This I Believe

As an aspiring information professional who wishes to continue his career in either reference or adult services, I believe that the North Star that should guide us is the concept of service: (1) service to individual patrons; (2) service to the information environment; (3) service to the wider community; and (4) service to our democratic traditions, institutions, and the Republic itself. Everything I have learned in studying and working as an information professional has reinforced my belief that this is our mission's core purpose. Indeed, the American Library Association's (ALA) first mandate is that “[w]e provide the highest level of service to all library users.” (ALA, 2021). I do this by helping every patron who walks through my institution’s doors, calls on the telephone, or contacts me via email or other digital means, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, or political affiliation. (OLC, 2021; ALA, 2021). To provide that service, I must have the skills necessary to do specific tasks but also an open demeanor, attitude, and mind.
 
All people have biases and prejudices and can be prone to petty disputes. Therefore, I must engage in self-reflection to counteract these very human tendencies. I also strive to be compassionate and empathetic to my patrons, community, and colleagues. Without seeing matters from multiple perspectives, my ability to serve will be woefully compromised. I try to listen as well as guide.
 
The world is constantly changing, and the pace of that change is increasing. Adaptability is key. (OLC, 2021). The demographics of a patron base can change quickly. I encounter patrons from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and strive to communicate effectively with them. 
 
I want to provide my community with opportunities for lifelong learning for both practical and enjoyable purposes, reflecting one of the core competencies developed by the Ohio Library Council (2021) and the core values of the American Library Association (2023). To do this, I must be knowledgeable on theories of teaching, learning, and how people process and filter information. (ALA, 2023). Each interaction with a patron is an opportunity to learn from them and to teach them new things in return, be it a simple hack in Word or Excel, a tip about the next delightful book to read, or something more substantive like learning how to identify scams/phishing emails. The world is awash with misinformation and disinformation. I believe that libraries and other information institutions should be on the front lines of this issue, providing information, computer, digital, media, and critical literacy so patrons can critically evaluate information sources themselves.
 
There are many facets to being an information professional. At the core of each is the ideal of service, whether helping a patron find a book, helping them navigate a complicated website to apply for a job, or providing them with information literacy skills. I am an information professional because I want to serve my community to the best of my ability.