Goal 1

To develop a professional identity, including commitment to core values of LIS.

Outcome 1b. Articulate the philosophies of the library and information professions.

Artifact 1b: A Review of A Review – LIS 701: Introduction to Library and Information Science

This paper examines Bob Usherwood’s review of a book by Dr. Bill Crowley, my professor for the first class in my GSLIS curriculum. In his book, Renewing Professional Librarianship: A Fundamental Rethinking, Crowley deliberately provokes his readers to further examine their beliefs about the future of professional librarianship in relation to the growth of the information science model. Usherwood play devil’s advocate, but ultimately acknowledges the intent and value of Crowley’s book. As I wrote this paper, I had to articulate and evaluate the philosophies of both authors, and acknowledge the historical backgrounds of library and information science as well consider their futures…exactly as Crowley intended.

 

Outcome 1c. Identify the core values and ethics of the library and information professions.

Artifact 1c: America’s Most Dangerous Librarians – LIS 701: Introduction to Library and Information Science

This paper identifies core values and ethics required of professional librarians as it examines the effects of the USA PATRIOT Act (2001) on the library profession. The Act vastly extended the reach of the FBI by authorizing secret searches to investigate so-called terrorism-related activities, without the need for probable cause or search warrants. The Act appears to be in direct contravention of Article III of the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics, which requires librarians to protect user privacy. When the FBI demands electronic records from a library in Hartford, Connecticut, those librarians challenge the constitutionality and file suit against the Attorney General of the United States.

 

Outcome 1d. Articulate a personal professional philosophy of the library and information professions.

Artifact 1d. The Book Stops Here  – LIS 770: Management of Libraries and Information Centers

My paper, titled The Book Stops Here: Should Library Boards Be Held Accountable for Embezzlement?, asks and answers questions about library trustees’ responsibilities as stewards of taxpayer funds. My undergraduate degree is in accounting, and I used that professional knowledge to examine several instances of library employee and trustee embezzlement, typical internal control practices, and to make recommendations for library directors and trustees for prevention. In the conclusion in this article, I offer my personal professional philosophy that those who serve their public libraries, either as trustees or as employees, must know and meet the expectations of their roles as a part of their fiduciary responsibilities.