Embedded Files
Describe and compare different organizational settings in which information professionals practice.
Describe and compare different organizational settings in which information professionals practice.
Introduction
Introduction
Information professionals work in a wide array of institutions and environments, and there is a myriad of career pathways available to choose from. Other than public librarianship, information professionals can pursue a career in various forms of librarianship such as academic, school, and special. There are also careers that are more focused on serving communities and organizations that are focused heavily on technology and require professionals working in areas including data science, digital curation, and digital services (San José State University, n.d.). No matter where information professionals work or what career pathway they choose, they all have one thing in common – to serve the information needs of their customers.
Explication
Explication
Public Libraries
Public libraries are the cornerstones of strong communities. Out of all of the information institutions and organizations, many people are most familiar with public libraries. However, those who have not recently visited a library may be surprised to see what libraries look like in the 21st century. Over the past couple of decades, public libraries have transformed themselves into becoming more than institutions of books and learning. They are now places of community participation, connection, and innovation (Freudenberger, 2022). As their communities changed, so did the needs of their community members. While these libraries will always be institutions for lifelong learning, as community hubs, they now provide an assortment of services and resources supporting their communities in various areas such as civic engagement, job development, health and wellness, youth services, as well as equitable access to information, technology, and learning.
There are a few features that set public libraries apart from other libraries and information institutions. The one obvious feature is the people that they serve, their customers. Public libraries serve the public. People of all backgrounds in their local community use their facilities, resources, and services. Because the needs of any given community can be vast and diverse, public libraries have to establish comprehensive goals. These goals are often highlighted in their mission statements.
Mission statements across information institutions reflect their services to their customers and will consist of different goals and values. However, among public libraries, many of the core goals are similar. For instance, San José Public Library’s (n.d.) Mission & Vision statements affirm their purpose and how they will serve their users, such as protecting their rights, promoting lifelong learning, providing resources and services that support diverse communities, and expanding access to information. These statements provide a wide assortment of the library’s commitment to its community.
Funding is another feature of public libraries that is different from other information institutions. “Public libraries are funded in many ways. Some are departments of municipalities and receive an allocation as part of the larger municipal budget. Others can bring budget referendums to the public, so people can vote on the level of funding a library receives. And some libraries rely on private trusts or bequeaths for operations” (Freudenberger, 2022, p. 122). An example of the different sources of funds can be found in San José Public Library’s (2021) Budget Update which provides details on the different sources of funding, such as the general fund, library parcel tax, and gift trust fund, among others.
Special Libraries
Special libraries (also known as information centers or knowledge resource centers) are libraries that focus their collection on specific subjects and support the unique needs of a particular organization or group of customers. Because these libraries are not generally accessible to or utilized by the public, many people are not familiar with these institutions (Megaridis et al., 2022). Examples of special libraries include medical libraries, business libraries, law libraries, and cultural information and resource centers. Information professionals following the special librarianship career pathway may work for a variety of institutions such as companies, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, museums, and hospitals. As a result, they become experts in the field.
Stanford University’s (n.d.-a) Lane Medical Library is one of twenty-four libraries that is part of their university. Unlike public libraries, the clientele of this institution is specific. Medical library users can be physicians, medical students, patients, researchers, specialists, or consumers looking for information regarding different medical subjects, namely clinical medicine, biomedical, and public health. Users are looking for journal articles, books, medical guides, and other resources that are typically not held in public institutions.
Because each institution’s purpose is linked to who they serve, the differences in clientele will alter the focus of an institution’s mission and goals. Lane Medical Library’s mission states that it “accelerates scientific discovery, clinical care, medical education and humanities through teaching, collaboration, and delivery of biomedical and historical resources” (Stanford University, n.d.-a, para. 1). While both public libraries and medical libraries foster access to information and expanding knowledge in their mission statements, public libraries have broad collections covering many subjects, interests, and needs, and medical libraries cater to specialized information needs of their users.
Funding for special libraries originates from their parent organizations. In the case of Lane Medical Library, it is Stanford University in the form of an endowment that comes from charitable donations. Payouts from the endowment support various university functions, including salaries, research, student services, and financial aid, and their libraries (Stanford University, n.d.-b).
