Library Education: putting our money where our mouth Is

At the recent 2012 BC Library Association conference in Richmond, BC, there was a strong sense that the tides are shifting. The changing face of information access, books, member expectations and technology are having a powerful affect on the library community. It is clear that attendees were interested in learning to become more nimble in the face of uncertainty and begin asking some very difficult questions about the future.

After having attended many BCLA conferences, it was the first time I heard such a concerted effort to use inclusive language when addressing attendees who work at all levels and types of library environments. Most notably, the Library and Assistant's Interest Group (LTAIG) was successful in gaining section status within the association in a unanimous vote at the AGM. Such activity strongly suggests that there is a shifting attitude about how library staff are going to navigate the future and a recognition that whatever that future is, we need to be more open in our discussions about how work will be done and how we will prepare for it.

Having extensive experience teaching and leading a library technician diploma program, it is clear to this author that the profession needs to participate more in the preparation of library staff for entry into practice. In addition, there needs to be a closer examination of how those who are in practice develop their skills and evolve their education. While there may be many ways to address such matters, I have had the opportunity to look at one, accreditation of library technician programs, as a means of encouraging industry input.

Not surprisingly, most people in the library profession are unaware how the formal entry into practice education system works. Although there are many reasons for this knowledge gap, the largest is likely due to the gradual acceptance that formal post secondary programs are preparatory for most professions. Unlike most other professions, however, library work does not have significant and cohesive rules around what is specifically required for entry into practice. Much of this stems from the incredibly rapid changes to the profession. This is followed by the pressures that exist within the field and a general attitude about library qualifications that has prevailed since the mid 20th century. Without going into a lengthy chronicle, it may be useful to reflect on the introduction of the Master's degree. Its introduction was intended to improve the status of library workers in the 1950s and was driven by librarians and not the community they served.* However, this was also a time of great clerical work and this work was undertaken by many without any post secondary education. The introduction of library technician programs during the late 1960s and 1970s reflects a need, at that time, for people with strong clerical skills to manage the daily, and often repetative, tasks of managing growing library collections. While some collaboration behind the inception of these undergraduate/college diploma programs would have occured, there is little collaboration going on 50 years later. It was only in 1982 when the first Guidelines for the Education of Library Technicians was published by the Canadian Library Association, While there have been two revisions since then, there has been little leadership from the national association on the matter of library education for non-graduate programs. While it may be argued that this is not the role of CLA, this author wonders whose role it should be, then?

Venturing into the cloud of silence...

While there are those who graduate from ALA accredited Master's programs, the remaining 43% of library workers do not. How they end up in libraries has not been adequately explored. While many come from library technician programs, many others do not. Yet, even in 2005, the 8 Rs research indicates that 78% of the work once performed by those who graduated from ALA accredited schools is being performed by other library staff. ** Since few in the profession would argue that the work performed in libraries has become LESS complex or less valuable, it is a mystery how this profession has avoided open discussions about how people a) are selected to enter practice and b) are prepared for entry. Further to this, it is also not clear how the profession is able to adequately inform education programs of what it needs with anything more robust than advisory committees and good intentions by program leaders. This is not to suggest that those who administer library techncian programs do not do good work. However, it does suggest that if any value is to be placed on the role of libraries and the people who work in them, more open discussion and examination is needed by all stakeholders. For example, are library technician programs moving in the right direction for the needs of the future? Are they recruiting students who will enter practice as leaders, problems solvers, and dynamic contributors to the profession? Is it the sole responsibility of those programs to act as the gateway for entry into practice?

