Changing The Perception of the Library as a Social Hub

By






Despite being a place where books and knowledge abound, modern librarians are keen on making the library a place where the community feels connected to the library as a space where members of the community gather. This shift is going against the traditional view of what the library functions as a space dedicated to being a place of study for students and learners. With the help of modern librarians, the perception of the library is more than that, and being a place of social activity is becoming a reality for a few libraries. But how can a library be a center of social activity?

It’s by changing their perception of who gathers in libraries. To change that perception libraries must go out of the library and join a community organization. Librarians must think beyond of who they are as a profession but, as a person within the community. This is an old school, grassroots method of joining other neighborhood organizations and attending local meetings. It may be old but, it can be effective. Being a member of another organization can help librarians understand the real needs that the other organization has. Then, the library then can help solve the problem. Implementing this grassroots method “cultivate[s] a mutually beneficial relationship between the library and the public’’ (Hinze, 28) To conclude, librarians must be more than an outdated stereotype. In fact, librarians must show their multi-faceted selves to others in the community to convey that librarian not only care about books and intellectual freedoms but people too. Showing their multi-faceted self will help people think of libraries as a place where community people gather. 


Hinze, Shana. 2016. “Librarians as Community Ambassadors.” Young Adult Library Services 15 (1): 27–30. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.palomar.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=118843606&site

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Libraries And The Homeless

By
  Libraries and the homeless   For thousands of people in California , and many more in the United states , a safe environment away from the intense heat of the summer or the intense rains and cold weather of the winter is not a privilege they have . T her e is an increasing number of unhoused individuals in the world right now . O ne place that can provide a respite from the toils of the weather is the Public Library . I n the broadcast “ Dallas library E mbraces R ole as H aven for the H omeless ,” it mentions that not only are libraries a safe place to rest and be out of the weather, but some libraries are also offering classes and other opportunities for the unhoused. The Dallas library offers a keyboarding class that allows homeless individuals to feel seen as a part of something that can help with the unrelenting loneliness of homelessness. They even serve hot coffee in the mornings! Some libraries like the Hedberg Public Library in Ohio team up with...
Read more

Libraries as Permeable Spaces

By
Image
In order to be successful, a student must have the desire to learn and study. Libraries have always provided this space for dedicated students to study. One reason libraries have been a space for studying is because of libraries' policy of being a quiet space.  Doing this encourages student concentration to work but, what else can academic libraries do to help improve students’ success? The answer lies in creating spaces of interaction within libraries.  Students can interact within libraries by using services that are for self-improvement. These services included tutoring services and a writing center. Local Community Colleges such as Miracosta in Oceanside offer such services.  Recently, libraries like the Architecture and Building and Planning Library at the University of Melbourne have focused on improving their physical spaces by being a place of permeability.  In this context, permeability is a place that provides “structural .. features  in building ...
Read more

Libraries and Student Success

By
Image
  In educational settings, one of the most beneficial supports for student success is the library.  School libraries are sometimes the only opportunity students have to access books for pleasure reading or help with technology.  The better equipped a library is with relevant textual resources and staff with technical knowledge, the bigger the advantage to the students that library and staff serve.  Libraries that have a current selection of high-quality fiction and nonfiction, those which hold high interest of students, greatly benefit students by engaging them and creating a cycle of wanting to read and learn more.  The better the collection development is of a library, the more well-served students are.  Students can learn valuable research skills from library staff, skills that will benefit students for their entire educational career.  Most schools now offer technology one-to-one to all students.  Library staff and teachers can guide young res...
Read more