Professional Philosophy

A wealthy Ploughman, drawing near his end, called in his sons apart from every friend, and said, "When of your sire bereft, the heritage your father left guard well, nor sell a single field. A treasure in it is concealed. The place, precisely, I don't know, but industry will serve to show. The harvest past, Time's forelock take, and search with plough, and spade, and rake; turn over every inch of sod, Nor leave unsearched a single clod!" The father died. The sons in vain turned o'er the soil, and o'er again. That year their acres bore more grain than e'er before. Though hidden money found they none, yet had their father wisely done, to show by such a measure that toil itself is treasure. .
Jean de La Fontain

It is clear from this fable that hard work is the key to one's success; however, its real moral lies much deeper than what one can see from the story, that is the professional wisdom or philosophy from the wise father passed to his children before his death. It is true that one needs to work hard to succeed, but it is more important to work with certain ethics and values because without them one's performance is lack of foundation and direction. For this reason, the discussion of this essay will explore what the professional librarianship's philosophy is.

Like any profession, the professional librarianship also takes pride in its philosophy, which is expressed eloquently in the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights. In this document, adopted since June 1948, six core principles were stated to govern all library services. Each of them deserves much attention and understand from all librarians, especially the future graduate librarians, because it will help them to serve effectively.

First of all, the Library Bill of Rights states: "Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation." This first principle wants to emphasize that everyone within the community has the right to the library's services without prejudice or discrimination. It truly reflects the strongest value of the United States of America: liberty and justice for all. According to this principle, a librarian has to ensure that every one regardless his/her race, political affiliation, gender, social status, religion, and age has the right to use the library. Each patron has an equal right to ask for any material which is available in the library. It is important for librarians to know that the materials are their for the community, not for anyone's private agenda. To uphold this principle, librarians should be attentive and courteous to every patron who approaches for help. The most effective way to provide patrons the best service is to ask them focus questions . Their responses will help librarians to know the specific needs that they are looking for. In order to provide accurate responses to patrons' questions, it is desirable that librarians constantly update their knowledge about social services, technologies, and global events because society is constantly evolving. This concept does not mean that librarians should be all-knowing, but it desires that they should at least know where to seek for information. For example, any librarian should know that the Americans are currently involved in a war in Iraq, that the national economy is in crisis, and that global warming is a threat to all, that the nation for the first time in history has an African American president and etc. A general knowledge of these will help librarians to be more effective as they the community. A patron will be more appreciative when he or she sees librarians taking the effort to help them than to be given an "I-don't-know" response.

Very closely related to the principle of liberty and justice for all, the second principle of the Library Bill of Right has to do with fairness to people of all sides of the same issue. The principle states: "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval." This principle reminds not only librarians but also all citizens of the United States that they are living in a free nation which gives each individual an equal opportunity to pursue his or her own interests or perspectives. Communist or dictatorial nations do not allow people this freedom. I remember growing up in Vietnam, a Communist nation. The Government controls all publishers, radio and TV stations, Internet providers, and even religions. They only allow publications which support their ideology, and anything against it will be prohibited. Sadly that is how Vietnamese Government is still running their people in this 21st century. That is not how libraries in the United States should run their services. I support wholeheartedly that "libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues." This part of the principle states very clearly that libraries are providers of materials and information not a judge in a court of law who decides what is right and wrong for the people. The people can decide and choose for themselves what is good for them. According to the principle, it is not the librarians' role to shape the patrons' way of thinking and behavior. That is why the principle expresses very clearly that "librarians should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval." The principle is very fair and respectful of one's freedom of choice.

The third principle of the Library Bill of Right concerns the work of censorship. It states: "Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment." Regarding this issue, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) raises a very crucial question in its May 2008 brochure, titled What is Intellectual Freedom : "How do we know if we are being professional selectors or self-imposed censor?" This question is searching for a clear conscience from librarians as they decide on what to keep and what to reject. This task can be difficult because it demands a clear understanding the difference between selecting and censoring. Lester Asheim explains clearly this difference in his article, Not Censorship But Selection, as follows: "For to the selector, the important thing is to find reasons to keep the book. Given such a guiding principle, the selector looks for values, for strengths, for virtues which will over shadow minor objections. For the censor, on the other hand, the important thing is to find reasons to reject the book; his guiding principle leads him to seek out the objectionable features, the weaknesses, the possibilities for misinterpretation." From this explanation, librarians should be aware of who they are: selector not censor. As such, their obligation is to look "for values, for strengths, (and) for virtues" in materials to keep them. This guiding principle should be strictly put into practice to ensure equal access to information.

The fourth principle of the Library Bill of Right encourages librarians to ensure freedom for all users to access and express their opinions in the fullest form. It states, "Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas." This principle suggests that it is wrong to cut short or limit any one's right to have a full expression and access to ideas. For this reason, librarians should work with all to stop this violation. As a future information professional, I would like to see all users feel comfortable to come in and search for formation with delight that all ideas contained in the available materials are available for their interest, and no one or institution can stop them from getting them in any manner.

Both the fifth and sixth principles emphasize strongly a person's equal right to use the exhibit spaces and meeting rooms in the library. They should not be denied of this right because of their origin, beliefs, race, gender, or political affiliations. All should be respected and treated in the same way. These two principles remind everybody that the United States of America is the nation of diversity in which everyone has the right to exercise his or her freedom prescribed in the constitution. In the same way, libraries should welcome all to use the facilities appropriately without bias and discrimination. It is important for future librarians to know this law in order to serve the community well.

The Library Bill of Rights is indeed the fabulous philosophy for all librarians to bear in heart as they serve in any position in a library. If any librarian wants to look for the right direction in his or her career, he or she will have to look into the this bill of rights. It is just and fair to all patrons. As a future librarian, this Library Bill of Rights will certainly be my unfailing philosophy. It has been effective for 60 years, and I am confident that it will not fail with my life time.

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