Guest post by Gary Hartzell: Naming our profession
Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 12:45PM As readers of the Blue Skunk know, I am great admirer of the work of Gary Hartzell. As a former principal and ed ad professor, he brings an outsider's objective perspective to the library profession, telling us sometimes, not what we may wish to hear, but what we need to hear. Below is another perceptive post...
This thing about what to call school librarians is – from my point of view – counter productive. Terms like “school library media specialist” don’t exactly dance on your tongue and there is a danger in using a metaphor like “Information Manager” or “Chief Information Officer” While metaphors help us gain insight into complex realities, they are not representations of the total reality. Metaphors only highlight certain characteristics of the items they describe. In doing that, they promote certain concepts interpretations, but they obscure others. The way of seeing also becomes a way of not seeing. The cost of illuminating one aspect is to divert attention from others, including those that might be as important or even more important than the one illuminated.
Metaphors can create powerful insights, but always at the risk of distortion. In Gareth Morgan’s words, a metaphor always produces a kind of one-sided insight. Unless we see the whole of something, we can’t fully understand it, our perspective is narrowed, and other possibilities become harder to recognize. Library and librarian metaphors shape our conceptions of both. As communications expert, Philip Clampitt puts it, "we shape our metaphors and, after that, they shape us."
This is dangerous because our understanding of something predisposes how we approach and relate to it. Partial understanding may cause us to discount or all together miss valuable pieces of the whole. It's metaphors like these that help blind principals and teachers to important parts of the library's role and the librarian's skills.
The library as information center is an appealing metaphor at one level. The "center" of anything denotes its core, its heart, and a position of central importance. This a heady image in a school, where information is at once the stock-in-trade of the professional staff and the foundation on which student understanding is built -- and it simultaneously conveys relevance and standing. The “information manager” title is likewise enticing. "Manager" implies specialized knowledge, skill, and status -- especially in this "information age" and in the midst of an "information explosion."
The problem is that each spotlights an important library and librarian characteristic, but each also obscures other important aspects of what the library is and what the librarian does. The information center metaphor emphasizes collection over connection, evoking images of materials and retrieval processes -- but not of learning. In that, it neglects and obscures a great deal of what libraries are about today and defines the library as apart from the classroom rather than integral to it. The idea of “information manager” doesn't so much as whisper collaborator, teacher, consultant, or partner. It obscures those roles that really define quality library media performance and leadership. The greater parts of librarianship are beyond managing a collection and facilitating others' access to what it contains. These kinds of titles can put librarians at odds with teachers who see such attitudes as usurping the value of what they do. See Bill Ferriter’s recent blog called “All Hail the Mighty Media Specialist” to see an example of this.
Of course, these titles and metaphors describe an important part of what the library is and the librarian does -- and they have more of a contemporary ring than "library" and "librarian." But it's what they don't say that tends to make library advocacy more difficult. Titles may only be figures of speech, but they have real work place consequences because they shape people's perceptions. Contrast “sanitation worker” with “trash collector”. They construct and then describe our sense of something. Faculty members who perceive librarians as the “information manager” or the “media specialist” in the information center may seek their assistance in finding information -- but not likley to ask them for help in defining their information needs, nor necessarily welcome the “information manager’s” advice or assistance in interpretation or application. I’d argue that to some extent these metaphors -- although many librarians regard them as improvements -- probably do more to perpetuate stereotypes. They invite people to say, "Help me find what I want and then check it out to me; I'll take it from there."
What, then, might be an appropriate metaphor for the library and title for the libraria? The simple truth is that there may not be one. Each simultaneously illuminates and limits. It seems to me that librarians need to resist others' attempts to impose a single metaphor on them, and certainly to resist the temptation to impose one on themselves. At the same time, they need to promote multi-dimensional images whenever they can. Trying to describe the library in meaningful terms without the color and impact of a powerful metaphor will weaken any argument. At the same time, though, any single metaphor will inevitably narrow the library's and librarian's role and function in the eyes of others. This is why all this name game shifting can be counter productive. Other faculty members really control the librarian's opportunities to contribute. It's difficult gather administrative support if administrators can’t see your whole value, it’s hard to contribute if others can't see what you have to offer, and it’s impossible to collaborate if others won't collaborate with you.
