job applications online, and search job super sites. Shocking numbers of people come to us not knowing how to do this– and where else can they go for help? The library is also a “third place”– we are a community center. A place where people can meet for free.

People come to us when their online searches are unfruitful and we help them find what they are looking for. Now more than ever people need librarians: the overwhelming amount of information (often inaccurate information) brings people to us when they can no longer navigate, interpret, or gauge accuracy. And there continues to be a huge digital divide in this country. So much of our world revolves around online information, and for many, the public library is the only way for them to learn the skills and/or have access to that technology. The educational system is clearly under duress– libraries work with groups like Head Start to take on issues like Kindergarden readiness. We fill gaps.

There is no place, publicly funded or otherwise, that serves the vast range of people and their needs that libraries do. We are the people’s university, we are a safe haven, we are a repository of cultural knowledge, we are teachers, we are entertainers, we provide access to otherwise inaccessible content and to technology, we are a place to meet and build community. We are open to all. Libraries are an essential part of a community’s safety net– together with mental health programs, social services, and educational institutions, we keep communities vital. Community health relies on a healthy system– there must be a way to continue to keep all the parts of that system healthy. Otherwise we condemn ourselves to a bleak future.