Comp B |Libraries & Info Institutes

Describe and compare different organizational

settings in which information professionals practice

Section A | Definition of Competency

Libraries are understood as the main organizational setting for the information professionals practice in spaces such as academic, public, school, and special libraries. The settings range from physical to virtual and are designed to meet the needs of their client/audience as implied by the library title. The Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (ODLIS) and the American Library Association (ALA) define these main types of library settings as well as build an understanding of the basic comparison regarding similarities and differences.

Academic Libraries

According to ALA academic libraries “serve colleges and universities, their students, staff and faculty. Because larger institutions may have several libraries on their campuses dedicated to serving particular schools … academic librarianship offers a great opportunity to utilize subject expertise” (ALA, 2021). Therefore, academic libraries are established in post-secondary institutions that serve members of the academic community. Information professionals in these institutions often provide service under specific subject areas in which they have additional expertise, for me this opportunity includes data science, community services and the arts. However, these services and clients occasionally blend into the local community because, some academic institutions offer library cards for public access, or are designed for blended service such the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Library. The MLK Library is a unique collaborative design between the institution and the San José community.

Public Libraries

ODLIS defines public libraries as a place and “system that provides unrestricted access to library resources and services free of charge to all the residents of a given community, district, or geographic region, supported wholly or in part by public funds” (Reitz, 2013). The client/audience for these libraries are the public, and similar to academic libraries in large municipalities some branches have specialized subject areas, like Toronto Public Library district branch, Lillian H. Smith. This district branch holds a special collection and librarians with expertise in science fiction and fantasy content and will be examined further as evidence for this competency.

School Libraries

ODLIS describes school libraries as an organizational setting “in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves the information needs of its students and the curriculum needs of its teachers and staff” (Reitz, 2013). Similarly, the academic library and school library serves students, educators, and staff, with a focus on educational needs. The public library is designed on a broader model of community needs and various library practice, and school libraries require librarians with a focus on grade level learners and thus materials for children and young adult readers, the main clients are young people.

Special Libraries

ALA explains special libraries as “places such as corporations, hospitals, the military, museums, law firms, advertising agencies, professional associations, private businesses, and the government” (ALA, 2021). Depending on the access of this space, public or usually private, the main audience for special libraries are adults with interests in a specific subject matter. These clients range from general information seekers to professionals and include volunteers. Further evidence on my study and volunteer work as an information professional in a music library as well as civil member in a government forum will be discussed to explain the characteristics of those special library spaces.

It is important to acknowledge these library spaces, academic, public, school, and special libraries similarly designed in a blended physical and digital appearance. However, there are many special libraries exclusively digital as discussed in evidence on the music library and open government forum. The key differences in these libraries are found in the type of informational professionals practicing in these spaces and the client/audience they serve as well as other characteristics of organizational structure, mission, and funding which will be highlighted further through competency B evidence.

Section B | Background to the Competency

Competency B is described and compared through different organizational settings in which information professionals practice by defining terms of competency as well as learning through courses and in recent practice. Course learnings including this competency in their syllabus are INFO 204 Information Professions and INFO 281 Community Partnerships, however the INFO 287 Digital Libraries project offers an example of understanding a digital music library environment. Four different libraries are compared in terms of differences and similarities in sections B to verify part of this competency.

The evidence in section C will present specific characteristics of three organizational settings regarding structure, mission, funding, audience/clients and personnel. It is important to note that, two examples of evidence appear as special libraries, however this type of organizational setting exists to categorize a growing information professional practice that is inconsistent in characteristics found common among public, school, and academic libraries, and therefore worth exploring as separate organizational settings.

Section C | Discussion of Evidence

204 |SWOT Analysis for Lillian H. Smith District Branch

Document Available to Academic Advisor Only

SWOT Analysis for Lillian H. Smith District Branch demonstrates the resources and services of a district public library branch regarding strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). This downtown Toronto Public Library (TPL) branch was built in 1922 as children’s library has made changes to align with the “population and overall public library goals, and efforts to redesign and adjust the library to those needs” (Buchanan, 2017). This library still includes a special collection of early childhood materials and has significantly expanded in audience to older youth and adult readers with a special collection in science fiction, speculation, and fantasy.

