The common perception of some people about librarians is that their job is just about storing and sorting books. They think that librarians are just mere keepers of these materials when the truth is that we have roles that are more challenging and responsibilities that are more critical than ever.
Indeed, the demand for librarians is on the rise because we are definitely important catalysts for the success and progress of every institution. For example, a learning institution cannot stand on its own if it does not have a full-time registered librarian. Because of the accreditation purposes, standards, and mandates, librarians must not be taken out from the story. I will never ever forget the quote of Harold Howe: “What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education.” If libraries are significant, as librarians, all we have to do is to be one of the key players in the triumph of our individual organization. Absolutely, librarianship today defies gravity and as librarians, we need to be very welcoming to this new age of knowledge and information.
In this contemporary world, librarians are already empowered. There is a lot of designations that we can choose to work for if we have the skills and qualifications that are required for these positions. There is no reason for us to be left behind because we can now be employed at different institutions or agencies if we genuinely desire and strive for the best. Librarianship in this new generation is evolving and creating its universe. This universe is wide and it needs us. Moreover, the stereotype about librarians are gradually dissolving for people now are starting to realize our real worth—academic and research support.
During the lecture of Ms. Rosevilla A. Tejano on the “Job Opportunities for Librarians,” I have found out that as library and information professionals, we should not stumble and fall for we will not be extinct like the dinosaurs. The profession will survive and will live longer and bolder for the world nowadays needs us. Information technology and digitalization cannot break and shake us for we can stand firmly and function effectively with or without them. Information storage and retrieval, information dissemination, and knowledge management are more complicated and precarious than ever that is why librarians are necessary. Why? We are trained and we are furnished to efficiently do these tasks.
If you think that librarianship can just be contained in a small box, then you are very wrong! Librarians are versatile and holistic that is why we can work at any institution or corporation. Honestly, the lecture is not that new to me because Mrs. Sandra Lyn Quiñones, our BLIS Program Head and at the same time, the Director of Libraries at Southern Christian College, already shared this to us during our orientation and on her class lectures. She never failed to inform and inspire us that this profession is in demand and relevant. All we have to do is to update and upgrade ourselves because if we are not proactive enough, we will be irrelevant and the people around us will not appreciate us as professionals.
In my alma mater and previous workplace, Southern Christian College, they have different job titles for librarians like Research Services Librarian, Liaisons Librarian, Circulation Services Librarian, Information and Readers’ Services Librarian, Periodical Services Librarian, Cataloguer, Elementary Library and Media Center (ELMC) Librarian, Junior High School Librarian, Senior High School Librarian, and Director of Libraries. I am their former Library Associate and Research Services Librarian. My responsibilities were assisting the graduate school students, undergraduate students, senior high school students, and even the special or outside researchers on the thesis-writing or research related tasks like borrowing of theses and dissertations, using the online databases, locating reference sources, searching information sources online, proper citation, and many more. I think that this position is quite cool because it is so challenging especially when you deal with the graduate school students who are known to be the most demanding users. It is quite a challenge!
In my off-campus practice during college, I picked the Midsayap Municipal Library and Information Center as my training ground because at that time, I was curious about public libraries and I wanted to experience what it feels like to be a public librarian. I really learned a lot during my internship there. You know it is hard to be a public librarian because you will deal with diversities. When we say diversity, it manifests the variety of people from different walks of life. When it comes to budgeting, public librarians find it difficult to build collections and procure needed resources and facilities because they rely on the assistance given by the National Library and the support of the local government unit. If the LGU is not supportive and mindful enough, then it is expected that the library is not progressive. The LGU of Midsayap also have an Archives and I was assigned there for a week. The experience was superb because, in my first day, I already tried many exciting tasks like retrieving the records on the building permits and agreements as requested by the engineering office. Working there is indeed fruitful because it opened my eyes to the possibilities and opportunities out there for us librarians.
In our seminar-workshop, last September 4-6 at the Butuan City Public Library that was sponsored by the National Library of the Philippines, in partnership with the NCCA-NCLIS and the PLAI-Caraga Council, one of the lecturers talked about “Databrarian”. It is one of the job opportunities for us librarians in this modern era. According to the book entitled “Databrarianship” that is edited by Lynda M. Kellam and Kristi Thompson, the term “databrarian” is a hybrid coinage formed out of “data” and “librarian.” As a term, it dates to a 2013 Library Journal article that discussed the results of the Placements & Salaries survey and noted “several new job titles,” including Research Data Librarian, Data Coordinator, and Data Curation Specialist. While practitioners welcomed the belated recognition, data librarianship as a field is hardly new, and the key functions the article noted have all been practiced for years under such admittedly less trendy job titles as Government Documents Librarian, Data Specialist, and Data Librarian. Librarianship is now getting cooler and cooler.
I have also learned from Dr. Marianita Dablio during her lectures in our MLIS classes, that it is very important for us librarians to cope up with the trends because, in this new era, we need to unleash our full potentials. We need to embrace the change that is offered by information technology and automation. We should not be resistant and hesitant. She even said that we should accumulate coding and programming skills because librarians nowadays need to be adept when it comes to information technology. Our libraries go beyond the limit and as librarians, we should go out from our comfort zones!
I am so thrilled for there are many opportunities that are waiting for us librarians. We should not be afraid about what is ahead because if we have strong determination and drive to work for our passion and craft, we will not be jobless because our responsibilities are limitless. As long as there is a need for knowledge and information, librarians will always exist! I am so grateful being a librarian. I am so proud to be in this profession because I strongly believe that without us, information navigation and discovery will never be the same. To all librarians out there, we should love our chosen expertise and ourselves. Furthermore, we should encourage others to pursue this noble profession. We should help create more librarians to augment academics and research not only here in the Philippines but also in the global arena.
I want to thank the lecturer for her efforts and dedication in sharing us this information about job opportunities for librarians. She was really committed and I really liked her conviction. I believe that topics like this should be shared with all librarians and future librarians for them to appreciate more the beauty of librarianship. My sincere appreciation goes also to Ms. Melody Retazo, our MLIS 112 Instructor for allowing us to be the best that we can always be. This simulation serves us our starting point to spread the goodness of our profession. It boosted my confidence and I am now ready to be a lecturer in a seminar-workshop if given a chance.
I am now enthralled and excited to share this to our future registered librarians and information professionals since Saint Michael College of Caraga, my workplace, offers BLIS program and I will be teaching BLIS subjects next academic year. As of now, we already have 14 college freshmen and we are so thankful because we did not expect to have this number of students. I am ecstatic and hopeful to inculcate in them what I have experienced and learned from college until now.
Actually, I already have teaching experiences. In my previous workplace, SCC, I handled two BLIS subjects (Information Technology and Preservation of Information Sources). It was fun teaching that is why I miss it. I actually received good feedbacks from my former students and it is heart-warming to hear it from them when they send me a private message or when they comment on my Facebook posts. I really did not expect that I touched their hearts. Indeed, librarianship is a gallant profession.
I also have a dream for SMCC. I am so eager to establish an archives and a museum that focus on the institution and the Saint Michael Church. I want to work with our BLIS Program Head, Mrs. Salem because she is very realistic and enthusiastic when it comes to this matter. We actually have the same dream. Who knows? Possibly, 5-10 years from now, one of us will be assigned as archivist or curator if this dream will turn into reality. I know there is no impossible if we let God do the driving.
I am looking forward to the next seminar sessions!
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