Ah, Twitter. Among the fast moving mini-bites of news and other information, you’ll find a link, every so often, to a piece that really resonates. Such is the case with “You’re not really a librarian.”
A February 6 post from the blog “K-M the Librarian,” it’s by Sara Kelley-Mudie (@skm428), who works at the Forman School, a 9-12 boarding school in Litchfield, CT. While technology is noted here as an element that’s changing the profession, the post addresses a greater shift that involves more than bits and bytes:
The other day I got into an “argument” with a student about whether or not I was really a librarian. His position was that I wasn’t a librarian–I was actually a teacher who happened to have an office in the library.
It was a weird discussion to be having. As the conversation continued, it became clear that he was, in no small part, trying to annoy me. But I don’t think the original statement was meant just to taunt me. We ended up trying to pull in other students to make our respective cases–his that I wasn’t a librarian, mine that I really was. The general consensus seemed to be that I was definitely a librarian. And probably also a teacher.
I was thinking about the discussion I had with him, and with other students, in light of one of the phrases I so often hear when it comes to changing the perception/image of school librarians:
“how do we make them see that librarians [fill in the blank]”
Continue reading…
Photo by Enokson.
About Kathy Ishizuka
I hope more posts like this will get featured and receive more attention. It has really bothered me for the last year that I have received hundreds, if not thousands, of emails and phone calls about our Kindle program and ebooks/ereaders, a very small piece of my program, yet I’ve had less than a dozen inquiries–if that—about our Media 21 program and other learning-focused initiatives that embed the librarian and elevate our role as co-teacher and are the heart of The Unquiet Library.
Thank you for putting the spotlight of Sara’s fabulous post.
Best, Buffy Hamilton
Thank you for this, Buffy. An important reminder of the central role of “learning-focused” content for us as media dedicated to covering – and supporting – libraries and schools. This feedback will be shared here.
That’s a shame! Are you considering doing a little marketing of the Media21 & other educational initiatives? Would you tell us about them?
Hi Liz! Actually, I have! You can read more about in full detail at http://theunquietlibrary.libguides.com/media21. Best, Buffy
I am equally concerned about teacher misperceptions about the role of the librarian.
You are SO much more than a librarian, and librarians are more than teachers! Perhaps the confusion stems from the fact that simply, “library” is becoming an insufficient description of your ‘office’…? Just saying. PS: If you were really just a librarian, you would have told him, “Shh..quiet, please!” :)