There are strengths that feature in this library that is consistent with a public district library that has more space for specialized collections as well as subject specific library practice compared to a local community branch. However, there are familiar designs in all locations regardless of size in organizational structure, including accessible features, proximity to public transit and technological services such as computers and WiFi. These features are influenced by the leadership of the public library board and the TPL mission is to provide “free and equitable access to services which meet the changing needs of Torontonians” (TPL, 2021). This overarching goal needs to be achieved through public funding as well and changes are made in balance with the budget. Therefore, designating special collections to certain branches with capacity, offering rotating services as well as digital programing and resources to assist with gaps.

287 | CJRU The Scope New Music Library Archive

https://medium.com/@kejobuchanan/digital-library-evaluation-cjru-9ec8f480bca5

Special libraries are often smaller scale in operation, especially at campus community radio stations where the library is virtual and built exclusive for staff and volunteer access. CJRU The Scope New Music Library Archive is managed by the music coordinator and the collection is built with assistance of additions from volunteers and staff. Staff and volunteers function as both personnel and clients of the internal access of the digital music library catalogue and onsite repository.

CJRU is a non-profit campus community station operated by Radio Ryerson Inc. that relies on student levy, grants, and donations for operational and administrative costs as well as volunteers to create original programming, online content and assist with other station efforts. One of CJRUs mandates is “to provide an opportunity for Ryerson [University] students and members of the Toronto community to… operate a radio station online” (CJRU, 2021). This relationship between the station and the university as well as the Toronto community forms the structure of board members for Radio Ryerson.

CJRU’s organizational structure has board members comparable to public libraries however the station is operating at only one physical location. Funding wise, both follow the same connection to the client/audience, public libraries rely mostly on the city or regional funding and serve the public, the station operates on mainly student levy and primarily serves the university community. There are occasions where libraries are exclusive to internal departments on behalf of the public and publicly funding, such as many government libraries.

MSF | Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Open Government

https://open.canada.ca/en/multi-stakeholder-forum-open-government

Government libraries are special libraries that are often physical spaces to support government staff in their work and publicly funded. However, there are digital organizational settings and repositories designed for public access, use and sharing, such as open data. Open Government Canada is staffed and managed by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat designed “to making government more accessible to everyone” (Open Government, 2021) through open data, information, and dialogue. The main audience for this digital library is the public, especially those with interests in researching and analysing data.

The Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) on Open Government is a civil advocacy space which “supports ongoing dialogue between government and Canadian civil society” (MSF, 2021). This organizational structure behind the digital library involves government administrative staff and influenced by recommendations from dialogue platforms such as the MSF. On the MSF, I am a civil member engaged through an information professional lens as my biography explains with intentions “to engage and support the national open government movement by offering accessible, sustainable and responsive guidance” (MSF, 2021). This position is voluntary and supports government personnel through dialogue and civic advocacy.

This structure and engagement differ from the music library experience that is more active and direct in collection development, the civil member indirectly influences the repository governance and is a possible client of that data. However, the open data collection is built on contributions from different government departments, so exclusively staff with public and civil member suggestions, and publicly funded. Though public libraries are funded similarly the clients are scaled for the local community and the Open Government is for the national public audience.

Section D | Conclusion

Competency B is satisfied through the descriptions and comparisons of different organizational settings in which information professionals practice, as well as specific characteristics highlighted in the evidence. Whether public library, music library or open government forum these spaces for this information professional are opportunities for community advocacy as well as creative and analytical practice.

Section E | References

ALA. (2021). Types of Libraries. American Library Association. Retrieved from https://www.ala.org/educationcareers/libcareers/type

Buchanan, K. (2020). CJRU The Scope New Music Library Archive. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/@kejobuchanan/digital-library-evaluation-cjru-9ec8f480bca5

Buchanan, K. (2017). SWOT Analysis for Lillian H. Smith District Branch [Unpublished assignment]. San José State University.

CJRU. (2021). Station Information. CRJU The Scope. Retrieved from https://www.cjru.ca/about/station-information/

Open Government. (2021). Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) on Open Government. Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Retrieved from https://open.canada.ca/en/multi-stakeholder-forum-open-government

Open Government. (2021). Open Government. Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. Retrieved from https://open.canada.ca/en

Reitz, J.M. (2013). ODLIS: Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science. ABC-CLIO. Retrieved from https://products.abc-clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_about.aspx

TPL. (2021).Mission, vision & values. Toronto Public library. Retrieved from https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/about-the-library/mission-vision-values/