Perhaps the best course when someone characterizes the library or librarian as a certain thing is to respond with multiple metaphors, "Oh, yes. It is that, but it's also so much more. It's also such-and-such … and I also do ….." Multiple metaphors expand the image and reduce restrictions. Using a single metaphor highlights only a single dimension. Instead of a liberator, it becomes a limitation. The images of libraries and librarians are already too limited. Take the words “library” and “librarian” and invest THEM with life and meaning.
Gary Harzell, March 2010
Reader Comments (18)
AND....Gary will be in the Twin Cities this summer for our MEMO workshop. Watch our Ning for reservation forms soon!
Maybe in order to make our role clearer we need an acronym that sums up our most important roles.
I will play with this idea...
Before I traded professions and entered the world of education, I was an accountant. When I started accounting, I did the books by hand in green ledger books with very sharp pencils. Along came Visicalc, Lotus 123 and eventually Excel and we learned the programs and updated accounting systems to the "technology age". I'm not sure you could find a green ledge book in an accounting office now, but the professionals are still called accountants. I like being a librarian. I keep up with the newest technology and use what fits my program. The "media" when I started was slide projectors, laser disks, filmstrips and drawers of curriculum related posters. I'm still a librarian. When a student comes into the media center, whether it's K-6 or the middle school, he or she ask for the librarian, not the media specialist. Whatever we call ourselves, hasn't it been a kick being in this profession during the last two decades! What a great job!
I agree with Mary. The tools we use may change over time but we're still librarians. I describe myself as a school librarian. That way people know where I work and they have an idea of what I do, although probably not everything I do. "Media Specialist" converys nothing to most people.
Gary,
I see your point entirely and I have persisted in calling myself a librarian throughout the "media specialist" era. Because I think there is a certain functionality about that title that people understand.
But I am unsure if there isn't a better term to better reflect the evolving roles we have. It's too bad we have to "convince" or "illustrate" what we do so that it fleshes out the term "librarian". And perhaps people's perceptions do evolve(look at sites like the "Lipstick librarian"). I say I'm a librarian but I always qualify it by saying, but I work with technology most of the time, or I say I'm a "techno-librarian". I guess I feel the need to qualify it because the term librarian doesn't entirely describe what I do anymore.
So I, for one, do feel in a quandry about my title, even though I embrace it.
I appreciate your point about the 'passivity" and "collection oriented" nature of some of the other possible titles. Point well taken.
I do think the most important thing in all of this discussion is that we don't get "lost" in it, and we get on with the business of continuing to "grow" our profession, serve our customers in the most current way possible, and never be afraid to embrace whatever the change brings.
I never really thought about the name of a profession, but reading your post makes me realize that it has a more deeper process. I agree that librarian is the best way to go, because it will never change through time. People will still hev the same perception of what they do. Good post! very informative and insightful.
Hi Audrey,
Maybe we should have a contest???
Doug
Hi Mary Kay,
I loved your second to the last line. It has indeed been a "kick" to be involved in libraries for the past 20 years. How dull it must have been prior to that.
Doug
Hi Carolyn,
I'd second your recommendation that we don't get "lost" in this discussion. My dad used to say, 'Call me what you want, just don't call me late for supper!"
All the best,
Doug
Hi Kelly,
I don't mind librarian either.
Doug
Hi Doug,
you said: "Maybe we should have a contest???"
Maybe...people like competition OR maybe collaboration on the idea could result in a great new acronym...
We certainly need something.
America has gone back to schoollibrarians.....does nothing to assist communities to appreciate the complexities of the teacher librarians role in this day and age.
