Competency Description and Scope:

Libraries have different names, formats, and qualities, but I will discuss of the three types listed on the ALA and SJSU websites, as well as the archives field. In general, a library is made to keep information safe, collect it, and make it available. Most libraries also have a catalog that lists the items they have so that users or researchers can find what they want.  However, it is difficult to provide a fundamental overview of a role or title because it has progressively changed over the past century. There also tends to be an overlap of duties between archives and libraries, but they have distinct goals, so it's crucial to know the differences, which will be discussed below. As information professionals, we may have the chance to work in any of these settings, so I think it's important to know how they are different. This helps us understand the specific needs that come from the library's mission, users, governance, and services.

Public Libraries

On the ALA website, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) defines a public library as one that serves a specific community, district, or area and offers the following services to its patrons: 1) a structured collection of printed or other resources; 2) a paid staff; 3) personnel availability with a set timetable; 4) support facilities; and 5) backed by local taxes and special government funds. Public libraries continue to serve as educational and informational hubs, giving free access to citizens of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. Several public libraries have collections that show the history and make-up of the communities they serve too. For instance, Orange County Public Libraries (OCPL) has a historical committee, of which I was a member, and a dedicated website where people and organizations that desire to share their community's heritage with the public may contribute to the collection with a noted contribution (https://www.ocpl.org/ocstories).In Rancho Cucamonga's Paul A. Biane Library, the have a local history room has books, records, photos, and artifacts (https://calisphere.org/institution/104/collections/). Access to huge collections of the world's literature and knowledge, including the community's own literature, is a unique and fundamental role of the public library. Thus, the purpose of public libraries is to address or answer the needs of their communities by collecting and making accessible a range of types of information.

Academic Libraries

Academic libraries support the educational and research requirements of professors, students, and researchers at associated institutions. Depending on the institution and function, university libraries offer the following standard services: 1) assisting institutions and advising them on curricula, research, and classroom activities; and 2) assisting students with research and instructing them on how to obtain necessary information for their assignments; 3) developing databases or LibGuides of library resources that are user-friendly and discoverable; 4) arranging library materials so they are readily accessible; 5) raising awareness of information literacy; 6) consulting with professors and supporting them. The size, resources, collections, and services of academic libraries vary significantly. In most instances, access to academic libraries is limited to students, faculty, and staff. However, some libraries do allow the general public to utilize their resources for a minimal fee.

Special Libraries

Librarians are increasingly using their experience and skill set in non-library settings in the 21st century. Many special librarians or information experts now have work titles that include the phrase "special librarian." In this context, the word "special" refers to businesses, hospitals, the military, museums, law firms, advertising agencies, professional organizations, private corporations, and the government. These libraries identify and acquire important documents and sources and provide current data. Special libraries are described in the Special Libraries Organization Bylaws, Article II, as "library or information center maintained by an individual, corporation, association, government agency, or any other group" or "a specialized departmental collection within a library" (Special Libraries Association, 1995). However, special libraries provide many of the same basic services as academic libraries with an emphasis is on the main or parent organization.

Archives

Both in what they do and how they do it, libraries and archives serve different kinds of people. The purpose of an archive is to gather all of an organization's history or social movement's history, or it may only seek to capture one aspect of history. Whereas libraries maintain a principle of gradual and developing collection expansion. For archives, documents, artifacts, and other items are often hand-selected and stored in secure rooms to retain a permanent record of their history, such as when they were used or seen, and whatever else occurred with them to preserve their condition. Archives normally do not allow their records to be accessed by the general public. They are accessible in non-public places, often by appointment, or via a protected display in public spaces. The primary focus of archives is often research and documentation of history for an accurate timeline.

The ALA's dictionary defines "archivist" as 1) a person in charge of an archive repository and 2) a person accountable for any of the archive responsibilities, including accessioning, appraisal, organization, description, disposal, exhibition, preservation, and reference services (Levine-Clark and Carter, 2013, p. 15). For the archivist, this work requires careful inspection and tedious data recording, often item by item, to get the most accurate picture of the past. I have also observed through my coursework that the archival profession is evolving in a manner similar to that of the reference librarian, where technological improvements have begun to influence the core tasks and responsibilities of archives management.

Importance to the Profession:

There is a growing need for information professionals, and the BLS predicts a 6% increase in job openings for those with library science degrees between 2021 and 2031. Although the types of institutions mentioned above are not the entirety of where one can take their career, I wanted to note a reasonably good understanding of the huge diversity of environments in which information professionals may find themselves during the course of their careers. The fundamental premise is that our abilities are transferable and can be used in a variety of occupations. This competency has helped me as a prospective graduate to pay attention to my audience, my community, and the strategic strategy for the institution I am a part of. It's crucial to know your users, the library's goal and purpose, and collection development.

Preparation to Understand Competency B

While libraries are similar in that they are hubs for services, resources, activities, and programs, the nature of the environment is affected by the materials, information, and community served. LaBaugh (2008), for example, focuses on the historical and present advising functions of librarians, noting that, like consultants, librarians act as counselors who assist “clients define basic problems and establish strategies for dealing with those problems.” Cheney (2004) discusses the role of librarians in creating and developing problem-based learning courses in general terms. For me, exploring the sorts of institutions out there will helped me comprehend the staff positions and their impact on the community. So far, to meet competency B, I have described the three types of libraries that the ALA recognizes, and talked about how important it is to be able to draw parallels between the different types of organizations where information professionals work. As a library assistant, I had the chance to learn about the public library. I was able to evaluate collections, host programs, and even work on committees that planned outreach events. I was also fortunate enough to get a job as a library technician at a community college, where I work now. I am in charge of making the music collection, which used to be in closed stacks, discoverable. Both have shown me how different the communities as a whole are and how different the jobs are.

To meet competency B, my evidentiary objects convey about the different fields where information professionals work, describe in detail the three types of libraries that the American Library Association (ALA) recognizes, and talk about how important it is to be able to draw parallels between the different types of organizations where information professionals work. I have been fortunate enough to experience the public library as a library assistant where I was able to evaluate collections, host programs, and even join committees that prepared outreach activities. I was also fortunate enough to be library technician at a community college, where I am currently, where I am in charge transforming the used to be closed stacks music collection into a discoverable open area. Both have given me opportunities to understand how different the communities are as a whole and the duties. My evidence will demonstrate my observations, my involvement, and the growth that both my education and professional experience complimented one another. My evidence will demonstrate my observations, my involvement, and how my education and professional experience have contributed to my progress.