Competency O

Core Competency O: Identify ways in which information professionals can contribute to the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of our global communities.

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Introduction:

When living and working in one area, city, or community for many years, it can be easy to forget about the wider environment beyond our normal boundaries. However, with the advent of technologies that lead to an increasingly connected world, it has become necessary for librarians and information professionals to be aware of and participate in their global communities.

Impact of New Technologies:

With the rise in Internet use all around the world, and the advancement of information and communication technologies (ICTs), it is easier than it ever has been for people to be globally connected. The Internet and ICTs are often highlighted as the tools that will help to equalize information access in all parts of the world. Making information access available to all is a vital component in improving many aspects of global communities. Easier access to information means easier access to educational materials, which often leads to a trickle-down effect: Improved education among the populace allows people to contribute more to their community’s economy and society (Haycock & Sheldon, 2008). The Internet and ICTs can also help to strengthen a community’s culture by preserving cultural materials or texts for future generations to access.

Fortunately, more and more libraries and information centers are being implemented in global communities where they did not exist before; giving information professionals many opportunities to expand their professional horizons on a global scale. Libraries and information centers play an important role in increasing access to the Internet and ICTs, often being the only places where people (especially underserved populations) can access these technologies freely. Information professionals are needed to assist users in evaluating and using these technologies, especially in areas where such technology has not been seen before (Haycock & Sheldon, 2008). In an age were information overload is common, information professionals are also needed in these environments to act as “trained intermediaries” who help connect the information needs of the populace with the information that is available (Haycock & Sheldon, 2008).

Being an Information Professional in a Global Community:

Working in international information centers is the most obvious way that information professionals can contribute to and participate in their global communities. However, participating in global communities involves much more than just that. Being an information professional in a global community means “embracing the value of ideas, knowledge, and projects in the information world outside one’s own community” (Hirsh, 2015, p 374). This includes being aware of international standards for the provision of information services. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), for example, provides numerous international guidelines and standards that information professionals can reference in their work.

Participating in the global community also requires one to have an open mind towards how information professionals perform work in other countries. Living in more modernized countries (such as America) where the level of technology is high may often give one the false impression that “their way” of doing things is the correct or best way. However, it is important to remain humble and appreciate the ways that libraries function in other countries. Information professionals should also strive to be respectful of the culture, customs, and languages of other countries—as this often influences the ways in which global populations use libraries. An understanding of these topics is required if information professionals wish to form meaningful partnerships with global libraries.

Information professionals can further contribute to global communities by increasing global awareness in their local communities. Increasing global awareness helps to create communities that are more appreciative of global cultures and customs, which leads to more culturally competent individuals. This is important in a climate where people are increasingly being asked to work with international individuals. Increasing global awareness in local communities can be accomplished by devising programs which celebrate diversity, increasing the number of multicultural and multilingual materials in the library’s collection, and promoting public awareness of global resources at the library (Haycock & Sheldon, 2008).

Coursework/Experience that Prepared Me for this Competency:

I have had experience all throughout my life in considering issues from a global perspective. As a Vietnamese-American person, I was often aware of the customs and practices of people in Vietnam and parts of Asia. However, Info 281-14 (Examination of Global Library Issues Using Project Based Learning) was the class that was I felt was most beneficial to me for this particular competency. Although I had learned about international/global library issues before this class, Info 281-14 really made me seriously consider what it means to contribute to global communities as an information professional.

References:

Haycock, K., & Sheldon, B. E. (Eds.) (2008). The portable MLIS: Insights from the experts. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

Hirsh, S. (Ed.). (2015). Information services today: An introduction. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

Evidence:

1. Info 281-14 Persona Sketch Assignment of a Mayan Ixil Youth

My first piece of evidence to show my mastery of competency O is a persona sketch assignment from Info 281-14 (Examination of Global Library Issues Using Project Based Learning). This assignment was intended to help us reflect on the foundational readings that were assigned to us in Info 281-14. The readings covered Guatemalan culture, history, and libraries. For this assignment, we were tasked with creating a persona sketch of a possible stakeholder for a Guatemalan library. I chose to create a persona of a Mayan Ixil youth, and I named her Josefina. I created a detailed (fictional) account of a typical day for Josefina, including her chores, school experience, and library use. At the end of the paper, I provided a brief statement of philosophy on how I would approach global librarianship.

