Jamie Larue is a library director in Douglas County, CO. He has written many, many articles and several books about librarianship. One of his many strengths is writing responses to material challenges.
Check out his blog by clicking on the title above. Specifically, check out the articles he references on Oct. 7th. As many know, libraries are once again under attack by the budget monsters. I have colleagues and classmates whose libraries have either frozen salaries or $.00 budgets in schools in MN.
Here is something to think about: are the budget monsters' hearts made like the Grinch's? After reading about an attorney castigating an 11 year library patron and knocking highly educated professionals in the librarian arena, I have to wonder just why another educated person would make such accusations and bold, yet false, statements. Perhaps Shakespeare was right; first kill all the lawyers.
I aspire to be as thoughtful as the librarians I have met. I hope to be as intelligent, well rounded and needed as the ones described in the articles. I hope I'm indispensable to the budget monsters when my time comes around. It's too bad that librarians need to not only do their job, but the jobs of the lawyers--advocacy.
Bookworm at Edwards CO signing
7 months ago
Thanks for the kind words. I think you're spot on about the need for librarianship to embrace advocacy as a core responsibility. That advocacy comes down to being, as you say, "indispensable" -- but also getting people to see that. "Budget monsters" are often very good people trying to fund too many good things with too little money. Demonstrating our value -- and making sure other people see that value -- is not just good librarianship, it's good civics.
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