While I don't have a strong bias toward either side of the equation, my general feeling is that deleting the word "library" is not going to reap any additional benefits in terms of funding or any of the other stated points by the change advocates. In our current economy, little will be obtained by a name change.
According to an email on the LISSA list-serve, library science students factor for a majority of the SCILS population. If this is the case, why overlook or delete the name of the major to whom so many belong? Those opposed to the change feel this change would validate or acknowledge society's impression of the library profession in our technological age (""why pay a librarian when we can google everything ourselves?). Shouldn't we stand up and show pride in our profession and strive to prove to the general amateur population that professional librarian skills are always going to be needed?
The other element to be considered is that the Rutger's School of Communication, Information, and Library Sciences School has earned it's reputation among library institutions. While degree requirements remain the same, others looking from the outside may perceive a difference in terms of the quality of the degree.
There's an element of truth in the old, grammatically incorrect saying, "If it ain't broke; don't fix it."
How would you feel if librarians called themselves "information specialists"? Would this miss to capture the social dimension of what a librarian does?
ReplyDeleteActually, I think a librarian IS an information specialist! Unfortunately, I'm not sure the general population in our society sees that as a "good" term. Now that computers and search engines are readily available, many think THEY are information specialists! So in a way, I think the term "information specialist" is thought of as a pseudo-profession.
ReplyDeleteLibrary, on the other hand, commands a sense of authority. Books that are physical seem to denote a source of strength and history. The role of the librarian seems to command a little more respect. Maybe it's just my perception, but I always saw librarians as people who were really smart and could answer any question.
I think today's library/information specialist profession is certainly taking on a new twist with our web 2.0 tools and softwares. There are still many people in our society who have not yet been exposed to these tools, and so, to the extent, to which librarians/information specialists can expose the general public, a new image of this role is being created.
As a student training to become a librarian at a School of Information, I didn't really have a strong opinion on this issue, but your comments were interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteI am particularly pleased to hear you say that your experience has been that the terms library and librarian command a sense of authority because that hasn't been my experience at all. Even my own parents didn't understand why you'd need a master's degree to check books in and out. I had to explain to them that isn't what librarians do (or at least, it's not all that we do!).
My non-librarian friends are always surprised to find out that they can go to the local library to find out about legal issues pertaining to their rental agreements or to learn how to use Photoshop. Most of my friends didn't even know that librarians could recommend books for pleasure reading and that we even have courses on, books about, and listservs discussing Readers Advisory.
Well said Laura.Your last line summarizes it all(dont fix if not broken).
ReplyDelete