It is not without some consternation to see that the 2008 CLA National Summit on Library Human Resources Association*** did very little to address such questions. Indeed, the focus of the summit seemed to reside in discussions about how retiring library managers and leaders would replace themselves and how graduate programs would recruit a new generation of graduates. Ironically, the people who might be interested in growth and advancement were not discussed. Again, the 8Rs research reveals that while some paraprofessionals felt too old to seek advancement, a number of others felt there were structural barriers to advancement. It raises the other issue of what is the profession doing to serve the life-long and professional development needs of its members? Indeed, that same research also indicates that 50% of those who graduated from an ALA accredited graduate program had been in the profession for more than 15 years along with 44% of paraprofessionals who worked in surveyed libraries.** In addition people are delaying retirement and the profession needs to consider how it is looking after the educational needs (formal and informal) of its employees.+

Response from my recent presentation at the BC Library Association Conference Shapeshifting: Library Education, Work and Expectations for the Future was not only overwhelming but it was clear that participants recognized the hypocrisy of being institutions that encourage enlightenment and betterment in their membership but often fail to provide the same opportunities for its employees. This is not to say that employees do not get access to some things like workshops, conferences, and courses but it is evident, from this author's experience, that it is limited, at best.

When the media regularly runs stories examining "jobs of the future", it is most obvious that library work is not the only field doing some soul-searching. A Vancouver Sun article, "What are the jobs of the future? To be honest, we don’t really know" from May 3, 2012 illustrates that that the future is anything but clear. Yet this is no reason to run from it. Not only does this profession need to examine how it prepares those ENTERING practice, it needs to spend some serious time looking at how it prepares people already IN practice.

What do we do?

While there is no "silver bullet" that will magically solve these issues for us, we do have a lot of work ahead of us because we have not been proactive for far too long. We must stimulate discussion and put these difficult issues on the table for exploration. We must call on our associations to help us negotiate through these problems and we must have a candid discussion about what are our CORE values as a profession as well as talk about what we need to do to prepare and improve. Below is a link to a proposal for accrediting library technician programs. This is simply one attempt at opening up discussion and finding ways to encourage input from the professional community. It is intended to stimulate discussion and to experiment. If accreditation of LIT programs is part of the solution, it should be noted that even this process will require "tweaking". Please examine the document, whether you are an educator or a practitioner and reflect on what it is you think will help the profession meet the demands of change.

Renowned Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan's fifth law is "The library is a growing organism" and, I would add, so, too, are the people that work in them.++

*Swigger, Keith. (2010). The MLS Experiment: An Assessment After Sixty Years. Scarecrow Press.

**Ingles, E et al. (2005). 8Rs: The Future of Human Resources in Canadian Libraries. Retrieved October 10, 2011 from: http://www.ls.ualberta.ca/8rs/8RsFutureofHRLibraries.pdf pp. 11, 52-53.

***The Intersol Group. (Oct. 6-7 2008). National Summit on Library Human Resources: Report for the Canadian Library Association (CLA). Ottawa, ON: CLA. Retrieved October 12, 2011 from: http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=7131&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm

+Yves C. and D. Galarneau. (2010).Delayed Retirement: A New Trend? Statistics Canada. Retrieved May 16, 2012 from: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2011004/article/11578-eng.pdf

++ Gorman, M. (2000). As quoted in Our Enduring Values: Librarianship in the 21st Centrury. Chicago: ALA, 19.

Other Resources for Examination:

Guidelines for Library Technician Programs in Canada. (2011). Retrieved May 15, 2012 from http://www.cla.ca/Content/NavigationMenu/CLAatWork/InterestGroups/LibraryTechnicians/CLA_LTIG_guidelines.pdf">CLA Guidelines for the Education of Library Technicians

Training gaps analysis for librarians and library technicians executive summary. (2006). Cultural Human Resources Council. Retrieved October 19, 2011 from: http://www.culturalhrc.ca/research/CHRC_Librarians_and_Library_Tech_TGA-summary-en.pdf

Neigel, C. (2011). Accreditation for Library and Information Technology Programs: A Proposal.

