Library Students 1

Running head: HOW LIBRARY STUDENTS BECOME PROFESSIONALS

How Library Students Become Library Professionals:

Skills, Service, and Character

Monique Lloyd

Emporia State University

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In order to be recognized as professionals, library students must focus on three core

areas: skills, service, and character while recognizing that the primary goal is information

equity (McCook, 1999).

Skills

Specialized skills library science students need to master include gathering,

organizing, maintaining, preserving, and making information available in a variety of

formats, including print, audiovisual, and digital (Rubin, 2004). Knowing how to

evaluate sources and ensure the information being provided is accurate, relevant and up

to date, as well as developing interview skills to determine what information users wants

and need, is essential. It is important to not be seduced by the ease of technology;

library and information professionals must not only understand the power of

technology, but its limits as well (Dougherty, 1995).

These skills are not static. They must be constantly updated as librarians continually

reinvent themselves. While librarians generally provide services within a library

building (Weigand, 1986), that is changing. Adapting to other environments, including

hospitals, businesses, and computer labs (Tenopir, 2002; Aamot and Hiller, 2004) and

reaching deeper into communities to provide information to those who need it where they

need will become more commonplace.

A willingness to learn new skills and to challenge preconceived notions limiting

where and how information is imparted as well as adapting to an increasingly multi-

cultural and diverse population, keeping up with rapid technological advances, and

remaining flexible and responsive to change will all be necessary to meet the prime
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directive of information equity (Mason, 1999; Smith, 2003).

Service

Service is at the core of the library and information profession (McCook, 1999).

Library students must understand that librarians serve all sections of society including

business, the elderly, children, minorities, and rural residents as well as the socio-

economically disadvantaged including the homeless, the non-English speaking, and the

disabled (Abbott, 1998; Rubin 2004). The goal is to offer free access to knowledge to all,

something which is becoming more difficult to do as increasing numbers of databases are

proprietary and fee-based (Rubin, 2004). Promoting life long learning, including

information literacy, is another and teaching is an essential component of being an

information professional (Wengert, 2001).

There is also a responsibility to the institution to market the library in a variety

of ways including outreach, fundraising, and publicity (Bates, 1998). Membership in

professional organizations, workshops, and reading professional literature are all

ways in which leadership skills can be developed (Glendenning and Gordon, 1997).

Librarians must also meet different needs beyond the academic and entertainment.

The need for a community service component including genealogy and local history

research, medical and health issues, consumer issues and financial planning (Rubin,

2004) is increasing.

Character

Character includes upholding intellectual freedom and the public’s right to free

access to information. Library science students need to learn how to make ethical
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decisions (Buchanan, 2004; Hoffman, 2005), protect confidentiality and privacy (Pace,

2004), respect copyright laws, resist efforts to censor while balancing intellectual

freedom (Doyle, 2003), access and promoting the social good. Character also includes

embracing ambiguity, risk taking, and negotiation as well as teamwork.

“…we are all partners in educating ourselves and our colleagues.” (Mason, 1999)
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aamot, G. & Hiller, S. ARL Bimonthly Report (2004, December). Library services in

non-library spaces. Excerpted from Executive Summary of ARL/OLMS SPEC

kit 285 (November, 2004)

Abbott, A. (1998, Winter). Professionalism and the future of librarianship. Library

Trends, 430-443.

Bates, M.E. (May, 1998). The newly minted MLS: What do we need to know today?

Searcher, 6 (5), 30.

Braun, L.W. (February, 2002). New roles: A librarian by any name. Library Journal, 5,

46-49.

Buchanan, E.A. (Spring, 2004). Ethics in library and information science: What are we

teaching? Journal of Information Ethics, (13), 1, 51-60.

Doyle, C. (February, 2003). Libraries and the USA patriot act. CRS Report for

Congress. [Online]. Available:

http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/civilliberties/theusapatriotact/CRS215

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Doughtery, R. (July/August, 1995). On my mind: Balancing technology with professional

values. American Libraries, 26 (7), 649-650.

Glendenning, B.J.& Gordon, J.C. (1997). Professional associations: Promoting leadership

in a career. Library Trends, 46(2): 258-278.

Hoffman, K. (Fall, 2005). Professional ethics and librarianship. Texas Library Journal,

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McCook, K. Using Ockham's Razor: Cutting to the Center. Prepared for the ALA

Professional Concerns Committee of the Congress on Professional Education,

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Mason, M.G. (1999) “MLS: May the market force be with you” [Online] Available at

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