COMPETENCY B

“Describe and compare organizational settings in which information professionals practice.”

Statement of Competency B

Though many people may have a stereotypical vision of what libraries and librarians are like when they think of information organizations, today there is no such thing as a “stereotypical” library or librarian (Kane, 2008). In fact, the field is incredibly vibrant and diverse, and each type of organization reflects its unique institutional mission and clientele served. We will take a look at some of these different information environments and their unique organizational settings in order to paint a more accurate picture of why and how these institutions operate in our society today. While most information organizations have similar overarching missions (to provide users with information in a timely and accurate manner), there are a variety of characteristics which distinguish these organizations from each other; these factors include institution purpose and mission, clientele demographics, the nature of information commonly sought by the clientele, funding source(s), and governance. The American Library Association (2015b) recognizes four different library types: public, academic, school, and special.

Public Libraries

When most people envision libraries in their minds, what they often are thinking of are public library organizations. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise because of all the different library types, public libraries have the broadest mission and purpose: to serve the varied informational, educational, and recreational needs of the communities (and all their members) in which they are situated (Rubin, 2010). In fact, in 2011, 65% of all Americans (roughly two-thirds of the population) reported using their public library in some manner (Rubin, 2010). Public libraries are located everywhere in our communities, both large and small. According to statistics, there are over 8,000 public libraries, which comprise 16,400 physical buildings, located in cities and neighborhoods across the county (Rubin, 2010). In total these account for more public library facilities than McDonald’s fast food restaurants in the United States (American Library Association, 2015a)! As stated by Kathleen de la Peña McCook (2011), “each public library operates within the context of community norms and support – in a municipal, district, or count structure subject to local politics and the local economy” (p. 3).

As mentioned, the public library seeks to serve all members of the community. As such, their clientele is comprised of many different demographics including adults, families, children, students, teens, professionals, small business owners, the elderly, and every other group in-between (Kane, 2008). There are a variety of roles that the public library can play within their different communities.

The ALA has outlined eight roles for Public Libraries (Rubin, 2010, p. 174):

Community Center, providing a central focus for community activities, meetings, and services.
Information Center, serving as a clearinghouse for information on community organizations, issues, and services.
Educational Support Center, assisting students of all ages enrolled in formal courses of study.
Independent Learning Center, supporting individuals engaged in independent study.
Popular Materials Center, offering current, high-demand, high-interest materials in a variety of formats.
Early Learning Center, encouraging young children to develop an interested in reading and learning.
Reference Center, providing timely, accurate, and useful information for community residents.
Research Center, supporting scholars and researchers who conduct in-depth studies, investigate specific areas of knowledge, and create new knowledge.

Except for maybe the largest public library systems, most libraries cannot focus on each and every one of these roles, nor should they. Each library is tasked with understanding the unique demographic makeup of their particular communities and focusing on a few roles in order to best serve them. These roles are not hard and fast, and necessarily evolve and shift along with demographic changes in the community. Indeed, the ever-changing nature of all communities requires the public library to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate their mission, roles, and purpose to their users.

The roles that a public library chooses to focus on necessarily dictate the variety and the scope of collections, services, and programs that they offer. For example, these organizations may have a mix of some or all of the following types of materials in their collections: books, journals, newspapers, magazines, audio recordings, and video recordings (Kane, 2008). Increasingly, public libraries are providing access to these materials both physically and electronically. These libraries are also known for enriching their communities through a variety of programs, such as summer reading, story hours for children, homework help, reading clubs, and literacy programs (Kane, 2008). Funding for public library consists primarily of tax-supported monies that come from a mixture of local, state, and federal levels (McCook, 2011). Additional money for public library budgets also come from fees, fines, donations, local fundraising, grants and other sources. The governance of each public library today “takes place within the interlocking contexts of local, regional, state, and national jurisdictions” (McCook, 2011, p. 101). Oversight of public libraries is by elected or appointed public citizens of the United States, usually called a board of trustees or directors, and often known colloquially as the library board. This board has responsibility for a variety of functions including analyzing community needs, hiring and evaluating the public library director, budget and policy review and approval, and long-range planning (McCook, 2011). It is evident that public libraries are essential institutions in our communities today.

