Academic Librarians as Catalysts of Change: A Reflection

By Jolo Van Clyde S. Abatayo, RL

   According to Eric Jennings on his article entitled “The Relevance of Academic Libraries in the Twenty-First Century”, the major challenge for the 21^st century academic librarians is to keep the libraries and the profession relevant to the users especially that Google and the Internet are on the peak. These noticeably affect the profession in different aspects. However, they are not absolutely threatening because there are now possible ways that academic librarians can do in order to stay significant throughout the twenty-first century. As librarians, we need to re-evaluate what we do and what we have so that we can cope up with the sudden changes that influence our library services and functions.

Since I was not there during the seminar, I have relied on the PowerPoint presentation of the lecturer. I have read and analyzed each slide in order for me to make a worthy synthesis or a reflection.  The lecture of Miss Fatimah Aliah B. Ali focused on academic libraries and librarians, specifically on their responsibilities in this modern era where unexpected disruptions occur. There is now a new definition of an academic librarian based on the demands of today’s library patrons. According to Miss Ali, being an academic librarian is not just about budgeting for the typical resources, it is now more on new technologies and advancements. Furthermore, we should not be discouraged or saddened if our clients are techier or more expert when it comes to Information Technology than us. Actually, as I always mention, it is a challenge for us to update and upgrade ourselves as professionals because we are known to be Information Scientists. We exist to discover and provide the right information to our dearest clients.

I have read a chapter in a book entitled “reflecting on the future of academic and public libraries.” It conveys on how academic and public libraries should look and work like in the future. Of course, it is expected that there will be big and critical changes when it comes to the services and other library endeavors but as librarians, we need to be adaptive to these changes. There are many ways we can do like:

·         Examine the current state of the library, summarizing existing literature on the topic to sketch in the historical background;

·         Project into the future, using SWOT analysis, environmental scans, and other techniques to posit how library infrastructure (such as staff, collections, technology, and facilities) can adapt in the decades ahead; and

·         Construct potential scenarios that library leaders can use to forge paths for their own institutions.

As an academic librarian for 2 years already (and more years to come), I expose myself to different scenarios and experiences in academic libraries. I am a former Research Services Librarian of Southern Christian College, Midsayap, North Cotabato and currently the Readers’ Services Librarian of Saint Michael College of Caraga, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. At first, I was hired as a Technical Services Librarian but the management decided to change my position. These positions have similarities and distinctions from each other.

Being a Research Services Librarian at SCC was tough but fun. Assisting difficult patrons, like the Postgraduate students, was the most challenging part during that time. Most of them were demanding and not that emotionally stable. I can still recall the moment when I answered a query from a Master’s student for the very first time. Deep inside, I was really shaking at that time, but I composed myself for I understood that it was very important to attend to her informational needs. I can still hear the tone of her unfriendly and intimidating voice. Though I struggled at first, I still managed to provide the information she needed for her thesis. What an experience! You know, we should fake it until we make it. I also dealt with undergraduate students who were not that capable when it comes to using IT facilities. Some cannot use a computer system properly because these students came from public schools where they were deprived to learn how to manipulate effectively a computer unit for educational and research purposes. As a librarian, we must have a sincere heart to help them.

From time to time, I boosted my self-confidence and self-esteem there. I tried so hard to augment myself. Every experience I had served as my new lessons to improve my library and information science skills. I trained myself to be at least, a basic information savvy. I explored more and more. I forced myself to learn deeper about web technologies and online databases so that I can impart something fruitful to my clients.

As of now, I am the Readers’ Services Librarian of Saint Michael College of Caraga’s Learning Resource Center. Chiefly, I am responsible for supervising the administrative, reference and information, and circulation/reserve services for the college students, faculty members, and staff. I provide assistance in terms of administrative services like conducting research and user surveys to determine the products and services to be offered for college students and faculty. I also develop and distribute promotional library materials such as newsletters, brochures, and information packets.

Moreover, I am the main in charge when it comes to reference and information services like providing professional and personal assistance to clients in answering inquiries, locating information, and interpreting resource catalogs, conducting manual and computerized information research to support clients’ requests, developing individual client current awareness and selective dissemination services based on personal information profiles, assisting staff and students with technology, giving formal instruction on how to use the library, assisting library users in their research, giving suggestions/opinions on the best bibliographies available, posting a list of new collections in the library bulletin, providing answers to specific informational questions, and many more. There are still more than I have not mentioned but if I would state all of them, it will take many pages. I can proudly say that it takes guts to become a Readers’ Services Librarian.

