We are not defined by our tools
Librarianship is as vital as ever, and computers are why
Librarians have a hard enough time pushing back against the widespread misconception that the internet age has diminished their relevance. It’s especially dismaying to me to see librarians who buy into a fundamental misunderstanding about what libraries are for.
Libraries exist to provide access to information (and depending on the community they serve, usually recreation as well). Libraries historically arose in an age when books were the primary means by which information was transmitted, but it’s a mistake to see the mission of libraries as inherently tied to books. Libraries have always evolved in response to new media and new patron needs. The consistent ethos of librarianship is to create systems that effectively and efficiently meet those needs, and that mission is as relevant today as it has ever been.
I was thinking about this issue after I saw a post on the Hiring Librarians blog, which collects survey responses from library managers about the hiring process for the benefit of job seekers in the profession. The survey ends with the provocative question “Is librarianship a dying profession?”
While I share the anonymous respondent’s concerns about outsourced cataloging and collection development, that first line really touches a nerve with me.
To be blunt, new librarians can’t function without a computer, because in most cases any other method of functioning would be absurd. Computers are the most powerful tool ever designed for the practice of librarianship, and every librarian ought to focus on maximizing his or her proficiency in using them. I work at a library for rare books and manuscripts, and I certainly use printed sources on a regular basis, but even in that exceptional environment the overwhelming majority of the work I do is done on a computer. It would be crazy if it were any other way. If I were to fetishize the use of printed books (and don’t get me wrong, I love printed books — it’s why I have the job I do) over computers to do my job of helping the researchers who come here, I’d be failing as a librarian.
Above I said that librarianship is as vital as ever, and I mean that in both senses of the word — essential, and full of life. It’s essential because the universe of information is expanding at a greater rate than at any time in human history. It’s full of life because the profession is rich with people passionately dedicated to serving as guides to that vast universe, people who work tirelessly at sharpening their skills, and using all of the tools at their disposal.