Our libraries and our roles within them might be different but, there are things that draw us together in our love for our libraries.
Working in libraries allows us to make order out of chaos, and I’m sure we’re all quite familiar with Neil Gaiman’s famous quote “Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.” Whether we call those who come to us clients, readers, members, borrowers or users, they often come not knowing exactly what they want, or having only a vague idea, and hoping that what they need does actually exist. They come in the hope that we can work our magic. Applying our experience, problem-solving, research and retrieval skills, as well as a good dose of creative thinking, we find answers that not only fulfil their needs, but often exceed their expectations. More than that, if we don’t have an answer, we will do our best to refer them to someone who does. No wonder people keep telling us how amazing we are, and how much they love our libraries. Sometimes they even tell us we are magic.
Libraries provide our communities with a sense of safety and comfort. Libraries have a reputation as being safe and (for the most part) inclusive and welcoming. For some members of our communities, the library may be the only place they feel comfortable and free to learn, explore and gain better understandings and knowledge. Libraries provide opportunities and a safe space to meet others, make friends and form lasting relationships with both people and books.
Our connectedness with our communities places us in a perfect position to accomplish great things. What other type of organisation can simultaneously fulfil so many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals locally, nationally and internationally? And, we do this across all the levels of educational libraries, public, state and national libraries, and the various institutional and special/specialist libraries.
Libraries are, on the whole, wonderous places to work, providing us with a catalogue of transferable skills that we can take with us to other libraries or institutions within the GLAM sector as well as elsewhere. Working in libraries allows us to develop as organisers, innovators, creators, educators, advocates and so much more.
Happy #LibraryLoversDay
Share your passion. If you’d like to share your passion for libraries and how they can make difference to community perceptions and knowledge about sustainability, please reach out to us. We are looking for more contributors for this blog.
By Katalin Mindum, ALIA Sustainable Libraries Group Committee Member
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