Juanita Leatham e-portfolio

Core Competency B: Describe and compare different organizational settings in

which information professionals practice.

Introduction

In library and information science there are a variety of organizational settings. I chose public libraries, school libraries, and academic libraries to focus on. I will describe and compare each setting as each is different and similar in their own ways. However, each library-based organization is responsible for housing, organizing, and loaning out materials. In comparison, a common thread that information professionals share is being responsible for upholding the first amendment when it comes to having the freedom to order and shelve books and other media. The first amendment says librarians and libraries validate that “individuals to speak, publish, read and view what they wish, worship (or not worship) as they wish, associate with whomever they choose”, says the ALA (2021, October).

Public Libraries

Public libraries are open to the public, from child to adult, meaning everyone has access to them. This means that all people will have different needs when they walk into the library. The main thing is that most people will need various books or even DVD’s. These materials may be something that the librarian may not agree with and judge the patron, but must also check items out at the circulation desk anyways. After all, the first amendment protects patrons in choosing to read and view what they wish. Unlike school libraries, patrons can check out adult materials (depending on the library). “Glendale Public Library says, “our teen librarian pretty much does whatever she wants to do, assuming the events don’t cost us money. If she wants to do something that will cost us, she can get the money from her supervisor if approved by the supervisor and Admin. Planning is entirely up to the librarian.” (Velasquez, 2025) Like school libraries, they are able to check out materials that are fitting to their reading level. And unlike academic libraries, patrons might not have access to academic materials. That is, unless the public library has a subscription to the materials online. Like academic libraries, public library patrons are able to use the library network to ask for book loans or other materials that are not in their library already. There are also patron self help scanners at the library that allow for more privacy for the patron and less judgement from the librarian.

School Libraries

When a child or teen walks into a school library, they are looking for grade and age appropriate materials. It is a kindergarten to twelfth grade setting. It is the librarian’s responsibility to lead the student and give access to those books or materials. These books and materials have been previously vetted for grade and age appropriateness and will be ready to be checked out by the student. Sometimes these materials have been checked out by other students. It is the librarian’s responsibility to make sure that there is another copy of the book or there is a different but acceptable replacement for it. Just like public libraries and academic libraries, school libraries have reading materials and e-books that are accessible to students at appropriate reading levels, hobbies, and interests. Such as Virginia A. Walter and Elaine Meyer’s section focuses on space, called “Teen Places: The Power of Square Footage” from “Teens and Libraries: Getting it Right”, they speak of a Teen’Scape, a place where teens can be teens. They describe it as having a ““CyberZone” with nineteen Internet-Access computers; a Living Room with television, film, and comfortable furniture; a Lounge zone for informal socializing and independent reading; group study rooms; and extensive reference and popular collections in a variety of formats.” (Meyer & Walter, 57) School libraries have many uses, not just for reading.

Academic Libraries

When older or younger students arrive at academic libraries they typically come from a collegiate or university setting. Students and professors are looking for books and materials that are relevant to much more advanced research subjects and materials. Like public libraries, these materials would come from digital materials or hard or soft covered copies. Moroni says, “5) critical reflection and communication of learning: reflection upon the experience, which may bring to the realization of further actions; identification of results reached, and sharing of the experience both within the context and outside, towards the relevant scientific community” (Moroni, 2011).  If the materials are not readily available in the academic library, the student, in much like the public library setting, can request the journal, book, or other materials to be inter-library loaned. Once the materials are checked out, there is a time limit for inter-library loaned materials. So one must use their time wisely when it comes to getting a loaned library book or other materials. 

Evidence

1 – INFO 232: Issues in Public Libraries: Module 1 – Issues in Public Libraries – Walkabout Q&A

My first piece of evidence to support Competency B for INFO 232: Issues in Public Libraries where I use public libraries for this Question and Answer piece for the Carson public library. What I was to do is to walk into the library and write what I see. This included signage to the bathroom, to DVD’s, and to the book area. Every area had signage. In the book area, on the shelving was a small digital computer that had a “Find it” selection. This is where the patron or librarian would type in the book or media they are looking for without potential judgement. Having this “Find it” computer helped with keeping patrons on point to where they were looking to go without asking a librarian at the circulation desk. This also helped busy librarians keep the help lines short. Entering book or media information into these tiny computers would also help us librarians with keeping track of and new librarians like myself with shelving the books accurately. There are also self help scanners towards the front of the library where patrons can check books out without judgement.

2 – INFO 233: School Library Media Centers: INFO 233: Discussion | Professional Organizations

For my second piece of evidence to support Competency B I will be discussing school libraries. School libraries have many visitors – there are the young from elementary to middle school to high school. In order to reach school library patrons, librarians got together and organized library information (text and digital media) in the following ways, “The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has a website that focuses on specific points. They are: Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, and Engage.” (n.n., 2018). These are goals of “shared foundations”. In order to gather up interest in the library there needs to be books that lure students to the library. We can get them to inquire about what they see but haven’t read yet. We can get students to help one another to include each other in learning. We can also get students to collaborate with each other and the library. Take for instance, getting involved in a reading challenge or collaborating on a school report together. Next, the librarians are to curate and use the budget to get books that reflect the different age ranges. When this happens, students are drawn into reading where they explore and then engage with the text and other media.

3 – INFO 231: Issues in Special Libraries and Information Centers: International Risk Issue and Special Libraries

For my third piece of evidence to support Competency B I will discuss academic libraries and the importance of keeping the books in academic libraries safe from breakdown. “However, some of the universities are using digitization efforts within their collections. This digitized collection does not protect the original copies of the special collections. Those original copies have to have their own protection systems“ (Leatham, 2024). I agree with this sentiment of digitizing special collections and academic libraries as I remember seeing how the Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire along with many texts. The quote above and next is a reference to Australia and fires and floods – “In South Australia, the Barr Smith Library at the University of Adelaide suffered a major flood in March 2005 when construction works damaged a water main on North Terrace Campus inundating the library and campus buildings with over 200,000 l of water and 40 t of mud. It damaged the IT server room […]” (Arbon, et al., 2018). Fortunately, there are storage clouds that can save information even if the IT server room got destroyed. This is why it is important that academic libraries get digitized. Protecting library materials and texts is important as a safe guard to prevent data loss.

Conclusion

From public, school, or academic libraries, each type of library must have books and media that librarians serve to patrons. These patrons come from all walks of life and get checked out at the circulation desk. For public libraries, it is important for librarians to have findable books and media that match interest and skill level as well as technology to find and check out these materials. For school libraries, it is important for librarians to have the right type of library programming to serve patrons based on reading level as well as capturing their type of interest. While in academic libraries, the librarian must be ready to keep texts digitized so nothing can get lost due to fire or flood or other means of destruction. To be a librarian at each of these types of libraries means one has a pivotal role in keeping all books and media ready for the waiting library patron.   

References

American Library Association. (2021, October). First amendment and censorship. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship.

American Association of School Librarians. (n.d). National school library standards. https://standards.aasl.org/.

American Association of School Librarians. (2018). AASL standards framework for learners. https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/AASL-Standards-Framework-for-Learners-pamphlet.pdf. 

Garnett, J., Arbon, P., Howard, D., & Ingham, V. (2018). Do university libraries in Australia actively plan to protect special collections from disaster? Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association. 67(4). 434-449. https://doi-org.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/10.1080/24750158.2018.1531678

Leatham, J. (2024).  International risk issue and special libraries. [Google Doc]. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ONc4qS9H5UIJKdpHdyGzHC_sBQJ95I-Azhyn9YHTdDc/edit?usp=sharing. 

Leatham, J. (2024). INFO 232 – Module 1 – Issues in public libraries – Walkabout Q&A. [Google Doc]. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r9LKaCcqbKpelCuPvUOcB2MeX_JIDW4bEiS_G_upVUA/edit?usp=sharing. 

Leatham, J. (2024). INFO 261-A: Ch.2 – Teen library programming by J. Velasquez – Notes [Google Doc]. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fmNP7N5zOhvylrK99kl3WR. EiB5ZfnsSJQOOc40xpN1k/edit?usp=sharing. 

Leatham, J. (2025). INFO 261-A-11: Teen services project. [Google Doc].https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bJoF9OuQzXzP3G4bw1cDIJsRr_Vn2ppSx-NsHYMxEXs/edit?usp=sharing.  

Leatham, J. (2011). Action research in the library – Moroni 2011. [Google Doc]. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gwKo2MND1EXfoCVKe5JrswlzaOSMeiiwohebXovAx30/edit?usp=sharing.

Leatham, J. (2025). INFO 233: Discussion professional organizations. [Google Doc]. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pXbMNAOT6YheSaWa6mA0E6knJVZyK34HB7ybEszHf-w/edit?usp=sharing. 

Walter, V.A. & Meyers, E.E. (2003). Teens and libraries: Getting it right. ALA Editions. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/sjsu/reader.action?docID=3001653#