School Libraries: Applying Innovative Ideas to a Threatened Species

While there are few who would argue that school libraries in Canada are in "good" health, there are even fewer who seem committed to supporting their desperately needed evolution. Those "few" are people who have the power to influence how school libraries are staffed and designed. One of the most powerful hang-ups that most people (parents and teachers, alike) have about school libraries is that they exist to support student reading. Walk into a local school library and you will see a collection of print materials that supports recreational reading for youth. You will see very few non fiction sources including encyclopedias and other reference tools. These are "online" and there seems a pervasive assumption that children can get their research material from the "Web". So, while reading is critically important to student acheivement, this CANNOT BE the ONLY thing school libraries should be focusing on.

It is time for drastic change.

And when I say, drastic...I am not kidding.

Ironically, as school libraries struggle to exist and be staffed, the Web becomes an increasingly tangled mess. For example, Google has recently come under attack because its results focus on paid or "optimized" placement and granular results that provide little meaningful context. The ability to peruse actual information sources has been greatly compromised to serve more lucrative, commercial ventures. Since most grown-ups struggle with finding context specific and ACCURATE information, it is a mystery how children are expected to do what many adults cannot.

This brings me to my suggestion.

I suggest that school libraries need to reinvent themselves as something much more sophisticated than what they currently are. They should not be a simple wharehouse of neatly (if you are lucky) catalogued materials to serve children. They should be "idea centres" where students, staff and faculty can put their ideas together for the purpose of innovation. This is NOT about repackaging a library and renaming it a "Learning Commons". This is about changing the PURPOSE of the library. What it is called is not important. It is what it DOES that is important.

The term "technology" is central to many discussions around the future of libraries and education. However, although learning to use technological tools may have value, the real value is in critical thinking. Critical thinking requires an environment that is conducive to creative thought and what could be more appropriate than a library in providing that environment? It could be an environment where librarians, teacher-librarians, library technicians, students and other staff are able to congrgate, discuss, and share.

A huge area of concern for most people is personal information management - managing the deluge of the information that shapes their decisions and activities. Students and teachers both need help with this. This goes far beyond the need for library to have neat shelves and catalogued books. Although private enterprise has moved into this area, this does not resolve the problem for the majority of people. Indeed, its absence in schools deprives our children the opportunity to become informed citizens. Creating productive, creative and informed adults should be central to the ambitions of our schools. However, by abandoning the school library - watching it waste away as its supply of resources is choked off by school districts - we ignore the future and what our children will need to be successful in it.

Since Canada will rely increasingly on its knowledge base to compete in the global marketplace, it seems bizzarre that school districts would forsake their libraries rather than invest in them. This investment, to clarify, goes well beyond funding collection development and a lonely teacher-librarian or library techncian. This investment should be in INNOVATION by creating spaces where all members of a school can congregate, research, share, problem solve and create. To believe that all of this can be achieved in a single, segregated classroom is misguided. To believe that this can happen without an "idea centre" is misguided. To believe that collaboration and equity among ALL school staff and teachers is critical to student acheivement is on the path to creating new centres of learning for our children. For our future.

I have had the pleasure of working with dozens of folks in school systems, and have learned a great deal about their constraints. Some of it resides in a lack of respect for non-teaching staff and an inability to think outside the proverbial "box". If no action is taken, school libraries and their potential for shaping the future educational outcomes of students will be eliminated. Entirely. If no effort is made then, perhaps, we deserve it.

What we have done in school libraries is simply not good enough and the proof lies in their pallid state. It is the responsibility of our ENTIRE COMMUNITY to fix this. It can start with you.

To solve the school library problem, we need people to think brilliantly and act courageously.

The Real Deal? Continuing Education Certification Project

In an era where "keeping up" has become part of daily life, the idea of certification to validate such efforts has increasing appeal. In May of 2011, the leaders of the Alberta pilot for a continuing education certification program announced that they were planning to expand the project to the national level.   The idea was spawned from the notion that the library community needed a way to document and articulate their continuous efforts in lifelong learning.  Following the lead of the Australian Library and Information Association‟s Continuing Professional Development Scheme , the Alberta pilot determined that their program must be flexible, inclusive, inexpensive, participant-centred, simple, and portable.  These are all very admirable guiding principles but it is deployment where success is critical.

