Competency O

Statement of Competency

Introduction

The World Wide Web has truly grown into an interconnected network that spans the globe. People have more information at their fingertips than they can ever possibly hope to go through in one lifetime. The internet can also link people together instantaneously through chat rooms, direct messages, phone, and video calls. Never before has humanity been so closely knit together as one whole. These changes have had a profound impact on the information profession. The internet has enabled people to be brought into our arena of information. Gone are the days when a librarian would act as a gatekeeper to knowledge acquisition. We are now facilitators of information, teaching people how to help themselves to the vast array of information available. This is a good thing. As mentioned previously, the flood of information is too much for one person or even one profession to handle. The collaborative efforts to deal with this inundation are a welcome reprieve. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) represents libraries and their patrons in 150 different countries, bringing the profession together on the world stage allows librarians to join forces and share their experiences.

Viewing the information profession through a global perspective allows librarians to pull the best the world has to offer and use what they find at the local level (Holmquist, 2015, p. 374). This can have benefits for the culture, economic, educational, and social well-being of the library’s patrons. In order for librarians to “develop themselves as global information professionals and discover their potential (personally, socially, and professionally) within the global environment, information professionals must not only develop a dynamic personal learning network but also become active contributors in the global conversation about libraries, information services, information users, communities, and more” (Holmquist, 2015, p. 377). This network can help support cultural, economic, educational, and/or social well-being.

I am familiar with these concepts as the library where I work is quite culturally diverse. The majority of our patrons are Chinese American, Filipino American, and Latinx American. Our collection reflects the demographics of the community to better serve their information needs. We also have staff that speaks Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish to accommodate the English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers that visit our library. The economy has also become global in scope. Providing business professionals with the tools that they need to connect to the global marketplace and conduct their business is an essential part of library work. For half of Americans surveyed, being able to connect to the internet is a necessity, especially since Covid-19 forced many people to work remotely (Vogels et al., 2020). For example, my work has computers with internet access, scanners, a copier, printers, 3D printer, as well as Chromebooks and hotspots to check out. These resources aid patrons in conducting their business. This similarly helps people with educational needs or aspirations. Furthermore, some organizations support Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as a collaborative learning environment that includes people worldwide in their instruction (Holmquist, 2015, p. 375). These approaches to bringing information from out in the world into the local library have helped meet people’s diverse interests, information needs, and developmental needs.

Evidence

Conclusion

One of my life goals is to travel the world as much as possible. So far, I have visited six countries and most states in America. I love learning about different cultures, histories, and cuisines from all over the globe. Also, I enjoy that in libraries you can meet a variety of people. I try my best to be welcoming, inclusive, and accepting of all the people I meet both in and outside of my profession. I try to foster these connections as much as possible. In addition to libraries being a technological hub where folks can connect globally online, I also enjoy the variety of people that patron the library.

References

Holmquist, J. (2015). Global learning networks. In Hirsh, S. (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (pp. 374-380). Lanham, MD: Rowan & Littlefield.

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (2019, December 10). More about IFLA. Retrieved April 19, 2021, from https://www.ifla.org/about/more

Vogels, E. A., Perrin, A., Rainie, L., & Anderson, M. (2020, April 30). 53% of Americans say the internet has been essential during the COVID-19 outbreak. Pew Research. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2020/04/30/53-of-americans-say-the-internet-has-been-essential-during-the-covid-19-outbreak/