Philosophy
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My philosophy statement presents a summary of my understandings of the value and purpose of my role as an academic librarian in a third level institution.
Today’s academic libraries are dynamic, public spaces where staff communicate with library users to develop their research capabilities. As a librarian I see my role as helpful, engaging and instructive. I believe that librarianship is about people; we should always give precedence to people over devices, when it comes to our library users, their needs are the most important.
My professional philosophy is based on the practices I use as a librarian. The values that define, enlighten, and guide librarianship are important to me, thus I am informed by many of the core values of librarianship (ALA 2004), principally, education and lifelong learning, commitment to freedom of information and access for all. As a librarian I must endeavour to improve my knowledge of the profession so that I can best aid the institutes students, researchers and staff in becoming lifelong learners.
Although I do not consider myself a traditional librarian I do identify with the fundamental purpose of librarianship; acquire, process, preserve, and utilize information. An understanding of the fundamentals of librarianship begins with S.R. Ranganathan’s 1931 five laws of library science. These five laws have provided a scientific methodology to library science:
Ranganathan's five laws are as meaningful now as in 1931, nevertheless, there have been a number of adaptions. In 2015 B. Shadrach advocated a contemporary adaption to the laws which especially inspire me:
The fact that the laws have been continuously adapted demonstrates the significance of Ranganathan’s five laws in today’s libraries. Everything considered my interpretation of the laws is simply access to information, by all, to all; anytime, anyplace, anywhere. The principal part of the service we provide is information retrieval. The key to information retrieval is providing library users with information literacy skills, advanced approaches of information retrieval need to be utilized to make research effective. Non-specific teaching of information literacy skills is not beneficial; we must continuously strive to make the experience significant to the learner.
As a librarian I am an educator. My role as an educator is to assist in the discovery of information since my expertise is in information; finding, retrieving, analysing, and using information. I teach information literacy skills through formal instruction skills and create research, information guides and other learning objects to assist library users achieve their educational objectives. The ability to find, analyse and use information has always been important, but in today's digital age discovering the correct information can be hard, some is up-to-date, authoritative and trustworthy, but some is biased, out-dated or deceptive. Students need to be provided with information literacy skills to make them efficient and successful learners, skills that are key to lifelong learning.
Different types of learning exist and as a consequence there are many theories of learning based on the views and expectations of how we learn; I have confidence in active learning. Active learning is based on a theory of learning called constructivism, which puts emphasis on learners constructing their own understandings; John Dewey (1859-1952) is deemed the pioneer of this style. Using game based learning and active learning demonstrations that the constructivist theory and styles inspire me; I believe that people learn best by being active participants. Academic libraries provide supportive learning environments which actively encourages independent learning; the instruction sessions I deliver provide students with challenging and varied tasks that allow them to think critically. Nevertheless, we must remember that people learn by varied methods and most people learn through a combination of learning styles; thus it makes sense that we use a variety of styles and tools in library instruction. Thus, I must maintain awareness of professional developments and emerging technologies so I can continue to support and educate so as to produce proficient and successful learners.
“Times change and professional practice changes with it. In academia, librarians now, more than ever, are often seen as collaborative partners in the education process, more so with the advent of designing, promoting, and enacting information literacy” (Reale 2015 pg. xv). Librarians share the same aspiration as academics for their students; to support and educate. It makes sense then that librarians and academics should collaborate for the benefit of students. Academics know what the students need to learn and librarians can educate them on how best to find the required information and material. Working together to coordinate understanding, pedagogy, and learning outcomes of students’ needs permits high quality information literacy skills in both teaching and learning.
Alongside information retrieval is the dissemination of information. In today’s modern academic library with the countless changes in technology, the need for a considerable understanding of new technologies is crucial to the successful dissemination of information. I strive to stay well-informed of emerging technologies through both formal and informal means. I am committed to the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning and belief that Technology Enhanced Learning [TEL) can be used to improve access to learning and improve teaching. TEL is about learning with technology, rather than just through technology; the use of information technologies to teaching and learning for the purpose of engaging learners (IGI Global 2017).
