SLO 1
The student assesses the philosophy, principles and ethics of the library and information field
One of the first assignments I completed in my LIS 600 (Foundations of Library and Information Sciences) course was an IDEAS blog, which was designed in response to an iDEALS Summit (information, diversity, engagement, access, and libraries) held at UNCG. Although I did not get a chance to attend the summit, the iDEAS blog I created gave me a chance to really grasp and personally reflect upon the “philosophy, principles, and ethics” that really encapsulate the library field I was about to enter.
More importantly, the blog enabled me to reflect upon how I had seen information, diversity, engagement, and access interconnect within Ashe County Public Library, the branch in which I was employed at that time. Being so new to the field, one of the biggest takeaways from this assignment was how complex and interwoven all of the IDEA components are in libraries. Libraries are about far more than merely cataloging and/or preserving information as I first so naively thought. Without actively reaching out and engaging with the community to access materials housed within the library, the library’s collection is virtually meaningless. Ultimately, the IDEAS blog enabled me to realize that libraries are constantly changing and should be serve as an active community hub attracting users of all different backgrounds in order to remain relevant in the 21st century and beyond.
Artifact 1 - IDEAS blog
More importantly, the blog enabled me to reflect upon how I had seen information, diversity, engagement, and access interconnect within Ashe County Public Library, the branch in which I was employed at that time. Being so new to the field, one of the biggest takeaways from this assignment was how complex and interwoven all of the IDEA components are in libraries. Libraries are about far more than merely cataloging and/or preserving information as I first so naively thought. Without actively reaching out and engaging with the community to access materials housed within the library, the library’s collection is virtually meaningless. Ultimately, the IDEAS blog enabled me to realize that libraries are constantly changing and should be serve as an active community hub attracting users of all different backgrounds in order to remain relevant in the 21st century and beyond.
Artifact 1 - IDEAS blog
The Policy group report I completed for LIS 653 (The School Library) allowed me to apply my general understanding of the “philosophy, principles, and ethics” of libraries gained from my first year coursework to ethical dilemmas found within school libraries in particular. Through a group discussion board, my policy group was assigned to reflect on privacy, confidentiality and copyright issues within a school library setting. To complete this assignment we read through several scholarly articles and book chapters on these topics as well as official ALA statements detailing the American Library Association’s stance on minors’ rights to privacy and confidentiality. School librarians are expected to follow certain federal privacy guidelines (which can include prohibiting parents from accessing student's’ circulation records) and are even expected to create an official privacy policy for the library. While I was aware of teaching students about copyright fair use policies and how to avoid plagiarism, I had never considered leading teachers in workshops and informal discussions to ensure they are also complying with copyright guidelines. Most eye opening for me was understanding the ethical policies and contracts that libraries must agree to with third party eBook vendors place on their materials; for instance, some vendors put copyright restrictions on the number of digital copies of the same book that can be borrowed at once and other vendors capture patron’s personal information, which can be perceived as a violation of privacy if the information is not properly protected.
Both the IDEAS blog and the school library policy report helped illuminate and unpack the complexity of ethical issues libraries face and the breadth of missions and philosophies behind 21st century library practice.
Artifact 2 - policies for school libraries report
Both the IDEAS blog and the school library policy report helped illuminate and unpack the complexity of ethical issues libraries face and the breadth of missions and philosophies behind 21st century library practice.
Artifact 2 - policies for school libraries report
policy_for_school_libraries.docx | |
File Size: | 17 kb |
File Type: | docx |