Restrictions in Public Libraries

At work we recently received an email that talked about some changes coming to our library policy, and our director sent us each a copy of this article:

 http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/892402-264/warner_home_video_imposes_28-day.html.csp


Everyone was really (understandably) angry about this development, and I see it as one more way that public libraries need to learn to adapt to new models of business. Although this clearly violates the first sale doctrine, it seems that libraries are continually left behind and must learn to fend for themselves, no matter what the rules. But again, I think that this needs to be brought to the public awareness so people can actually do something about it. If people knew what was going on behind the scenes, and how they were being forced to wait to borrow a copy of something simply because a vendor wants to make more money off of them, I think they would be angry! But until something is said about this, I don't think things will change. 

Library Cuts

So I am going to start this entry by posting this link to a story I was reading over a break.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/16/can-the-american-library-_n_1096484.html?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl18|sec1_lnk2|113415

 The Huffington Post is doing this whole series of articles about libraries in crises, which I thought was interesting, but sort of misguided. As regards libraries in a physical sense, yes, maybe, but not as a concept. The article talked about libraries losing funding because, with economic times as they are, when it comes to budget cuts, libraries are seen as the easy answer. But as Maureen Sullivan (president of the ALA) points out, people don't realize how much they need the library or utilize its services until it's gone! Although I think she is trying to make a different point about the importance of libraries in a community, this type of statement actually lends itself to the argument (in my opinion) that libraries aren't doing enough. I know personally that the library at which I work just reviewed its budget for the next year, and we are dealing with severe budget cuts that will greatly impact patrons directly (e.g. our budget for new books has been cut by 40%), but when it is put into practice, patrons will simply complain about how the library isn't doing enough or they never have anything good to read anymore (some people actually do say this). Sometimes I wonder why the people I work with are not more outraged at the fact that libraries are so short changed. Instead they just deal with it and make very little fuss over the issue. Maybe that is the real problem with libraries: the people who work there are not as passionate about it as they should be. I'm not saying that if everyone in public libraries suddenly decided to quit their jobs in protest, libraries would be better off. But maybe more people in the community would take notice, and we wouldn't have to wait until it was "too late" to look back on what we used to have, and what we are now missing.

Catching up

So...for anyone who has been following me, I have fallen really behind in my blog posts. Going to library school, as my family calls it, is more intense than I thought it would be. I've found that I generally have a lot going on in school, and am always thinking about all things library related, but never have the chance to sit down and put them into writing. So here goes my chance at catching up!
     Today I decided to go on to Amazon to order some Christmas presents, and I was met with the announcement that Amazon  has created their own lending library (as they call it) for Kindle owners who have an Amazon prime membership. Having just purchased a Kindle Fire for my dad for Christmas (this is an attempt to get him to use an e-reader so he doesn't have to pack his own library of books when he goes on vacation!), I was really intrigued by this. Of course, it is only open to those who have an Amazon prime membership, which is a clearly defined attempt to to make more money from consumers, but I think the social implications for libraries and the public are very interesting. What would this mean for libraries looking to license books from Amazon? Will Amazon stop licensing to libraries, knowing they can make more money on forcing people to sign up for a membership? I don't think that would happen, because I think that could cause Amazon to lose its competitive edge in a market filled with e-readers. But I look at the library where I work. We have both Kindles and Nooks to loan to people (in library use only for the Kindles, but they can check out Nooks). It is assumed that these people do not have their own personal e-readers, so they come to the public library to use them. If Amazon suddenly found it less profitable to license their material to libraries, these people would never have access to this product, because they certainly aren't going to go buy their own! So Amazon would effectively lose money, despite trying to make more money. So I can't really see that happening. Then again, who knows...

