LIVING OUR PROFESSIONAL VALUES

…in disruptive times

Dean Giustini, SLAIS AlumniA talk to the SLAIS Alumni Association | October 25th, 2012

Why rely on our professional values?

We live in a very uncertain time….of deep economic uncertainty and disruption …

In the face of so much change, how can we find our bearings?

Many professions rely on their core values

…

Librarianship’s core values ground & steady us, reminding us of what’s important

What core values are important to you?

S.R. Ranganathan, 1892-1972, Indian librarian & pioneer Source: Wikicommons

ACCESSto information & expertise

Thomas Jefferson: "No nation can remain both ignorant and free"

Library Bill of Rights:

“a person’s right to [use a library] is critical to democracy …access to information should never be abridged (or denied) due to someone’s origin,

age or economic background”

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybillhttp://lightandliberty.org/cms/index.php

EQUITYfor everyone & everything

Source: Wikicommons

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford on library cutbacks:

“Who is she (Margaret Atwood)? …I don’t have a clue who she is…”

Atwood tweets:“…sounds like (Rob Ford) needs to expand his library a bit…

not reduce Toronto's public libraries…”

SERVICEon demand | ‘service ethic’

Desk Set, 1957

RESPECTfor tradition(s) & people

Fiddler on the Roof, 1964

Samuel Rothstein, 1921-SLAIS’ first director

“…traditionally, the library profession has stressed the need for standards…the emphasis on a balanced

(reference) collection assumes embedded values that include not only a desire for a fair opportunity for all to

say their piece …but also the concept of quality (in reference collections)…” ~ 1978, p511

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM

as a basic human right

And, a core value of librarianship Source: Wikicommons

(BETTER) CONSULTATION

with users, staff & leaders

STEWARDSHIPof our Canadian heritage,

libraries & archives

Archivists & librarians in “Day of mourning” 2012

Re: $9.5 million dollars in cutshttp://boingboing.net/2012/09/22/save-the-canadian-national-arc.html

Charles Ammi Cutter (1837 – 1903) a key figure in librarianship, and a founding member of the American Library Association said:

"...our library is not a cemetery of dead books, but a living power, which supplies amusement for dull times, recreation for the tired, information for the curious, inspires the love of research in youth, and furnishes the materials for it in mature age, enables and induces scholars not to let study end with their school days.“

~ Charles A. Cutter, 1903

Source: Wikicommons

In conclusion

We have discussed a number of core values in librarianship, such as:

• We value equity & access to information• We value the expertise of the librarian• We value knowledge and we value a book culture• We value diversity AND community• We value literacy & lifelong learning• We value kindness and fairness in dealing with others• We value consultation AND our right to be heard• We value our Canadian documentary heritage AND our

brothers and sisters in other information professions• We value our civic responsibility to safeguard our legacy

institutions, artefacts & collections

• American Library Association's (ALA) Core Values of Librarianship website. http://www.ala.org/offices/oif/statementspols/corevaluesstatement/corevalues

• Dole W, Hurych J. Values for librarians in the information age. J Info Ethics. 2001;10(2): 38-50. • Foskett DJ. The creed of a librarian: no politics, no religion, no morals. Libr Assoc. London, 1962. • Foster WE. Charles Ammi Cutter: a memorial sketch. Library Journal. 1903;28:697–704.• Giustini D. Doing the right thing, for the right reasons. Living our professional values as librarians.

HLWIKI http://hlwiki.slais.ubc.ca/index.php/%22Doing_the_right_thing,_for_the_right_reasons: living_our_professional_values_as_librarians%22

• Glassmeyer S. Ranganathan 2.0: despite furor over the future of information, the essence of libraries stays constant. American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) 2010

• Gorman M. Our enduring values: librarianship in the 21st century. ALA Editions, 2000.• Gorman M. The enduring library: technology, tradition, and the quest for balance. Chicago: America

n Library Association, 2003.

• McMenemy D. Librarians and ethical neutrality: revisiting 'the creed'. Libr Rev. 2007;56 (3):177-181. • Pavlina S. Living your values website: http://www.stevepavlina.com/• Ranganathan SR. The five laws of library science. London: Edward Goldston. 1931. • Save Libraries and Archives Canada website http://www.savelibraryarchives.ca/ • Severson R. The recovery of ethics in librarianship. J Info Ethics. 1995;4:11-16. • Vann SK. Melvil Dewey: his enduring presence in librarianship. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unltd, 1978.• Wright A. Glut: mastering information through the ages. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press, 2007.

References

Dean Giustini, SLAIS Alumni Talk, October 25th, 2012 – Vancouver Public Library