Comments on: When Stereotypes No Longer Apply http://acrlog.org/2008/08/01/when-stereotypes-no-longer-apply/ 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: Veronica http://acrlog.org/2008/08/01/when-stereotypes-no-longer-apply/comment-page-1/#comment-97067 Veronica Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:03:57 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=850#comment-97067 I think that your shift from focusing on the librarian image appearance to the librarian image substance is really the discussion we need to be having. I don't care if people think we're all young and hip a la NY Times article or older cardigan-wearing women/tweed-wearing men. What matters is the substance of our profession. The conversation you are proposing is the one we need to be having as librarians. I fall in the "advocacy" camp. To me, being a librarian means helping people gain access to the information they need to solve any problem. I think we should be breaking down road-blocks rather than creating them for our users. I think that your shift from focusing on the librarian image appearance to the librarian image substance is really the discussion we need to be having. I don’t care if people think we’re all young and hip a la NY Times article or older cardigan-wearing women/tweed-wearing men. What matters is the substance of our profession. The conversation you are proposing is the one we need to be having as librarians.

I fall in the “advocacy” camp. To me, being a librarian means helping people gain access to the information they need to solve any problem. I think we should be breaking down road-blocks rather than creating them for our users.

]]> By: Aaron the Librarian http://acrlog.org/2008/08/01/when-stereotypes-no-longer-apply/comment-page-1/#comment-96415 Aaron the Librarian Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:27:41 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=850#comment-96415 I particularly applaud your recognition of the "librarian as advocate" and the "librarian as activist" roles. In addition to SRRT and OIF, the <a href="http://ala.org/washoff" rel="nofollow">ALA Washington Office</a>, established in 1945, is an active advocate for libraries at the governmental policy level. Along with direct lobbying of congress via the <a href="http://ala.org/ogr" rel="nofollow">Office for Government Relations</a> with the able assistance of the <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governanceofficeb/council/counccommittees/legislation.cfm" rel="nofollow">Committee on Legislation</a> the Washington Office also has a policy research arm (the <a href="http://ala.org/oitp" rel="nofollow">Office for Information Technology Policy</a>) which seeks research and other funding via grants and similar opportunities. Some OITP tools: <a href="http://www.librarycopyright.net/" rel="nofollow">The Copyright Advisory Network</a>, <a href="http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=421" rel="nofollow">The Copyright Slider</a>, and the <a href="http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/" rel="nofollow">Digital Copyright Slider</a> Some OITP reports: '<a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/oitp/2008_OITP%20RLCs%20Repor.pdf" rel="nofollow">Regional Libraries Cooperatives and the Future of Broadband</a>'(PDF) and '<a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/oitp/Library%20Connectivity.ppt" rel="nofollow">Library Connectivity for Public Access</a>'(PPT) <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/oitp/programs/index.cfm" rel="nofollow">More about OITP focus areas</a> Last but not least, remember ACRL's <a href="http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/washingtonwatch/acrladvocates.cfm" rel="nofollow">Legislative Advocate</a> program -- if you serve students, you have a stake in policy decsions! I particularly applaud your recognition of the “librarian as advocate” and the “librarian as activist” roles.

In addition to SRRT and OIF, the ALA Washington Office, established in 1945, is an active advocate for libraries at the governmental policy level.

Along with direct lobbying of congress via the Office for Government Relations with the able assistance of the Committee on Legislation the Washington Office also has a policy research arm (the Office for Information Technology Policy) which seeks research and other funding via grants and similar opportunities.

Some OITP tools: The Copyright Advisory Network,
The Copyright Slider, and the Digital Copyright Slider

Some OITP reports: ‘Regional Libraries Cooperatives and the Future of Broadband‘(PDF) and ‘Library Connectivity for Public Access‘(PPT)

More about OITP focus areas

Last but not least, remember ACRL’s Legislative Advocate program — if you serve students, you have a stake in policy decsions!

]]> By: YGL http://acrlog.org/2008/08/01/when-stereotypes-no-longer-apply/comment-page-1/#comment-94531 YGL Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:27:36 +0000 http://acrlog.org/?p=850#comment-94531 I think the Amazon comment about a school librarian who disapproved of sci fi is hilarious... because all my friends who read sci fi...are librarians =) I think the Amazon comment about a school librarian who disapproved of sci fi is hilarious… because all my friends who read sci fi…are librarians =)

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