Creating this persona required me to carefully synthesize all of the background materials I had read on Guatemalan history, lifestyle, and culture. In my paper, I addressed the many barriers to learning that Josefina might face due to her gender and family situation. This establishes my understanding of what life as an indigenous Mayan Ixil (female) youth might be like in Guatemalan society. When I was completing this assignment, I also made an effort to avoid inserting heavily Western perspectives into my work. I highlighted the achievements that Guatemala had made in supporting education and endorsing indigenous cultures; rather than focusing on what Guatemala “lacked” in comparison to Western countries. My statement of philosophy also establishes my understanding of global library partnerships as a relationship in which both libraries learn from each other. I submit this piece of evidence towards competency O to demonstrate my ability to consider the cultural, economic, educational, and social issues that are present in Guatemala. This piece of evidence also displays my respect towards the language and culture of an indigenous population (the Maya Ixil people).

The entire persona sketch assignment can be found as an MS Word document below.

2. Info 281-14 Solution Pathway Analysis

My second piece of evidence is another assignment from Info 281-14 (Examination of Global Library Issues Using Project Based Learning). By the time of this assignment, the class had been divided into teams and we were all working on solving some of the problems that were present in Guatemalan libraries. My team was responsible for finding methods of developing Guatemalan library collections with a small/non-existent budget. For this assignment specifically, we were asked to individually analyze one of the solution pathways proposed by our team. I chose to analyze my team’s suggestion to add e-reading devices to Guatemalan libraries.

In my paper, I had to carefully weigh the benefits against the drawbacks in implementing e-reading devices. E-reading devices would provide a platform for more indigenous materials to be published, but the culture surrounding library use in Guatemala had to be taken into account. Libraries in Guatemala do not function the same way that libraries do in America. I listed several examples in my paper explaining why the implementation of e-reading devices would be difficult for this reason. In my paper, I also described my concerns of a solution-pathway where we simply gave e-reading devices to Guatemalan libraries. Doing so would be no different than engaging in charity; which would put American and Guatemalan information professionals on unequal terms. I submit this assignment as evidence towards competency O because it demonstrates my ability to respectfully consider an LIS-related issue on an international scale.

The completed assignment can be found as an MS Word document below.

3. Info 281-14 Final Team White Paper on a Guatemalan Library Issue

My final piece of evidence is a team project, also from Info 281-14. This team project was the culmination of the work and research we completed throughout the entirety of Info 281-14. In the final document that we created, we outlined a series of solution pathways that Guatemalan libraries could use in developing a library collection on a low or non-existent budget. This document also included a section providing relevant background information on Guatemala, as well as a section describing our methodology. The responsibilities of all team members are described in detail on page 40 of the document, but to summarize, I was specifically responsible for the entire background section of the document (Section C).

In the background section of the document, I described what education was like for most individuals living in Guatemala. I then went on to describe what libraries in Guatemala were like, and the organizations that have donated to Guatemalan libraries. When I described the libraries in Guatemala, I made a special mention to the Saber Sin Límites Library and the school library of the Miguel Angel Asturias Academy. These libraries were fairly unique in Guatemala in that they made great efforts to promote literacy, learning, and indigenous cultures. This section demonstrates my appreciation of the professional work and efforts being conducted in these Guatemalan libraries despite many challenges.

Although I was specifically responsible for writing up only one section of the document, we all participated as a team in conducting and sharing background research, devising solution pathways, and creating and editing the document. This entire document demonstrates our ability to consider the problem of collection development in Guatemala by using our knowledge of the culture and history of Guatemala. It also demonstrates our ability to apply international standards within the area of collection development. Finally, it demonstrates a way in which we, as information professionals, can contribute to a global community. For all of these reasons, I submit this piece of evidence to prove my mastery of competency O.

To protect the privacy of my teammates, I am only including my section of the team project that I was personally responsible for. This section can be found in the MS Word document below.

Conclusion:

For information professionals, participating in and contributing to global communities may seem like a daunting task. However, as I have already outlined in the introduction section above, it is not as challenging as it may appear. In my future professional work, I plan to advocate for the development of more library programs that promote an awareness and appreciation of international cultures. I also plan to participate in international library conferences, if possible. It is only by being aware of the wider global environment that we can form global connections between libraries.