A few concerns over this proposal spring to mind:

1. There is a recommendation in the April 2011 report (Document Reveal) "That the Certification program should be connected more closely with the Education Institute‟s offerings." While there is nothing wrong with supporting the efforts of the Education Institute, such a credentialling program needs to consider its relationship with other organizations and institutions that may offer continuing education opportunities. In doing so, the certification process can be more seamless and more inclusive. This would enhance the experience of the certification candidate by giving them a broader range of access and information about how they can utilize or find formal continuing educational opportunities.

2. Having read the report and participated in an information session at the Canadian Library Association conference in May 2011, I see no mention of an auditing process for certificate candidates. Candidates simply complete their shopping list of professional development activities, submit their paperwork and, having completed the necessary units of time, get "certified". Where is the enforcement? The authority of monitoring compliance?  ALIA's program has an audit process and while it only randomly examines 10% of participating members, there is still a process.  Indeed, even this process is lacking in that it is not likely to have parity with other professions where compliance and auditing is far more robust.  A brief scan of LISTA and Academic Premier databses suggests that there is room for more research into the effectiveness and perception of existing certification programs in the field.

3. Cost. The pilot project cost for participants was around the 30 dollar mark but presenters at the CLA conference admitted that they did not know how this cost actually relates to the cost of a nationwide program and whether this fee reflects any reality for a self-sustaining program. This is a HUGE concern. Presenters were unaware of a similar project, directed at only library support staff, in the United States. The Library Support Staff Certification Program is $350 for non ALA members and $325 for ALA members. Granted, the programs are not precisely the same, it is clear that the cost of a certification program are not insubstantial. If a program has high regard and benefits participants greatly, people will pay. However, if there is no audit process or anyone evaluating the quality and scope of professional development that is submitted, what value would a credential have?

4.  The respondents and particpants of the pilot project were fairly small samples with only 13 participants completing the final survey and only 56 participants in total.  The motivations for participant involvement could have been more fully investigated as this might help in our understanding of who participated and why.  In turn, this would aid in understanding participant comments more fully.  In addition, more work needs to be done with stakeholders who are positioned to encourage certification including employers, boards and educational instutions that educate and train library workers.  In this way, such a program can be more fully developed.

Certification suggests a certain level of professional expertise, with standard competencies at its core.  In the effort to make such a process attractive to library workers, there is a risk of diluting expectations to a point where the certifcation holds little tangible value.  While it is helpful for library professionals to document their professional development activities, from reading to formal coursework, certification must have clearly laid out competencies and standards and a review process that ensures candidates are meeting a minimum level of proficiency. 

In the end, is a cheap certificate of continuing education a satisfactory aid in documenting the maintanence and acquisition of professional competencies? Is this just one more avenue that library professionals can take or will it be a defining tool for the Canadian industry? This is where the measured reflections of those in the information profession are important and necessary. Investigate, consider and comment.

An ALA Experience - Washington D.C.

The American Library Association Annual Conference, 2010

There is nothing quite like attending a conference where thousands of library folk converge against the backdrop of a beautiful city. As I made my way between sessions and museums, I would play a little game of "guess who is a librarian?". The odds are very good when there are over 20, 000 registered attendees swarming the city.

This conference confirms my belief that only a small portion of any conference is about the sessions. There is, truly, only so much one can learn in a two hour session. On the other hand, there is a lot to be learned by chatting with other attendees, exhibitors, vendors and organizers. The most enlightening experiences seem to manifest from casual conversations where like-minded souls seek an opportunity to discuss their passions and interests. This is how I discovered that many of the feelings and disjointed ideas that circle within the confines of my own mind are actually shared by a variety of others.

