Comments on: High Anxiety http://acrlog.org/2005/12/05/high-anxiety/ Blogging by and for academic and research librarians Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:32:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Barbara Fister http://acrlog.org/2005/12/05/high-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-233 Barbara Fister Tue, 06 Dec 2005 13:46:13 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/?p=93#comment-233 I think there's a gender angle here. Some people think providing service is degrading. They'd rather be the professional with mystique and secret powers (doctor, lawyer) than the professional who gets down and helps (nurses, teachers). Really, do we need to develop leadership or develop libraries where people can experiment and play around and get things done without asking permission? Libraries where we aren't waiting for somebody to tell us what new thing needs doing. Too many libraries are run like 19th century factories. Or at least they have adminsitrative structures like that and all they do is get in the way of librarians who want to do cool things. And reward people who want to stick with the old - it's someone else's job to decide how to change. It takes a culture shift, not just administration. I think there’s a gender angle here. Some people think providing service is degrading. They’d rather be the professional with mystique and secret powers (doctor, lawyer) than the professional who gets down and helps (nurses, teachers).

Really, do we need to develop leadership or develop libraries where people can experiment and play around and get things done without asking permission? Libraries where we aren’t waiting for somebody to tell us what new thing needs doing. Too many libraries are run like 19th century factories. Or at least they have adminsitrative structures like that and all they do is get in the way of librarians who want to do cool things. And reward people who want to stick with the old – it’s someone else’s job to decide how to change.

It takes a culture shift, not just administration.

]]> By: Scott Walter http://acrlog.org/2005/12/05/high-anxiety/comment-page-1/#comment-229 Scott Walter Mon, 05 Dec 2005 17:35:28 +0000 http://acrlblog.org/?p=93#comment-229 While I agree with Steven that I see myself as a partner to classroom faculty, I assume that Jim's point is that this perception is not universally shared (either among librarians, or between librarians and other members of the academic community). I have definitely been places where the assumption that librarians were servants rather than autonomous and fully-credentialed partners in the academic enterprise was strong among elements of both communities (librarians and non-librarians). Fostering the idea of librarian as partner both inside and outside the library is an ongoing challenge, as is making sure that librarians have the resources available to them to actually act as effective partners across campus. In my mind, that's one of the things we have ACRL for. Regarding leadership development, I agree that it's another ongoing challenge, esp. as the skills required for 21st century library leadership are both different than those required in days gone by (as Jim notes in his essay), and are still emergent. In an earlier post, I invited comment on some of the most prominent leadership development opportunies currently sponsored by library associations, but Steven brings up the critical notion of "leading from the middle" and that leadership development for libraries must include the provision of opportunities for that sort of regular, on-the-job leadership development. Many new librarians may indeed be looking to lead, and it's up to those of use who currently have administrative responsibilities to make sure that they have both the opportunity to do so and the resources to be successful. Interesting stuff! While I agree with Steven that I see myself as a partner to classroom faculty, I assume that Jim’s point is that this perception is not universally shared (either among librarians, or between librarians and other members of the academic community). I have definitely been places where the assumption that librarians were servants rather than autonomous and fully-credentialed partners in the academic enterprise was strong among elements of both communities (librarians and non-librarians).

Fostering the idea of librarian as partner both inside and outside the library is an ongoing challenge, as is making sure that librarians have the resources available to them to actually act as effective partners across campus. In my mind, that’s one of the things we have ACRL for.

Regarding leadership development, I agree that it’s another ongoing challenge, esp. as the skills required for 21st century library leadership are both different than those required in days gone by (as Jim notes in his essay), and are still emergent. In an earlier post, I invited comment on some of the most prominent leadership development opportunies currently sponsored by library associations, but Steven brings up the critical notion of “leading from the middle” and that leadership development for libraries must include the provision of opportunities for that sort of regular, on-the-job leadership development. Many new librarians may indeed be looking to lead, and it’s up to those of use who currently have administrative responsibilities to make sure that they have both the opportunity to do so and the resources to be successful.

Interesting stuff!

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