Finding myself on the path to librarianship is not something I had anticipated but am beyond grateful to have embarked upon.  Now that I am here, studying to become an archivist or special collections librarian, it seems like this has been my destination all along.  As a child, I was an avid collector, a voracious reader and endlessly curious about the world.  As an adult, I earned my bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in art history and then decided to take a break before graduate school to figure out what direction I would like to pursue next.  The following decade and a half took me in more directions than I could have imagined.  I lived and worked in Seoul, South Korea as an ESL teacher, I married and had two children, I spent a decade as a bookseller and now work at an art museum.  I believe all of these experiences have prepared me for my future career and have influenced my philosophy of what it means to be an information professional.

While reflecting on the American Library Association’s Core Values of Librarianship (2019), I was drawn in particular to the ideas of access, diversity, education and lifelong learning and preservation.  In terms of access, I believe that it is the duty of librarians to make resources and information available for all.  My career as a bookseller taught me the importance of accessibility.  Getting the right resources to the people who need them can have life changing consequences.  In today’s digital world access to many resources has never been easier.  As a special librarian, I believe in acquiring and making accessible unique historical collections that assist in research and inspire reflection.  I will also look for ways to build digital collections so that resources can be shared with a wider audience.  

Moving to Asia expanded my world view and opened my eyes to the beauty of different cultures and traditions.  I strongly believe that librarians play an important role in caring for cultural property on behalf of the public.  We help educate people about their own culture and the culture of others.  We have a commitment to represent diversity and inclusion in our collections.  The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries states, “As stewards of the cultural record, practitioners also bear a responsibility to represent historically underrepresented and marginalized voices, recognizing that diversity is complex and intersectional, and that silences, gaps and poor description resulting from historical biases have the potential to do great harm” ( RBMS, 2020, preamble).  I believe that acquiring resources that give a voice to underrepresented cultures is of the utmost importance.  It is necessary that people see themselves in the historical record and represented in the library’s collections. While completing the MLIS program, I extensively researched archival silences and have sought to better understand how we as cultural heritage professionals may fill those gaps to ensure representation for all.

Special librarians are often tasked with supporting the mission of their parent institution.  Patrons can be anyone from students, professionals, researchers or the general public. While the audience for my collections may vary,  my belief in the power in education and lifelong learning remains constant.   As a parent and an educator, I know that libraries are essential components in the quest for knowledge and understanding.  As our society continues to evolve over time, so must our collections and resources.  “That is the library’s nature;  it does not exist in a vacuum, and its vigor grows, ebbs and flows with its society” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020,  p. 84).  This language echoes Ranganathan’s notion of the library as  a living organism.  I believe a library and its collections must be flexible with the ever changing times to survive.   I feel that finding new and novel ways to provide the tools people need to educate themselves is an ongoing commitment with meaningful results.  

Lastly, the value of preservation speaks to the heart of any history lover.  Ensuring that materials and records from the past are cared for and available for future generations is vital.  Rubin and Rubin affirm, “A central value of librarianship is the recognition that the past serves as a guide for the future” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, p. 666).  As a librarian, I will recognize the importance of bridging the gap between the past and the present.  I believe in making connections with the past in order to inform the future.  Collecting archival materials and protecting items of enduring historical value serves society as a whole.  By not forgetting or repeating history we evolve as a civilization.  By recognizing where these resources have fallen short of representing marginalized groups and minorities, we can learn from the past and strive for more diversity and inclusion in our current collections.  

Earning my MLIS degree has provided me with the opportunity to share my love of history, reading and research with others.  I look forward to embarking on a career where I can combine my passions with a sense of purpose.

Resources

American Library Association. (2019). Core values of librarianship.  https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/corevalues

Rare Books and Manuscripts Section. (2020).  ACRL code of ethics for special collections librarians.  https://www.rbms.info/standards/code_of_ethics/

Rubin, R.E. and Rubin, R.G. (2020).  Foundations of library and information science (5th ed.). ALA Neal-Schuman.

Image Credit: Tamara Gak, Unsplash