I work in a special library. I am the only librarian in my organization, so I sometimes need to explain to people what I do and why it’s valuable.

Not long after I read this article, I got a note from a top manager who is retiring. He said my work is valuable and that I am good at it. That’s always nice to hear and should keep me going for some months! Such a little thing, but few managers do it.

I wrote a post about it last week, in Why I Give a Damn about Public Libraries.

Library director Michael Baldwin also called for it in 2002 in Can Libraries Save Democracy.

There was a lovely sequence of strips in Unshelved when the catalogue went down http://www.unshelved.com/2003-8-26
I am not this bad.

And I do agree also, that companies, which create products for libraries, can be a good thing. I just think too often the model is skewed. There ARE good examples and good relationships out there.

What you’re saying in the second part about making sure the public knows our worth and our resources a big YES! Advocacy with legislators, but also informing our communities would help a lot. But it’s hard. What is effective? How do we get the word out? And, how can we work up the chain to make some pro-active changes into the management positions when we have no mojo to get there?

Readers love it when they mention a topic / title and you immediately know where it will be.

At least that is what I tell myself – that shaking head may be of fear rather than of amazement.

At the same time, would it be entirely heretical to urge for some clemency towards the failings of the commercial world? In between various official librarianship events last month, I attended a local idea sharing festival for technologists and media entrepreneurs. Sure I was a bit out of place, but I was also inspired by the energy, creativity, and bravery of this community. I LOVE the transparency and consensus driven, collaborative ethos of librarians but I also wish that didn’t have to come at the cost of innovation, speed, and guts. Too often I feel as though the library community dismisses new ideas, systems, and products as “too sexy” only to reluctantly adopt them once they hit mainstream and become de rigueur in the user community. Ultimately, I guess I just don’t like the “us” and “them” mentality. I agree with Derik…all interests should be mutually beneficial in the end…ask (or demand) and ye shall receive.

Anyway, just thought I’d chime in. Congratulations on your new job and so very sorry we didn’t get to meet up in DC!