Academic Libraries

Academic libraries, often also referred to as research libraries, have a mission of supporting “the curricula of the various educational tracks offered by the college or university and to meet the information and research needs of the students and faculty” (Kane, 2008, p. 44). Academic libraries can be large or small, and are usually found at institutions that provide post-secondary education (Rubin, 2010). These institutions can include universities, four-year colleges, and community and junior colleges. The functions and purpose of these organizations are directly related to the larger academic institutions in which they are embedded (Rubin, 2010). Access to these organizations is generally restricted to those affiliated with the parent institution. The primary clientele of academic libraries are students (both undergraduate and graduate) and faculty, with a secondary clientele of administrators and staff (Rubin, 2010).

Academic libraries can vary in size and scope, with some libraries offering a variety of collections and services related to a variety of subjects while others may just focus on one academic program (Kane, 2008). There are a wide range of formats available in these organizations, including traditional printed materials, in addition to electronic books, journals, and databases. These collections also tend to reflect the broader mission of the parent institution; for example, major university libraries tend to emphasize research, so they may hold research journals, special collections, dissertations, and monographs (Rubin, 2010). Academic libraries in liberal arts colleges tend to emphasize teaching, so their collections provide more curricular support. Funding, governance, and oversight of these organizations is the responsibility of the parent academic institution. As stated by Laura Kane (2008), “the acquisition of knowledge through formal channels has been a pursuit of humankind throughout history…there has always been a need for academic libraries to support this scholarly pursuit” (p. 44).

School Libraries

School libraries, sometimes referred to as library media or resource centers, are libraries located in both public and private elementary, middle, and high schools (Rubin, 2010). The American Association of School Librarians (2015) states that the mission of the school library is to “ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information; students are empowered to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information” (“Mission”, para. 1). The school library accomplishes its mission in a variety of ways including collaborating with students and educators, instructing students, and providing access to materials and resources (Rubin, 2010). The clientele of school libraries are students and educators. Library media centers are hubs of activities in their schools, and literacy is one of its primary purposes (including information literacy). Collections of school libraries include fiction and nonfiction books that support the curriculum, and its facilities often house computers and audio-visual equipment for student and educator use (Kane, 2008). It is important to note that school libraries are “bureaucratically embedded in their school systems, and the school board’s policies ultimately govern their activities” (Rubin, 2010, p. 193). This means that school librarians usually have a varying degree of autonomy and control of the library, and that ultimately control, allocation of funds, and supervision rests with the school’s principal, the district’s curriculum director, or the district librarian (Rubin, 2010).

Special Libraries

Rubin (2010) defines special libraries as “informational organizations sponsored by private companies, government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, or professional associations” (p. 211). The missions of these unique information environments can vary depending on the institution that they serve. Some characteristics of special libraries include the emphasis of information for practical purposes rather than instruction on how to find it, restricted access to a small number of users, small and highly specialized collections, and management oriented to the goals of its parent organization (Rubin, 2010). Special libraries usually cover specific disciplines that serve a particular group of people. These fields include business and finance, chemistry, education, engineering, science and technology, management, military, and pharmaceutical (Rubin, 2010). Examples of special libraries include medical, law, and corporate libraries. The mission of medical libraries are to serve the information needs of students, professionals, and sometimes consumers in medical schools, hospitals, or clinics (Kane, 2008). Law libraries are concerned with making law and legal information available, and they are usually affiliated with law schools, law firms, and courts (Kane, 2008). Their collections are often comprised of federal and state court decisions, government agency publications, and other legal resources. Corporate libraries support the information needs of businesses and companies, and they are responsible for collecting, organizing, and disseminating resources in order to help the business remain competitive in the marketplace (Kane, 2008).