This kind of experience inspires and rejuvenates in a way that cannot be easily duplicated through other forms of professional development. It is not so much about learning new content or theories as it is about learning to measure your own, personal experiences against the experience of complete strangers. Through this process it becomes quickly evident that the world is much like a house of mirrors, reflecting things in a variety of perspectives that will simultaneously amuse, disturb and surprise.

It was a delight to atttend a conference that is all about how to support the public's need for self-actualization in a city that symbolizes liberty and self-determination. All cynicism aside, it was amazing to attend sessions that explore concepts of intellectual freedom, literacy, and technology and then venture out into the oppressive heat to see the Library of Congress in all of its glory and explore the many Smithsonian museums, free of charge. As a humble Canadian, I could not help but feel envious of American patriotism. They celebrate their accomplishments with such pride and passion that, despite our own somewhat jaded views, is remarkable. Make no mistake, I noted many "interesting" interpretations of world history when it did not directly relate to American history. For example, an eager docent at one of the Smithsonian museums eagerly explained to his audience how "Canadians" burned down the White House and the Capitol buildings in 1812. It did not seem that important to mention that the British had a rather large role to play in that particular event...

Nevertheless, there is an enormous amount of history in D.C. that makes it a completely worthwhile place to visit. For library folk, it is a city that not only represents the aspiration of creating an informed citizenry but it also pays homage to early American visionaries and leaders who sought out ways to make this vision feasible. It is a place where you can examine early American documents and artifacts while weighing them against a modern picture of America. Above all, it is a city that has inspired this librarian to carefully reflect on the future role libraries.

While trying to squeeze in visits to every museum and monument along the National Mall, I struggled to balance my time at the ALA conference. I had plenty of opportunities to select my sessions in advance of the conference but I had no idea there was so much to do at the conference. The magnitude of the event was hard to envision beforehand, having been a regular at many smaller conferences. Yet, many of the session topics were not dissimilar to those seen at other venues. There were just more of them. For example, the general feeling was that we, as library workers, continue to devise new ways to make our institutions relevant. We struggle to integrate technological change in meaningful ways that are genuinely helpful to those we serve. It would be refreshing to have some open and controversial sessions on what we need to do better. Many of my colleagues have snidely remarked that library conferences tend to be about "what we did good in our library".

There is a notable absence of discussion on what we do not do well. Through my discussions with various librarians, it is clear that there are a great number of us who continue to be concerned about the division of labour in our workplaces and a lack of authentic leadership. For instance, it is unsettling to think that those revising our cataloguing standards do not seem to feel the need to consult with those who actually catalogue (national libraries aside). It may be that we are being "led" to a trough of new standards which few practitioners fully understand. Our field lacks a collective voice that has notable influence with our various governments. We rely heavily on our library members to defend our relevancy. Although this is critically important to the continuation of libraries, I wonder where our existing and upcoming library leaders are.

As intellectual property continues to gain importance as a commodity in the global marketplace, our position as knowledge builders must be clearly understood by policy makers. Historically, this work has been done by local and national library organizations. Those organizations are grappling with decreasing memberships. Who, then, will challenge the corporate machine? Who will ask the difficult questions? Who will defend our budgetary needs? For this reason, we need conferences to expand their offerings to examine these very large issues. Without such discourse, we remain ignorant and rudderless when we attempt to navigate our future.

The 2010 ALA Conference was a fantastic opportunity to intersect with a variety of very interesting people. It solidified several of my own perceptions about the field of practice, confirmed many suspicions, stimulated some some new ideas, taught me a thing or two about library processes and provided me with a unique opportunity to see a lovely city. The bizarre and, strangely, intriguing Drill Cart Competition will be forever burned into my mind. And, finally, there is nothing more fun than attending the Caldecott and Newberry Award banquet when you are a children`s librarian at heart.

