Currently, in the midst of controversy for net neutrality, I find the library profession increasingly important and relevant, which seeks to provide unbiased, equal access to information to the public. As a result, my first-hand experience with high school students in the school library during the 2016 Presidential election, I demonstrate my ability to promote ethics and values of this profession. In contrast, my experience working as a volunteer in Guatemala for Librarians Without Borders last spring provides a challenging opportunity for me to see first-hand what a library system can look like when intellectual freedom is scarce and limited.
Justification of the Evidence
Evidence #1: Teaching high school students how to respond to the 2016 Presidential Election
Weeks before the November of 2016, many high school students were beginning to inquire about my intention to vote and who I might be voting for come election day. I wrote a research paper on the ethical challenges of intellectual freedom that surfaced especially as students engaged with technology and research. In addition, I had the opportunity to explore and utilize infographics to address this issue. Through this experience as a teacher-librarian, I directed students to a popular infographic where news sources may fall on a spectrum from left to right wing politics, ranging from sensational to analytical information. As the school librarian at the time, I reflect and evaluate my hesitancy to give my personal opinion to students since I did not want to sway their own process, especially as minors. As I review that period, this circumstance advances my ability to discern what to disclose to my students and demonstrates how I could steer them to fair resources that helps them to come to their own conclusion.
Evidence #2: Volunteering in Guatemala through LWB
In my short-term service trip last spring to Guatemala I served as a library volunteer through Librarians Without Borders, I assisted with the collection development aspect of the project. In addition to this task, I observed local public libraries in the region we stayed, where I reflect on information access for all. During these few weeks, I visited the public library system in Guatemala with an entirely different library circulation system that limits library material by request only without a card catalog or public database open to the public. In this excursion, I collected information as the head librarian describes their system. Patrons do not browse material themselves but request for the librarian to find what they need. As I reflect on the importance of intellectual freedom at the core of the information profession, this experience helped me appreciate the immense privilege I have to access information and to use database tools to maximize my search that was not offered in this country.
Conclusion
Fortunately, I live in a country where intellectual freedom is intrinsic to citizenship and an important core value to not only librarianship but to society. I also believe Librarians Without Borders represents this value, so I plan to continue supporting organizations like them and IFLA(International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) by remaining an active member. In addition as I continue to grow in the information profession as a mindful and globally conscious librarian, I will collect a list of resources(as electronic handouts) about how to evaluate news and popular sources that I can disperse to students and patrons.