I have made a start......
LIBRARY creates students who are:
Literature lovers
Information masters
Beyond basics
Research supporters
Accessing and utilizing technology
Reading for fun
Yearning to learn
:-)
Literature lovers
Information masters
Behave ethically
Research competently
Access and utilise learning technologies competently
Read widely for fun
Yearn to learn :-)
Hi Audrey,
Very clever. Let's just hope there are no creative library critics out there who try this!
Doug
for over 25 years, wherever I worked, I had this banner hanging outside the room:
L inking
I deas
B etween
R eaders
A nd
R esources -
I nforming,
E nriching,
S haring !
Because that is what libraries -- and librarians -- have always represented.
For a few years now I've felt that, rather than creating a new title, what we needed was the title "librarian" to undergo a change in societal perception. Nothing but time can affect that change in perception. However, as a mere ILS student I didn't feel I had the authority to have that opinion. It's great to hear others feel the same way. I will remain an advocate of the title "librarian" as I (re)enter the workforce.
Hi Alice,
I've always said that the tools change, but the basic mission stays the same. Great poster.
Thanks,
Doug
Hi Jennifer,
It's what you do, not what you're called, that will make all the diference.
Good luck in your new career!
Doug
First of all, I love Alice's acroynym. But I particularly agree with Jennifer's comment about using librarian as title but redefining the societal perception. It is unfortunate that a lot of people had negative experiences with librarians. At my high school we used to call ours "The Silver Fox" because 1) you couldn't put a thing past her and 2) she had white hair. Unfortunately students were also very intimidated by her stern countenance and were afraid to ask her questions. The library was a place for absolute silence and contemplation. For teenagers. Seriously, what were they thinking?
The school librarians I know in my life today are the exact opposite - brilliant, passionate, intelligent individuals who will not rest until they've helped a student or teacher reach a solution to whatever problem is presented. They create comfortable, safe environments for students to learn, study, and interact. If I were still a student I wouldn't hesitate to ask them a question and visiting their library would be something to be looked forward to, not viewed as punishment.
A lot of those superintendents and principals out there probably got yelled at once to be quiet in the library, sent there for misbehaving in class or had to pay a fine on an overdue book. How can we get them to know their own staff in a different way?
Interesting topic! The titles can be confusing to me at times. I'm an educator and I've used the term Librarian and Media specialist interchangeably for many years. We can't even seem to decide what to call the place where information transactions and collaboration occurs either. I am just now adapting to idea of writing LMC(for Library Media Center) on student passes to our center. Sometimes the students forget and put LB for Library on the pass. Even if we do not determine the most inclusive name for this career and place, I have definite ideas and preconceived notions of the role of the Librarian/Media Specialist and the Library/Library Media Center in my mind.I'm not sure if the title is feeding the ideas or vice versa???
Over the years I have witnessed our profession struggle to identify and label what we do: however, each and every day I hear students and adults refer to going to the "library" and "asking the librarian." What I like most about the title "librarian" is all the history that comes with it...how many other professions today can claim kinship with antiquity the way in which libraries and librarians can? I work at a college and within the organization have a very long employee title...I am always most proud when asked what I do to reply, "I'm the librarian" it immediately connects me to a much broader and interesting world!
What a wonderful Blog! I am an elementary school Computer Tech working in tandem with our District Librarian and our school Library Tech. We do spend a lot of time selling our support services to our teachers ... The most powerful promotional materials we have are beautiful student artifacts; the products of successful collaboration among kids, teachers, librarians and lab tech.
As another reader put it ... we don't care what they call us ... we are just happy that they do call us!
Hi Mary,
I've always thought too many people were frightened by librarians as young children. Guess this a great reason all elementary librarians especially ought to be the nicest people in the building!
Doug
Love the comment "we don't care what they call us ... we are just happy that they do call us!"
Sums it up nicely.
Doug