Petty and trite as it seems, it is now fun to re-read Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol and think, "I saw that in person and there is just no way..."

"Paraprofessional" - A Dirty Word?

Ursala Delworth in an article entitled, "The paraprofessionals are coming!" from 1974 discusses the muddying waters of terminology in the use of professionals and a newly coined term "paraprofessionals". She describes paraprofessionals as:

persons who are selected, trained, and given responsibility for performing functions generally performed by professionals. They do not require the requisite education or credentials to be considered professionals in the field in which they are working, but they do perform tasks central to the function of the agency...*

In March of this year, Francine Fialkoff, editor in-chief for Library Journal discussed the issues around the paraprofessional label of non-MLIS library staff. She illustrates that the English definition of this term, as someone who is subsiduary or ancillary to roles posessessing more training or higher status, does not satisfy the description of what library staff do. Indeed, as Fialkoff points out, non-MLIS staff perform an array of tasks that need to be recognized and respected.+

Fear that giving library techncian and assistants a stronger title like "paralibrarian" further deprofessionalizes the field is, quite simply, misplaced. The incredible changes that libraries are experiencing as information becomes increasingly central to our culture and society, means that library staff are ALL seeing an increasing complexity to their work. Certainly, very few who use the services of libraries and other information centres make a distinction between a circulation assistant and a reference librarian. As a result, ALL library staff must behave in a manner that is in keeping with the professional and ethical philosophy of the profession. In order to build strong organizational cultures, library administrators need to focus on creating work environments that provide seamless service and opportunities for all staff to continually develop and grow.

Although libraries have existed for thousands of years in many forms, the modern field of librarianship does not have a long history. It is natural, then, to see the traditional views and roles of library work shift with the changing expectations that occur in and around the field. Our philosophy remains grounded in providing access to information for the purposes of knowledge building and this should provide us with the reassurance that changing the definitions relating to our roles and positions will, in all likelihood, enhance the profession. Enabling all library staff to see themselves as professionals by changing job titles and enhancing career development, strengthens the profession. Granted, the issue of salary then becomes part of the discussion. It is important to see that the limited resources that challenge our progress should not be the cause to fight internally, like hungry wolves, over limited budget allocations. Our energy needs to be turned outward to educate our communities about the services libraries provide and demonstrate that those services are performed by professionals who adhere to a set of core values and principles.

Allison Sloan, Library Journal's Paraprofessional of the Year, makes a poignant statement when she says:

Of course there is an important place in libraries for people who do not have an advanced degree but who want to pursue a library career...In Massachusetts we know that, and we call them 'paralibrarians.'**

Although used for over 40 years, the term "paraprofessional" no longer serves our field. It is time to embrace the diversity of our working environments by respecting both those with advanced degrees and those without. More importantly, it is important for library education programs to foster professionalism and life-long learning so that all library staff are prepared to carry out the complexities of their work with confidence. We are all professionals.

*Delworth, U. (1974). The paraprofessionals are coming!. Personnel & Guidance Journal, 53(4), 250. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

+ Fialkoff, F. (2010, March). Not Yet Equal. Library Journal, p. 8. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

**Berry III, J. (2010). ALLISON SLOAN. Library Journal, 135(4), 26-27. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Credentialling the Uncredentialled

According to the ALA's Standards for Accreditation of Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies, "Accreditation serves as a mechanism for quality assessment and quality enhancement with quality defined as the effective utilization of resources to achieve appropriate educational objectives and student learning outcomes." *

This got me thinking...(a risky business, to be sure).

I have been mulling over the current state of library technicians in terms of their standing in the field and the recognition (and often, lack of recognition) their qualifications garner. They are a large (and increasing) component of the library/information management workforce. In addition, the role of techs, like many other "para" professionals, has evolved over the last 30 years, with many positions becoming increasingly complex. Yet, in some long-standing organizations, their positions have been treated as nothing more than clerical in nature or in compensation.