Before, I am really hesitant to be a Readers’ Services Librarian because at first I was hired as a Technical Services Librarian and it was an abrupt transition. The management decided to change my designation for they think I am more proficient when it comes to this position. Partly, I was grateful because I can now rest my eyes from the strains caused by the radiation. However, I felt a little bit sad for I will miss being the Technical Services Librarian. Honestly, cataloging is puzzling but thrilling! 

When I was still the Technical Services Librarian, my main task was to input records of the library materials through OPAC that is powered by the Follett Destiny Software. With that, I really had to face the computer for many hours because I had to beat the deadline. Honestly, I was really a productive Technical Services Librarian because, during those times, I can catalog almost 100 books per day. I now believe that being productive is also risky, especially to your health.

Now that I am the Readers’ Services Librarian, I can now do what I really love doing. Though I can be reliable whatever position I will be assigned for, I strongly believe that my strength is more on Information and Readers’ Services. I really love answering patrons’ queries. As I always mention, I am a fan of roving reference and I am so eager to assist the answer-seeking patrons, from table to table. Furthermore, I think that it’s very exhilarating when I conduct library instruction and orientation. I feel like I can make a difference by educating my users (especially the college students) about the library services and resources. You know librarians are academic and research support that’s why I make it sure that I play my roles effectively and efficiently.

Regarding the PowerPoint presentation, I am so thankful for I have learned a lot from it. It is such enlightenment to all academic librarians. As a readers’ services librarian for college students, I now understand my ultimate responsibilities. According to the lecturer on her presentation, there is now a transformation when it comes to academic librarianship. There are now new ways to enhance and disseminate knowledge and information. It’s really necessary for us librarians to adapt to change and embrace new technologies to render fruitful services to our patrons.

I just want to add something about the responsibilities of an academic librarian. Dr. Marianita Dablio shared to us in our class about knowledge management. It is now the newest trend in librarianship. We, librarians, should now effectively organize and manage the knowledge that our libraries can provide. We should efficiently handle every information or resource within our libraries. Chaundry (2009) states that Knowledge Management is a strategy of helping people share and put information into action in ways that strive to improve organizational performance. We can associate KM to concepts such as organizational learning, organizational theory, information sharing, and collaborative work. I think that an academic librarian like me should familiarize or master Knowledge Management. If librarians can fully understand its essence, it will be easier for them to do knowledge creation, codification, sharing, learning, and innovation.

I would really love to turn the concepts that the lecturer has shared to us about academic librarianship into actions that’s why I am so excited to discover more and more about my profession. I want to dig deeper on the topic, knowledge management because I think this concept is very interesting especially on today’s librarianship. Since most of our students are avid users of the Internet especially the social networking sites, I also make it sure that I make social interactions via these platforms. I created an Official Facebook page of our library and I also do blogging so that I can easily connect with my patrons wherever they are. I also search for possible open sources or free online databases so that I can help my patrons on their educational and research activities if printed materials are not enough to provide them with the information they need.  As of now, I am still educating myself more about web technologies and the newest trends so that I can cope up with the trends. I also hope that sooner or later, I can create an official newsletter of our library because I really dream for that to happen.

Honestly, I am so fortunate to be a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) student of Lourdes College because the instructors/professors are so adept when it comes to LIS. It’s really great to have individuals who are really proficient when it comes to our profession because you can really learn more from them.


CTTO: https://bruynzeel-storage.com/what-universities-can-teach-us-about-academic-library-design/

Job Opportunities for Librarians: A Reflection

©Jolo Van Clyde S. Abatayo, RL

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!

Librarians as Research Pillars!

I'm so grateful to my workplace, Saint Michael College of Caraga for acknowledging the ultimate roles of Librarians in Research Development. I always mention it to my colleagues and my students that we, librarians and information professionals are important catalysts for the success of educational, research, and extension endeavors of every individual.

Literature Review and Hypothesis Development Assessment for Senior High School Students. I represent the library as part of the panel. 👍

Libraries Grow! Librarians Evolve!

Librarianship isn't easy!

This profession is absolutely puzzling. There is a lot of things to learn, keys to unlock, a labyrinth to pass, and mysteries to solve. However, your experiences and the people around you are your best teachers and they are always there to help you to become an effective and efficient librarian. You just need to be open-minded. You must be willing to empty your cup.

S.R. Ranganathan, a mathematician, and a library scholar stated it on his Five Laws of Library Science that "the library is a growing organism" that's why I strongly believe that a librarian, along with the library itself, must also grow!