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Scott Jones is in his first semester of MLIS at Western. Scott lives in London, but was raised in St. Thomas, On. Just recently he finished his Bachelors in History at King's University College, and before that was the proud owner of a used bookstore in St.Thomas called Rogue Books. Scott is an avid bass guitarist, table top game enthusiast and sci-fi/fantasy junkie. He can also be found volunteering at the PRIDE library at Western. Scott hopes to complete his MLIS by April and pursue librarianship as a professional at a public or academic library in Ontario.
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MLIS student: I'm going to get my Masters.
Friend: Oh yeah? What you going for?
MLIS student: a Masters in Library Sciences.
Friend: You need a Masters to be a Librarian?
MLIS student: *sigh*
Friend: Oh yeah? What you going for?
MLIS student: a Masters in Library Sciences.
Friend: You need a Masters to be a Librarian?
MLIS student: *sigh*
I have unfortunately had this exact conversation with friends and I'm sure many others have had similar conversations with people they know. The public views of a library is limited to what goes on in front of the public eye: people see a depository of books and even those who use the plethora of services and space offered at a library, can see only what is in front of them. A library is so much more than just a storage space for books: it is a community center, a place where people gather for children's activities, a computer and Internet access point, as well as a storage area for various forms of information. Not only are books stored and sorted in a library, but also other mediums such as video tapes, DVDs, audio books, and any other options you could imagine that stores information. People who are not library savvy generally do not see a library in this way, even if they use these services.
The role of a librarian then also changes for most people, instead of seeing a professional who is there to help them find quality information, people see only a person who re-shelves books and occasionally renews their library card. Being a library and information specialist is generally a thankless job, though we are always there to help, even if the public does not see it that way. There are various groups of people who are more enlightened and are trying to change some of these ideas, but the common perception of a library and librarian prevails.
Aylmer, Ontario is currently attempting to get a new library built for the community. There is a large lobby group of local people who do not understand what a new library will do for them. The people lobbying against the library see only a storage facility for books, and due to the increase in online access and e-books, they do not comprehend the necessity of a new library. Their argument comes down to 'Why do we need a new place to store books if people don't read books anymore?' On the other side of the coin, the mayor of Aylmer is trying to sway people's opinion, explaining how the library can benefit the community with new computers and a larger space for community activities.
Unfortunately, as we have learned in some of our classes, information and technology change faster than society. People's perception of libraries and librarians stems from a lack of knowledge and adjustment to the reality of what libraries have become in the past century or so. Libraries are not just store-houses for books; nor are they a place where librarians shush patrons and simply put books on the shelves; libraries have become the centers of the community, even if the community at large may not see it that way.
--Scott Jones