There are other issues to consider, as well. For example, lifelong learning is a belief that is fully embraced by the profession and yet many technicians need more support and encouragement for upgrading their skills and knowledge. Additionally, there is an undercurrent of tension in the field between the role of technicians and full-fledged librarians. On yet another front, other professions that credential their members can find it difficult to understand how our field recognizes "professionalism" without accreditation.

Although a lack of certification does not mean that we can not perform our jobs (of course we can), it does offer some advantages that are worth consideration. Formal accreditation could:

- help to establish a foundation of professional competencies and expertise
- provide a consistent understanding of core skills through this baseline knowledge
- assist in clarifying the roles of technicians within the context of information work
- provide technicians with a clear need to engage in continuing education (and thereby get more financial support)
- help those who work with technicians but may belong to other professions identify with professional expectations that emerge from credentialling standards
- improve pay for technicians who are currently classified as "clerks" by demonstrating a highly specialized knowledge in their field (i.e. it is not a job that can be done by just anyone).

From the perspective of library techncian programs, meeting accreditation standards could be stressful. What if a program does not "measure up"? My experience suggests that the connotation tied to not meeting accreditation standards can help programs present a stronger case for securing funding and support from their parent institutions. For post-secondary institutions, losing accreditation is one of the most undesirable outcomes of a review. Quite simply, it is bad press. Thus, accreditation can not only assist in streamlining standards of education, it also has the potential to build more responsive and resilient programs.

These are just some possibilities worth further examination and discussion. The biggest drawback may be creating such a program. Credentialling library technicians needs to be an initiative embraced by those in the field. Certainly, Canada is well positioned to make this process a reality as we have a limited number of programs to coordinate.

It is an issue that warrants serious consideration. In 2011, I plan to tackle this topic more fully during my sabbatical. In the meantime, I encourage technicians to think about this option, talk about it with others, and voice their opinions.


Council of the American Library Association. (Jan. 2008). Standards for Accreditation of Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies.

Membership: it's all about engagement

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at the BCLA's Library Technician & Assistants Interest Group (LTAIG) regarding membership. Realizing that I was going to be presenting to the "converted", I thought long and hard about what membership really means.

In an era when memberships across the board are down and associations struggle to sell themselves, it is no surprise that they are thrown into the process of self-examination. Professionals are savvy consumers, too. Members no longer need to rely on a mail out newsletter and annual conferences to stay connected. Which brought me to some research on social networks. Social networks are nothing new. Abrams and Hogg in "Collective Identity" state:

"Since our private self is where we contain the knowledge of our attitudes, traits, feelings and behaviour, we must look at our collective self that contains our connections to associations, our affiliations and other groups. Our identity as individuals are bound to our perceptions of groups." (2006, 143)

This got me thinking... Essentially, seeing value in professional memberships means that we must have a personal connection to those associations in order for us to truly identify with that broader community. Yet, many of us struggle with this. In fact, paying an annual membership, getting the odd newsletter and knowing that work is being done on our behalf is just not enough for us to feel personally connected. As social networking "tools" like Facebook demonstrate, people see value in belonging to groups that relate to them on some emotional level. We identify ourselves with like-minded people - those who share our values, opinions and views - our families and friends.

How can this all tie into healthy associations?
Those organizations need to recognize the need for emotional involvement and build on it. This means that representation at a very local and personal level is likely to inspire more action and interest. It is not good enough for the Canadian Library Association to say it represents Canadian library staff. This is particularly true when there is no infrastructure to be inclusive of all regions and communities. In a country that is so geographically large and diverse, the challenge is immense. Although people may band together for specific causes that have impact (e.g. the Facebook group Fair Copyright for Canada), this level of activity is very situational.