Evidence

Evidence 1: Employment and Internship (LIBR-294) Experience

I was employed for over eight and a half years at a bustling and vibrant public library in California - Berkeley Public Library (BPL) - as a library aide and library assistant. Five years of my employment occurred before I was a graduate student in the iSchool at San Jose State University, and my experiences during my employment were paramount in inspiring me to obtain my MLIS degree. There is truly nothing like the hands-on experience I gained while working together with the Berkeley community during my time at BPL. I had the opportunity to assist library users from all walks of life, all ages, and all races and ethnicities. Though my career began as mostly a shelver, my passion for public library services helped me advance my knowledge and skills in a variety of areas within the library. These including assisting and running programs (e.g. craft programs for children and teens, author visits, gaming nights), marketing library collections through eye-catching displays, providing information, reference, and readers advisory services to children, teens, and adults, and equipping users with information literacy skills in order to expertly locate and evaluate information on their own. My time as a BPL employee provided me invaluable insight into this particular information organization, and I will forever honor and cherish everything that I learned during my time there. This experience has prepared me with knowledge that is needed as a future library professional interested in public librarianship. My resume detailing my employment is included here.

I also completed a semester-long internship at another large public library system in California, the Oakland Public Library (OPL), in the adult collection development program for LIBR-294. Prior to the internship, most of my experience had been in the front-lines and in children’s services. This internship provided me with much needed insight of the roles and responsibilities of those who work behind the scenes to make sure the library is working towards its mission to serve the community in which it is located. Additionally, my work in this department helped me to develop a better knowledge about adult collections, which is an area which I lacked strength in. Overall, this internship in a public library helped me to better understand the different departments that must collectively work together to make such an organization function. An account of the work I completed and my learning outcomes from this internship at this public library is included in my Internship Final Paper.

Evidence 2: LIBR-200- Library Information Center Report

This paper was created for LIBR-200: Information and Society. For this assignment I visited and observed in-person two different types of information organizations, and discussed and evaluated their missions, clientele, staff, electronic resource access, and web pages. I visited two very different environments for this report, one public library branch and one large academic library. My paper presents my findings about these two types of libraries, and how their differing missions and purposes are demonstrated through their characteristics, facilities, clientele, and resource offerings. This assignment helped me to better understand two different information organization environments, and allowed me see both the differences and similarities between the two. This knowledge will help me be a better library professional, because I better understand the important roles that each of these different types of organizations play in our society.

Evidence 3: LIBR-232- Hot Topic Paper: The Role of Public Libraries in Early Childhood Literacy

This final paper was created for LIBR-232: Issues in Public Libraries. The purpose of this assignment was to select a current hot topic in the field, and to research and report on it. For my final paper, I chose to explore the role that public libraries play in early childhood literacy. In the paper, I discuss recent advances in understanding about early childhood brain development, the history of public librarians and early literacy initiatives, and the various ways that public libraries are uniquely positioned to provide early childhood literacy resources, programs, and services to the community. I selected this particular topic because I am mainly interested in the career of children’s librarianship in a public library setting, and I wanted to explore this area to understand what has been done in this field thus far. I also provide a list of recommendations at the end of my paper for public libraries and librarians to incorporate early childhood literacy into their institutions. Education is a fundamental part of the mission of public libraries, and supporting early childhood literacy is one avenue towards fulfilling this mission. It is my belief that the public library is uniquely situated to work together with children, parents, and caregivers to help develop solid emergent literacy foundations, and that this work will create a better and brighter future for all. This assignment helped me to become very aware of just one of the many roles that the public library can play in our society, and this knowledge will help me to be a better public library professional in the future.

References

American Association of School Librarians. (2015). Outline of guidelines. Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/outline

American Library Association. (2015a). Talking points. Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/advocacyuniversity/toolkit/talkingpoints

American Library Association. (2015b). Types of libraries. Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/educationcareers/careers/librarycareerssite/typesoflibraries

Kane, L. (2008). Chapter 5: Careers and environments. In K. Haycock, & B. E. Sheldon

(Eds.), The portable MLIS: Insights from the experts (pp. 42-54). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

McCook, K. D. (2011). Introduction to public librarianship (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Neal-

Schuman Publishers, Inc.

Rubin, R.E. (2010). Foundations of library and information science (3rd ed.). New York, NY: