Competency C

Recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use.

A cock was once strutting up and down the farmyard among the hens when suddenly he espied something shinning amid the straw. "Ho! ho!" quoth he, "that's for me," and soon rooted it out from beneath the straw. What did it turn out to be but a Pearl that by some chance had been lost in the yard? "You may be a treasure," quoth Master Cock, "to men that prize you, but for me I would rather have a single barley-corn than a peck of pearls."
Aesop

The moral of the fable is each individual is searching for different interest. This recognition is important to any public service, especially in library service. On an average day, when I am working at a clinic office, I would come across at least 30 people, and they are all different from one another in one way or another: culture, economic status, education level, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political affiliation, age, etc. Because of these differences, their behaviors and needs are also different. I can imagine this same scenario is also true with public library. Almost in any given community across the nation, there are many differences among its people. When they come in a library, we would expect them to look for materials to satisfy their individual needs. So it is important for information professionals to recognize this reality in order to offer effective service.

One best way to learn about the social dimension of information use is to familiarize ourselves with the government information. The variety and amount of government information which are available out there are truly amazing. What we, as citizens, and potential librarians must do is learn how to use these available resources to locate information effectively and efficiently. As librarians, and information professionals, it is important to be aware of a variety of resources and the information they contain. The assignment, Locating Government Information Scavenger Hunt, that I did for LIBR 221-10 (Government Information Sources) was quite an eye opening experience in the world of government information. The format of the assignment is to use different sources to answer 21 questions regarding different areas. For some of them, I use print resources, and for others I have to search at government agency web sites. Very clearly, the purpose of the assignment is for us to become aware of as many government sources as possible and how they can be useful. Some of these questions have to deal with a treaty with Afghanistan regarding opium poppy cultivation, the Peace Corps in Cote D'Ivoire, the extradition treaty between England and US, Popular U.S. Government Publication, income tax, The United States Postage Stamps, types of depository library, Military Service Records, and etc. Searching at different sources to find answers for all the questions was a great opportunity for me to learn what information are available out there and how to find them. This assignment was a great preparation for future information professionals.

The cultural dimension of information has to be the most obvious factor in library service. It is true that the United States is a very diverse nation which is very clearly reflected in many cities. In certain area, one culture might be more populated than the other. That is the case with the City of Santa in California. According to the demographic study in 2000, 80.07% of this city's residents are Hispanic (Wikipedia). In my assignment, Assessment of User Needs , for LIBR 266-12 (Collection Management), I have learned much about the nature of cultural community and the techniques to recognize their needs.

In my paper, I have learned from Evans's and Saponaro's book, "Developing Library and Information Center," that "Cultural and recreational organizations also reflect community interests. As with social organizations, these formal groups provide useful clues to highly specialized interest areas with enough community interests to sustain a formal group" (Pg 34). This assessment is evident in the City of Santa Ana. I note it in the paper: "The large Hispanic community in the city certainly reflects special interests. Most of these folks are new comers to the country. Their language and social skill are very limited. For this reason, many special services should be provided to accommodate their needs."

Other important factors that Evans and Saponaro remark in their book is the need to use key informants and community forum. This is their definition of key informants: "Key informants are individuals who are in a position to be aware of the needs of the people in the community. Included in this group are public officials, officers of community organizations, business leaders, educators, the clergy, and unofficial leaders (those who do not hold office) in the community who are influential and whom other people view as knowledgeable about community affairs" (Evans & Saponaro, 2005, pg. 35). These key informants know their community better because they are in frequent and direct contact with the people. The authors also recommend the use of community forum because this is the direct approach to the people, and they think this is the best way:"This approach avoids selection bias by the researchers, as anyone in the community can express his or her opinion at a number of public meetings or volunteer for a focus group" (Evans & Saponaro, 2005, pg. 36).

From my personal visit at Santa Ana Public Library, I have to say that information professionals are really perceptive of their community. Many sections, materials, services, and programs are catered specifically to this cultural group. This website, http://www.youseemore.com/santaana/spanish.asp , is a perfect evidence of services at Santa Ana Public Library. This assignment really helps me to be more perceptive of my working environment and who I am serving on regular daily basis. I have been applying this knowledge at my current job in a clinic office, and it has led to much success. I am confident that it will be true for my future career as information professional.

Regarding the economic dimension, it is important for future information professionals to know that it involves many people at different levels of interest. Some are interested in serious research of trends and patterns of national and international economy, and some are interested in simple price index. For this reason, information professionals need to know that sources of economic information can come from national governments, international organizations, private groups, and other involved parties. To prepare myself in this area, the course LIBR 220-13 (Resources and Information Services in Professions and Disciplines) is quite helpful. The assignment that I did for this course is Economics Challenge . In this assignment, I had a chance to look into different areas of the economy like the Consumer Price Index, Gross Domestic Product, and Personal Consumption Expenditure. For each of these areas, the assignment directed me to find URL for the State of the Nation, the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and Federal Reserve Economic Data. Much thank to the internet technology, all these information can be available at the click of a finger. However, knowing where to click requires certain level of knowledge and training. As a future librarian, I am eager to offer my knowledge about economic information to those who come to me for help.

This competency is a great opportunity for me to reflect upon the courses that I took to prepare myself for the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use. With the knowledge acquired from these courses, I am very confident about my future role as information professional. I will be able to help patrons with specific needs on different aspects of life.

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