Contents
Environment
Describe and compare different organizational settings in which information professionals practice.
Introduction
The library environment is a special place of knowledge building and sharing. The word library spans many types of institutions, including public, academic, and school libraries, and archival repositories. This is a limited description because a library can also serve a specific function, making it a special library. The different functions of libraries result in differences within organizational settings but the main foundation of libraries is built upon organizational theory. Similarities in operations allow libraries to function in a cohesive manner within the larger library field. With changes in technology, libraries are constantly adapting with new innovations and possibilities. Adaptation is imperative to reach users, requiring libraries to balance equal and equitable access within the current organizational structure (Hirsh, 69).
Public Libraries
Public libraries are the backbone of a community. They provide a safe educational environment for all community members to embark on knowledge seeking adventures. Over time, public libraries have evolved into spaces of open access, giving patrons encouragement to explore the inner dimensions of the mind. Public libraries provide community programming that support creativity and innovation for its visiting patrons. As a center for learning to a diverse community, public libraries are at the forefront of education (Smith, 94-103). While school libraries might restrict some sources, the public library follows the principles laid out by ALA. Their Freedom to Read statement, as discussed within the Ethics competency, begins with “The freedom to read is essential to our democracy.” Controversial and objectionable means nothing; if anything, people may want to read the offensive material more just because someone disapproves. Librarians must honor this tenet by providing open access to all constituents that wish to find a new book or other source. Open access means a comfortable environment that is free of criticism or hypocrisy. The public library environment should always be a zone of safety for knowledge explorers.
School Libraries
When I was a student, I went to the school library. Now, my children go to the media center. The change of name defines the change in times. The school library is no longer just a room full of books; it is now a hub of digital equipment, including computers that are loaded with educational programs and applications. The main function of the school library is to serve the needs of the student body and faculty. Like other libraries, the school librarian is there to provide reference services and help students navigate technology. The school librarian also invests time in teaching digital literacy to students and faculty. Navigating the massive amount of sources available can be overwhelming; the school librarian fills this need by following the digital literacy standards laid out by professional organizations, the American Association of School librarians (AASL), and the Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT). School librarians have specific standards and educational approaches that they must use so the organizational setting is slightly different than that of a public library. These librarians acts as curriculum generalists, program managers, and digital literacy experts, helping children learn to read and explore multiple knowledge avenues (Harlan, 71-74).
Academic Libraries and Archives
Academic libraries are grouped with archives in this description because most academic libraries have an archival repository. Academic librarians will be found doing a myriad of duties that are similar to the other organizational types, like public libraries. The academic librarian helps with reference services, outreach, collection development, and collection maintenance. Academic librarians work closely with students and faculty to develop new research possibilities. There are many possibilities for knowledge and career growth in a large academic library due to the diversity of topics and majors being studied on a campus. Academic librarians often have specific duties, like a metadata librarian, processing archivist, reference librarian, subject librarian, or even research informationist. There are many tiers of organizational structure within an academic library and many different departments designed to fill the needs of a campus community. An academic librarian will likely engage in many projects and educational initiatives, including research and publication efforts, outreach and exhibits, information and technology literacy instruction, and providing service to the university (Gilman, 81-87).
Evidence
The following evidence reflects my awareness and interaction with different organizational library settings.
Evidence A: Scholarly Article Critique
INFO204 Information Professions
In the course INFO204 Information Professions, the class discussed the topics of library management, accountability, responsibility, and delegation. This assignment critiques two scholarly articles on these topics. In “Connect, Then Lead,” Cuddy, Kohut, & Neffinger discuss how an understanding of behavioral science is important to employee / employer relations. In comparison, McNamara explains in “How to delegate to employees” that delegation is critical in nurturing employee growth and confidence. This scholarly critique explores the organizational environment that is navigated by librarians, and how best to approach employee and employer relations.
Scholarly Article Critique
[embeddoc url=”https://blogs.uoregon.edu/sarahfisherportfolio/files/2022/02/INFO204-week-2-discussion.pdf” download=”all” viewer=”google”]
Evidence B: Organizational Analysis Part I
INFO204 Information Professions
This group project for INFO204 Information Professions was the first step for an organizational analysis of a law library. This portion includes a literature review, vision, mission and value statements, an environmental scan, and a SWOT analysis of the Riverside County Law Library. By analyzing the institution’s strategic goals through an environmental scan, the group was able to dissect trends, technology, the economy, customers, labor supply, and the political and legislative arena in regards to efficient operations at the library. During this group project, members interacted in Zoom meetings while co-editing documents in Google Suite. Each member researched and drafted a section; I finalized the document with formatting, editing, and proofreading in Microsoft Word.
Organization Analysis Part I: Riverside County Law Library
[embeddoc url=”https://blogs.uoregon.edu/sarahfisherportfolio/files/2022/03/Group-D-Organizational-Analysis-Part-I-INFO204.pdf” download=”all” viewer=”google”]
Evidence C: Organizational Analysis Presentation
INFO204 Information Professions
This group project furthers the organizational analysis of the law library for INFO204 Information Professions. This presentation was the final step in a three-step process for investigating the operating environment of a library. It pulls together information gathered for two documents; it includes a slideshow presentation of Parts I and II; part II added strategic goals and an annotated bibliography to the organizational analysis. As a group, each member created a slide on Google Slides, which I finalized in Microsoft PowerPoint before submission.
Organizational Analysis: Riverside County Law Library
[embeddoc url=”https://blogs.uoregon.edu/sarahfisherportfolio/files/2022/02/Group-D-Organizational-Analysis-Presentation-INFO204.pptx” download=”all” viewer=”microsoft”]
Evidence D: Professional Experience in Different Settings
Folklore Archivist Collection Coordinator, RVMA, UO
As the Folklore Archivist, I have the unique opportunity of working in a special library that is also an academic library for a specific discipline. I manage student archivists who assist students, faculty, and other visitors with their research questions. Folklore is considered one of the most diverse majors on campus with evident success in achieving equity and inclusion goals. The environment is a comfortable, quiet study space that is sometimes filled with animated conversations about current hot academic topics. I have also interned in Special Collections University Archives (SCUA), which is a very quiet zone of serious study. The rules are followed closely, and a hush can be felt on the air. Traveling through the Knight Library to the open stacks finds more students, many with reference questions for the librarians, but the environment of quietness persists. Academic libraries are hubs of intellect. After a quiet day in the archive, it is always refreshing to go into the public library and hear the noise and laughter of excited children as they discover new books.
The Folklore Archive
Conclusion
Having a clear comprehension of environmental differences between repositories is essential to being a well rounded librarian. The innovations made by school librarians may be useful to an archivist; the storage preservation techniques of an archivist could be handy for a public librarian. Each type of library offers unique opportunities for learning. Following the established standards of organizations such as ALA allows librarians to easily interact between repositories despite the slightly different goals that each institution may have.
References
American Library Association. “The Freedom to Read Statement.” Advocacy, Legislation & Issues, ALA. 1 June 2020, https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement.
Gilman, T. “Learning and Research Institutions: Academic Libraries.” Information services today, S. Hirsh (Ed.), Rowman & Littlefield, 2nd edition, 2018. 81-93.
Harlan, M.A. “Literacy and Media Centers: School Libraries.” Information services today, S. Hirsh (Ed.), Rowman & Littlefield, 2nd edition, 2018. 71-80.
Hirsh, S. Information services today. Rowman & Littlefield, 2nd edition, 2018.
Smith, P. “Community Anchors for Lifelong Learning: Public Libraries.” Information services today, S. Hirsh (Ed.), Rowman & Littlefield, 2nd edition, 2018. 94-105.
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