Digital Libraries & Services
Technology has rapidly evolved over the past few decades, as a result, methods of providing and accessing information have changed. Libraries services are moving away from analog environments and becoming more digital, giving way to online databases and collections. Digital libraries (also referred to as online libraries) “encompass a wide range of materials, from books to representations of three-dimensional artifacts. The content is either created digitally or converted from a variety of analog sources through digitization” (Xie & Matusiak, 2016, p. 1). Due to their nature, digital libraries eliminate physical barriers to information. Users can easily access various digital objects and media forms, such as books, documents, images, audio, and video. Digital libraries can be part of a physical library or exist as standalone online libraries. An example is the Digital Public Library of America, which contains a collection of over 46 million digital items. Information professionals who work with digital libraries perform similar duties as traditional libraries except in a digital environment.
Unlike public libraries and other information institutions, digital libraries don’t serve one particular or local community in person, which affects various aspects of how they operate. In terms of customers, they serve anyone who has access to a computer and internet. While both public and digital libraries are advocates of learning, their missions are distinct. Public libraries are focused and serving multiple needs, and digital libraries concentrate purely on maximizing access to information through online, digital resources and collections. Funding can vary from one digital library to another. A digital library like the Digital Public Library of America relies on partnerships and donations to support their operations (Digital Public Library of America, n.d.).
Evidence
INFO 204 - Information Professions: Professional Development Essay
In INFO 204, I learned about the similarities and differences between the various information institutions and organizations and the different career pathways available within the field of LIS and beyond public librarianship. For the Professional Development Essay, I was required to discuss some of the transferable LIS competencies, look at potential future career opportunities, and identify what skills and knowledge I would have to develop to fulfill the particular career requirements.
Going into my MLIS, I initially considered going into the public librarianship pathway. After reviewing job listings and participating in INFO 204, I discovered multiple possible pathways, such as archives and special collections. This assignment enhanced my understanding of both technical and non-technical skills – some of which aligned with the transferable LIS competencies.
While creating a strategic plan for our final group project, my teammates and I evaluated all of the organizational aspects of the Sonoma County Library that were available to us. In preparation for the main part of the project, our team split up into pairs and did some research. Some looked into the history, and others searched for organization information like the mission and goals, budget, policies and procedures, and previous strategic plans. My partner and I were responsible for researching the products and services offered. We all participated in evaluating the resources we found before selecting parts of the library’s services to focus on for our strategic plan. I learned about how public libraries are structured and operated from this assignment. My primary roles in this group were notetaker and information seeker. I also aided in the analysis of the information we found.
INFO 232 - Issues in Public Libraries: Library Walkabout
One of the earliest assignments I completed for INFO 232 was a Library Walkabout. The assignment required me to visit a nearby public library and provide a comprehensive assessment of the library using various criteria. The assessment included examining not just the physical location but the layout of the library’s facilities and all of the available resources and services. I also observed how the librarians and staff worked and interacted with the customers. This assignment taught me how to look at a public library not just as a library user but as someone coming from a LIS professional perspective who is aware of all of the key features that set public libraries apart from other information institutions.
Conclusion
Conclusion
No matter what form libraries and information centers take, or which career paths information professionals pursue, each one plays a significant role in providing access to information to their users and fulfilling the missions and goals set by their respective organizations. Before taking this program, my view on information professions was limited. Like many, I originally associated LIS careers with public, academic, and school librarianship, the most known pathways. From this program, I have gained a better understanding of how diverse opportunities are for information professionals and the various environments in which they work.
References
Digital Public Library of America. (n.d.-a). About us. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from
Digital Public Library of America. (n.d.-b). Funders. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from
Freudenberger, E. (2022). Community anchors for lifelong learning. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services
today: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 113–126). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Megaridis, C. S., Marcus, C., King, B., Drabik, M., & Lynn, D. (2022). Different Information Environments.
In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 127–141). Rowman &
Littlefield Publishers.
San José Public Library. (2021, January 20). Budget update.
https://www.sjpl.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/Budget%20Update_LEC%20January%202021.pdf
San José Public Library. (n.d.). Mission & vision. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from
https://www.sjpl.org/mission#:%7E:text=Mission%20Statement,array%20of%20ideas%20and%
San José State University. (n.d.). MLIS career pathways. SJSU School of Information. Retrieved September
8, 2022, from https://ischool.sjsu.edu/mlis-career-pathways
Stanford University. (n.d.-a). About Lane Library. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from
https://lane.stanford.edu/about/about.html
Stanford University. (n.d.-b). Finances. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from
https://facts.stanford.edu/administration/finances/
Xie, I., & Matusiak, K. (2016). Discover digital libraries: Theory and practice (1st ed.). Elsevier Science.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse