[Libs-Or] Volunteer opportunity discussion. Another point of view

[Max Macias]

Why do librarians LOVE to shut down discussions?

 

A professional list is THE place for librarians do discuss aspects of the
profession that impact both organizations and students.

 

Don't live up to the stodgy, inflexible stereotype.

 

IMO the close-mindedness and an unwillingness to discuss change and issues
within libraries and their relationship to their communities is THE problem
with libraries. 

 

 

Max

 

 

 

From: libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
[mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Judy
Anderson
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2011 9:22 AM
To: libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Volunteer opportunity discussion. Another point of
view

 

Enough everyone.

It's that organizations business on how and who they would like to take care
of their project.  

 

May I suggest reading and discussing

The Politics of Professionalism by Juris Dilevko

If the topic of library professionals is really of interest.

 

Judy

 

Judy Anderson

Reference & Instruction Librarian

Concordia University - Portland

Phone: 503 493 6453

 

From: libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
[mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Bob Jones
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2011 3:28 PM
To: 'Kyle Banerjee'; libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Volunteer opportunity discussion. Another point of
view

 

Apples and oranges, Kyle.  Changing a light bulb should not require an
electrician, unless it's a very specialized and expensive light bulb.  But.

 

The initial creation of a tiny library is like planting a seed.  If it's
done well, a great library can grow from the those 225 items.  If it's not
done well, either (a) a poorly organized, perhaps unusable library will
develop, or (b) someone who knows what he or she is doing will have to undo
it and start all over again.  As the old saying goes, 

 

If you don't have time (or staffing) to do it right, when will you have time
(or staffing) to do it over?

 

-Bob Jones, MA, MSLS, CAS

Library Director

Milton-Freewater Public Library

 

You wrote:

 

I haven't given this much thought, but my gut reaction is that unless I'm
really missing something, hiring a professional librarian to organize a
collection of 225 books, a few periodicals, and a handful of videos is like
calling the fire department to help plan a candlelight supper. 

 

The overhead of even taking the first volunteer that walks through the door
is likely to exceed the labor that should be expended on this project,
though it could be a good way to get people more involved with the
organization.

 

A librarian could physically arrange the materials according to some logical
criteria, add consistent metadata, provide a good access mechanism, etc, but
any user would have to be some kind of loon not to just walk to the
collection and just browse it as that could be done in a few seconds even if
everything is in random order. It's hard to imagine how it wouldn't take
longer for users to deal with even a good organizational scheme than to
simply go to the stuff.

 

I am somehow reminded of a place I lived in years ago where we would be
fined if we got caught changing a lightbulb (required procedure was to fill
out a work order so a union electrician could do the job). That kind of
situation is bad for everyone. It's a total waste of skilled labor, and the
schmucks who have to pay an arm and a leg to be forced to wait too long in
the dark start wondering what the pros really have to contribute.

 

Happy Thursday to all, and as you've undoubtedly surmised, I'm representing
only my own views ;)

 

kyle

 

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