Communities and Libraries

So I was thinking about the purpose of libraries in regards to communities. I have always wondered which is more true, that libraries shape their communities, or that communities shape their libraries. I used to always think it was the latter, but now I am not so sure. I think it is a very obvious statement to make that communities shape their libraries. I know from working at the Seymour Public Library in Le Moyne that our library is small enough to accomodate all sorts of requests that perhaps a larger library wouldn't be able to do. If a patron requests a book be added to the collection, it almost always is, very quickly. I think that says something about the size of libraries, too. Just because a library is large and has a lot of funding does not mean they will always have what the patron is looking for. I enjoy working where I do because our library is small enough that we know many of our patrons by name and when they request something, we are easily able to accomodate them. Our collection in the past few years has been very much influenced by our community.
     On the other hand, I am beginning to see how much the library influences the community. Even though I work in a library, I still make the mistake of associating the library with books, and only books. But now I see how the library is beginning to be utilized for its space, and how the library is utilizing its own space for the community to bring them things we have not had before. For example, the library has been offering seminars on travelling and cooking, and we now offer information and help with finding jobs in this difficult economy. If people wish to hold meetings, they are welcome to use the library's meeting rooms free of charge. These are perhaps opportunities that would not have existed if the library were not there. It says something about the library shaping the community in more ways than one.

More Library Thoughts??

Hello everyone; back again. This is my first time blogging and I am still not used to it. Excellent example: I have no idea what happened to my blog post for last week : ) Regardless, I've been doing some thinking about our class from last week, when we talked about the purpose of librarianship. I've begun to notice that as I talk to more and more people about my plans for going to "library school," as it invariably ends up being called, they move from asking "you need a masters degree for that?" to "why would you want to be a librarian?" So, I'm sure many of you have also had people ask you this, usually with that tone that you know means something like "so you want to spend the rest of your life checking out books to people?" I used to think it was incredibly discouraging. Now I kind of think about what I actually hope to do as a librarian. While I'm not sure exactly what field I hope to go into, I know that I love working with and helping people, and what better way to do that than by helping them to find the information they need? On a more personal note, I find that every time someone at work asks me a question that involves research, I usually end up becoming so interested in the topic that I start looking up information for myself, and find that I am constantly learning new things. As I love school, this is not really a problem for me! But when we talked about librarians changing the world, I really began to think about my profession. I have the opportunities to shape other peoples' lives and choices because I make them informed decision makers. Much like a teacher, I am able to educate other people, whether it be a question of bibliographic references or finding information on running for political office. I can't think a profession I would rather have. Other than full time writer, but that's another blog post : )

initial thoughts on the field of librarianship

     Hello everyone! This is my first time blogging so bear with me, please. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Kathryn Latanyshyn, but I go by Kate. The first time I ever considered being a librarian was probably over ten years ago, whenever the movie The Mummy came out. (I am a nerd). I loved the idea of being a librarian/museum curator like Evie, because she had access to all this information and knowledge that people only dreamed of seeing. I thought this was the coolest thing ever. Many years later, I still think this is just as cool, but I think I've come to better appreciate what a librarian is, and this only makes me want to be one even more.
      After our first class on Tuesday, I've come to understand the role librarians play a little better. I definitely agree with what Professor Lankes said about the purpose of librarians, but I am still fascinated by the fact that librarians have the skills to access so much information and knowledge. What I honestly find disconcerting, however, is the fact that so many people don't really...understand librarians, for lack of a better explanation. I think one of our assignments for this class, the "You Need a Masters Degree for That?" youtube video speaks to this very problem. People have this very outdated notion of what it means to be a librarian. Granted, working in a public library in a smaller city lets me see that the most interaction people have with librarians are the clerks who generally check out their weekly mystery books, but there is so much more that even those librarians do. People need to become more educated, but I think this is also the responsibility of librarians. Do we ever give off the impression that all we do is read books while checking them in or out every day? That does sound boring! Maybe if we were more proactive in promoting our profession, we wouldn't have to put up with the "you need a master's degree for that?" every time we tell someone about our jobs!