Reflections on Class (November 8)

During this class we had talks from two different public librarians and discussed various library policies. Some of the more interesting things that were brought up were:

• Public librarians need to be intensely aware of the budget. One can't just funnel money into contracts before researching if there is a cheaper or even a do-it-yourself alternative. 
•  Gaming and how best to provide gaming options through the library. I liked the idea of having gaming tournaments so that it gives those interested in gaming something to look forward to; as well as a social environment in which to play. 
• Discussed why we still need public libraries. Public libraries are some of the only free places where people can experience socialization outside of a commercial facility. In addition, the fact that libraries provide help to the disadvantaged should not be discounted, but should not be a main talking point when it comes to public libraries. 
• For new librarians having vision and enthusiasm is necessary. Librarians have to look to the future and not towards the outmoded past. New librarians should also know the difference between good and bad database design.
• Librarians need to have a long view when it comes to new library policies. Change can be slow in occurring and librarians have to keep that in mind. Librarians should be ready for the long haul as significant change will not occur overnight. 
• I really appreciated the idea of dogs in libraries, especially the idea of a reading dog. Children come in and practice their reading by reading to a trained dog. I would have loved this as a child. 
• Also discussed the library as a commons. Our culture doesn't belong to anybody, rather it belongs to everybody, therefore one of the main goals of the library should be to promote and protect the creation of culture. One of the problems with the idea of a radically open library is that some librarians don't trust the public to be decent human beings. What is the right amount of control that librarians should wield within a library. Should they or the community be in control of the library?
• I also really enjoyed the idea of encouraging conversation by having a message board of some sort where people jot down ideas or anything they wish to allay to the community. I thought this was a cheap way to promote culture and the library within the community.
• We also discussed the idea of doing library activities outside of the physical library. How will the community react to this? Should libraries handle stuff outside of the library?

These were just some of the things that we discussed with the two speakers during this class session. Both were vastly interesting and provided different perspectives on how to handle working within a public library setting.