The advancement of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) means that the traditional role of the librarian has changed. I identify with ‘The blended librarian’, a term devised by Bell and Shank in 2004. The Blended Librarian offers a mix of skills and services to help apply technology to enhance teaching and learning. “The Blended Librarian first combines the traditional aspects of librarianship with the technology skills of an information technologist, someone skilled with software and hardware… to this mix the Blended Librarian adds the instructional or educational technologist's skills for curriculum design, and the application of technology for student-centered learning” (Bell & Shank 2004 pg. 373). There are six principles of blended librarianship covering the delivery of library services, designing and developing information literacy programmes, exploiting technology enhanced learning tools and collaborating with academic staff to support them in incorporating technology and library resources into their programmes. If libraries are to remain sustainable in academic institutions we must endorse our place as learning spaces to research and share information; the blended librarian is key to making this effective.
References
American Library Association, 2006. Core Values of Librarianship [Online]. Available from: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/corevalues [Accessed 12 May 2017].
Bell, S.J. & Shank, J., 2004. The blended librarian: A blueprint for redefining the teaching and learning role of academic librarians. College & Research Libraries News, 65(7), 372‐375.
Bewick, L., & Corrall, S., 2010. Developing librarians as teachers: A study of their pedagogical knowledge. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 42 2), 97-110.
Biggs, J.B. and Tang, C., 2007. Teaching for quality learning at university. (3rd ed.). Open University Press/Mc Graw-Hill Education.
CILIP, 2010. Defining our Professional Future [Online]. Available from: http://www.cilip.org.uk/about-us/cilipfuture/Documents/Defining%20Our%20Professional%20Fuure%20-%20Report%20to%20CILIP%20Council%20July%202010.pdf [Accessed 12 April 2017].
IGI Global, 2017. What is technology enhanced learning [Online]. Available from: http://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/technology-enhanced-learning/29509 [Viewed 14 May 2017].
Keengwe, J., 2015. Handbook of Research on Educational Technology Integration and Active Learning. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Reale, M., 2015. Becoming an Embedded Librarian [Online]. American Library Association, Available from: http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gmit/reader.action?ppg=17&docID=4006858&tm=149496477 [viewed 15 April 2017].
Ranganathan, S.R., 1931. The five laws of library science. London: Edward Goldston.
Shenton, A.K. & Fitzgibbons, M., 2010. "Making information literacy relevant", Library Review, Vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 165-174.
Today’s academic libraries are dynamic, public spaces where staff communicate with library users to develop their research capabilities. As a librarian I see my role as helpful, engaging and instructive. I believe that librarianship is about people; we should always give precedence to people over devices, when it comes to our library users, their needs are the most important.
My professional philosophy is based on the practices I use as a librarian. The values that define, enlighten, and guide librarianship are important to me, thus I am informed by many of the core values of librarianship (ALA 2004), principally, education and lifelong learning, commitment to freedom of information and access for all. As a librarian I must endeavour to improve my knowledge of the profession so that I can best aid the institutes students, researchers and staff in becoming lifelong learners.
Although I do not consider myself a traditional librarian I do identify with the fundamental purpose of librarianship; acquire, process, preserve, and utilize information. An understanding of the fundamentals of librarianship begins with S.R. Ranganathan’s 1931 five laws of library science. These five laws have provided a scientific methodology to library science:
- Books are for use.
- Every reader his / her book.
- Every book its reader.
- Save the time of the reader.
- The library is a growing organism.
Ranganathan's five laws are as meaningful now as in 1931, nevertheless, there have been a number of adaptions. In 2015 B. Shadrach advocated a contemporary adaption to the laws which especially inspire me:
- Knowledge is for use in ‘all’ forms.
- Every citizen has the right to access ‘all’ knowledge in 'all' forms.
- Every piece of knowledge is for access by ‘all’ without discrimination of any kind.
- Save the time of ‘all’ of the knowledge seekers.
- A library or a knowledge system is one that evolves with time to achieve all of the above laws.
The fact that the laws have been continuously adapted demonstrates the significance of Ranganathan’s five laws in today’s libraries. Everything considered my interpretation of the laws is simply access to information, by all, to all; anytime, anyplace, anywhere. The principal part of the service we provide is information retrieval. The key to information retrieval is providing library users with information literacy skills, advanced approaches of information retrieval need to be utilized to make research effective. Non-specific teaching of information literacy skills is not beneficial; we must continuously strive to make the experience significant to the learner.
As a librarian I am an educator. My role as an educator is to assist in the discovery of information since my expertise is in information; finding, retrieving, analysing, and using information. I teach information literacy skills through formal instruction skills and create research, information guides and other learning objects to assist library users achieve their educational objectives. The ability to find, analyse and use information has always been important, but in today's digital age discovering the correct information can be hard, some is up-to-date, authoritative and trustworthy, but some is biased, out-dated or deceptive. Students need to be provided with information literacy skills to make them efficient and successful learners, skills that are key to lifelong learning.
