annotation: final thoughts

As part of my academic library course this term, I need to create weekly 'annotations' on a paper, totalling no more than 100 words. This is one of them.

What does it mean to be a librarian, anyway? This is something I’ve struggled to define as I go through this program. Maybe it has something to do with knowing ‘about’ libraries: policies, politics, and procedure. Maybe it has something to do with knowing how to find information, or making information more findable. Maybe it is just a way of thinking, or perhaps what we spend time thinking about: rather than getting down to specifics, we go broad, try to get the big picture, see the forest. But then, I think, a librarian doesn’t have to do that either, necessarily. Heck, some just know where the books are. I guess being a librarian is whatever you want it to be.

As an amusing aside (and special annotation bonus), a study surveyed undergrads about their thoughts on librarians:

• 57% think we have a bachelor's degree only
• Re: the job. Some suggested we "do excess teacher work" or "stay after and clean up"
• 92% have never asked to speak to a librarian
• While many correctly identified 'librarian' roles, some said we: "play computer games", "sit around", and "clean" (do we detect a trend here?)
• Why do librarians enter the field?: No. 1 answer, "they like books". No. 9 answer, "it's an easy job".

I think my answer was better.

Fagan, J. (2002). Students’ Perceptions of Academic Librarians. The Reference Librarian, (78) 131-148