My area of specialization is Public Libraries and my career goals are to continue working in public libraries. When I started the Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) program, I already had nearly a decade of experience working in public libraries, but I had a desire to earn more money and wanted to advance my career. The Pioneer Library System administration advocated that to advance I would need to complete my Bachelor’s degree and preferably get the MLIS degree. I loved working in the library and having the ability to impact people’s lives through my service. It was these experiences that drew me to the program.
Being a librarian, public or otherwise, is completely about service. Without a community to serve, we have no job. Plain and simple. Now the question becomes, how does that translate into a professional philosophy?
My philosophy about working in public libraries is about service to the community. In that, I believe in the importance of treating everyone with dignity, kindness, and respect; understanding that everyone comes to the table with their own unique skills, experiences, and perspectives; and that the library is that place that provides access to information that they might not otherwise. Almost the entire purpose of the library is to be the physical manifestation of intellectual freedom. Absent of that, it is not a public service.
This philosophy is the foundation of my four personal learning goals --
To learn and understand the core values and principles of the library and information professions.
Develop deeper understanding of information resources and information organization.
Increase reference and user services skills.
To gain the knowledge and skills to be a successful librarian and public servant.
I based these goals on a combination of the ALA Core Competences of Librarianship, the MLIS Program Goal and Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes, my experience in and out of libraries, and my core values.
To that end, a philosophy is based on core values. There is a practice at Columbia Business School that requires all students in the first week of the program to think about their core values, pick their five core values, and rank them (Yang, 2025). In other words, create a Top 5 Core Values list. When I heard Adam Galinsky, the Paul Calello Professor of Leadership and Ethics and a Vice Dean at Columbia Business School (Adam Galinsky, n.d.), discuss this on an episode of the Andrew Yang Podcast, I knew that I had to give it a go. Here is what I came up with,
Top 5 Core Values
Kindness
Compassion
Fairness
Humility
Service
Honorable Mention: Sincerity
These core values are at the heart of everything I do. From being a father to being a friend, from being a husband to being a co-worker, from being a customer to being the person working in customer service, I do my best to do everything through kindness, compassion, fairness, humility, and service. Obviously, I am not always successful, but I try.
My philosophy, professional or otherwise, is a manifestation of these core values. I endeavor to treat everyone with kindness and compassion, to be fair and mindful of others’ situations, feelings, and experiences, to be humble, and to live a life in service of others.
Through this program, I have worked to achieve my personal learning goals so I can do my best to live up to this philosophy. I have developed a better understanding of multiple areas in the field including the history of libraries (Goal 1: To learn and understand the core values and principles of the library and information professions), library management (Goal 4: To gain the knowledge and skills to be a successful librarian and public servant), cataloging and information organization (Goal 2: Develop deeper understanding of information resources and information organization), information literacy, behaviors, and practices (Goal 3: Increase reference and user services skills), and the theoretical and academic perspectives on information, knowledge, and data (all four), just to name a few. The knowledge that I have gained in the program has had an impact on the direction I want to take my career and given me the tools to do my best to try to be worthy of my philosophy.
I believe that libraries, especially public libraries, ultimately exist to serve their communities. The most important aspect of that service is providing free, nearly unfettered, access to information, otherwise known as intellectual freedom. It is this philosophy that ensures that libraries are an impartial steward of information. As stewards, libraries and librarians have a responsibility to help their communities understand and navigate the modern information landscape. Finally, and most importantly, libraries are for everyone.
Adam Galinsky. (n.d.). Adam Galinsky. Retrieved April 22, 2025, from https://adamgalinsky.com/
Yang, A. (Host). (2025, February 10). The psychology of great leadership – Common mistakes and how to fix them [Video podcast episode]. In Andrew Yang podcast. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfd_eWwNImA