Different types of learning exist and as a consequence there are many theories of learning based on the views and expectations of how we learn; I have confidence in active learning. Active learning is based on a theory of learning called constructivism, which puts emphasis on learners constructing their own understandings; John Dewey (1859-1952) is deemed the pioneer of this style. Using game based learning and active learning demonstrations that the constructivist theory and styles inspire me; I believe that people learn best by being active participants. Academic libraries provide supportive learning environments which actively encourages independent learning; the instruction sessions I deliver provide students with challenging and varied tasks that allow them to think critically. Nevertheless, we must remember that people learn by varied methods and most people learn through a combination of learning styles; thus it makes sense that we use a variety of styles and tools in library instruction. Thus, I must maintain awareness of professional developments and emerging technologies so I can continue to support and educate so as to produce proficient and successful learners.
“Times change and professional practice changes with it. In academia, librarians now, more than ever, are often seen as collaborative partners in the education process, more so with the advent of designing, promoting, and enacting information literacy” (Reale 2015 pg. xv). Librarians share the same aspiration as academics for their students; to support and educate. It makes sense then that librarians and academics should collaborate for the benefit of students. Academics know what the students need to learn and librarians can educate them on how best to find the required information and material. Working together to coordinate understanding, pedagogy, and learning outcomes of students’ needs permits high quality information literacy skills in both teaching and learning.
Alongside information retrieval is the dissemination of information. In today’s modern academic library with the countless changes in technology, the need for a considerable understanding of new technologies is crucial to the successful dissemination of information. I strive to stay well-informed of emerging technologies through both formal and informal means. I am committed to the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning and belief that Technology Enhanced Learning [TEL) can be used to improve access to learning and improve teaching. TEL is about learning with technology, rather than just through technology; the use of information technologies to teaching and learning for the purpose of engaging learners (IGI Global 2017).
The advancement of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) means that the traditional role of the librarian has changed. I identify with ‘The blended librarian’, a term devised by Bell and Shank in 2004. The Blended Librarian offers a mix of skills and services to help apply technology to enhance teaching and learning. “The Blended Librarian first combines the traditional aspects of librarianship with the technology skills of an information technologist, someone skilled with software and hardware… to this mix the Blended Librarian adds the instructional or educational technologist's skills for curriculum design, and the application of technology for student-centered learning” (Bell & Shank 2004 pg. 373). There are six principles of blended librarianship covering the delivery of library services, designing and developing information literacy programmes, exploiting technology enhanced learning tools and collaborating with academic staff to support them in incorporating technology and library resources into their programmes. If libraries are to remain sustainable in academic institutions we must endorse our place as learning spaces to research and share information; the blended librarian is key to making this effective.
References
American Library Association, 2006. Core Values of Librarianship [Online]. Available from: http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/statementspols/corevalues [Accessed 12 May 2017].
Bell, S.J. & Shank, J., 2004. The blended librarian: A blueprint for redefining the teaching and learning role of academic librarians. College & Research Libraries News, 65(7), 372‐375.
Bewick, L., & Corrall, S., 2010. Developing librarians as teachers: A study of their pedagogical knowledge. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 42 2), 97-110.
Biggs, J.B. and Tang, C., 2007. Teaching for quality learning at university. (3rd ed.). Open University Press/Mc Graw-Hill Education.
CILIP, 2010. Defining our Professional Future [Online]. Available from: http://www.cilip.org.uk/about-us/cilipfuture/Documents/Defining%20Our%20Professional%20Fuure%20-%20Report%20to%20CILIP%20Council%20July%202010.pdf [Accessed 12 April 2017].
IGI Global, 2017. What is technology enhanced learning [Online]. Available from: http://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/technology-enhanced-learning/29509 [Viewed 14 May 2017].
Keengwe, J., 2015. Handbook of Research on Educational Technology Integration and Active Learning. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Reale, M., 2015. Becoming an Embedded Librarian [Online]. American Library Association, Available from: http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/gmit/reader.action?ppg=17&docID=4006858&tm=149496477 [viewed 15 April 2017].
Ranganathan, S.R., 1931. The five laws of library science. London: Edward Goldston.
Shenton, A.K. & Fitzgibbons, M., 2010. "Making information literacy relevant", Library Review, Vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 165-174.