Information work is about serving communities. Although, as information professionals, we may serve our clients virtually, the work we engage in is about people. These people exist in very real, very tangible communities that range from cities to farms to specialized organizations like hospitals and law firms. The diversity of who information professionals serve (a reflection of our national diversity) runs so deep, that the needs of one "neighbourhood" may not be that of another. It is at this microscopic level that membership begins. Being engaged with our immediate community is at the centre of information work.

It seems apparent, then, that for associations like BCLA to thrive, they must support and inspire members to become locally active. Diverse interest groups, chapters, and committees can be the framework on which members can cultivate their interests. If library staff feel that they have a real emotional connection with their colleagues, they are more likely to participate. If they are more likely to participate, the onerous task of managing groups becomes more readily shared among the membership. Why? Because they have a deeper sense of commitment and responsibility to those closest to them.

This sense of commitment and subsequent engagement, like that of civic responsibility, is something that must be anticipated as a student or fledgling in the profession. In other words, engagement begins as a student. Students are most likely to become involved if they anticipate participation. (Campbell, 2006, 161) Thus, it is part of the educational experience to cultivate this engagement. However, in order for this commitment to be lasting and effective, the associations that represent professionals must assist. Extensive activities that link educational organizations with associations becomes a critical factor in generating a committed membership.

Is this being done? Although some efforts are made, much more can be done. This is particularly true for library technicians and assistants. The constant struggle to keep LTAIG afloat with a strong membership suggests that there are problems with engagement. It seems, free membership as a student is simply not enough to create a highly active membership. Activities of associations must reach out to capture the interest and excitement of students who, generally, have an intense willingness to become engaged.

All of this comes back to the concept of social networks. Students need to be encouraged to build upon their social networks, within their own geographical contexts, to inspire a sense of belonging to their prospective professional associations. They need a connection like the ones shared with friends and family. They need to feel trust in committing their ideas to action. Having an arms length relationship with an association does not build in the level of kinship and trust needed to go beyond the passive roles of simply being identified as a "member" to a more assertive role of being an "active member".

If we build it, they will come - only if we enhance personal engagement. Thus, if the conferences, the newsletters, the websites, the committees and the interest groups do not connect emotionally with members, they will not, quite simply, stay members. To have a strong, healthy membership, our professional associations need to reach out out and "touch" their prospective members. Tap into the existing social networks.

Go to them.



Hogg, M. and D. Abrams. (2006). Collective identity: group membership and self-conception. in Self and social identity. Worchel and Coutant, eds. Malden: Blackwell, 143-181.

Campell, David. (2006). Why we vote: how schools and communities shape our civic life. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

In the Beginning....

As I venture into the blog scene, I wonder where it will take me. My hope was to create a place where LIBIT alumni and students could share their ideas. There is so much going on in the world of information - so much that most of us are unable to really keep up. However, we wouldn't be library folk if we didn't try!

So, as I sit in the semi-darkness, thinking about my career, my education, and my fantasy of winning the 649, I also wonder about the future of libraries. A colleague that worked for OCLC recently informed me that 69% of people surveyed from around the world picture books when they hear the word "library". Yet, are we not trying to brand ourselves as technologists, computer savvy and web friendly. Hmmmm....

I think we need to look at technology from a new angle. We have let it overtake most aspects of our lives yet we don't really kick back and think about the implications its influence has over our culture, our habits, our work, our environment, and even our education. Most people I talk with (and I don't just mean students) complain that they are "swamped", "run off their feet", "overwhelmed", and just plain "exhausted".

If we are so busy, where do we find time to enjoy a good read? Enjoy a good play? Conversations with friends over a glass of wine? I suspect many of us don't get enough of that richness that makes life something to savour. I know I feel constantly frustrated that I can't keep up, while wishing I could sink my soul into a delicious novel. It is a constant battle. A good friend of mine says that IT people refer to it as "change fatigue". I really like this term. If only I could put it to good use.

Where does this leave libraries, museums and, even, archives? We leave so little time for reflection and exploration. Are these institutions immune to our growing distractions? I fear that I have more questions than answers!