Dec 2, 2009

Who are you people, anyway?!

8 comments:

Katy said...

My sister the giggling flamenco librarian is definitely a game changer!!! That's all I have to say. (I'm not a library student. Or a hockey player. So I can have no further comment.)

Carly said...

I'm kind of working hard in the first semester in US, so, I don't have much spare time, just doing assignments for most of the time. I'm still not sure if I want to be a librarian in US after graduation because there is certain limitation for me as an International student, and the librarianship in China is totally different and I don't want to give it a try especially at my age. Information science field interests me more than library science, the way that the new technology is changing our lives, the society and of course, the libraries. What I feel most excited about library school here in Syracuse is that we have lots of interesting people in LIS program who share the mission of serving the community for their information need.

Hezaa said...

I want to be a game changer!! Although, I think a better place for me right now would be at the right hand of a game changer. I want to exercise my scheming muscles more as we move forward - I want to work on being a subversive revolutionary. That's something you can get better at, right?

MORE QUESTIONS: If we all went out and got tattoos, would we be any less nerdy? It's funny that we all can be considered stereotypical, even though we're so different already. You dance flamenco. Elaine blogs about graveyards. I listen to Japanese rap. These are very diverse activities when you take them at face value... What is it that makes them stereotypical of library students?

S. said...

You're right, we definitely have a lot of interesting people in the program, and yet the whole librarian image is one that won't go away, in some respects. Just wondering why....and trying to jump start some more posting from all the interesting people in the program!

S. said...

Carly--I'm really curious about librarianship in China. How is it different? Why does your age factor into it? If you were to stay in the US would you consider becoming a librarian? Or do you think the field is (fill in the blank)?

Carly said...

Before saying anything about libraries in China, I have to admit that I'm not that familiar with them. I haven't been to the public library in the city and I use academic libraries more.

1.We don't have as many libraries as in US. For my hometown, one of the 20-largest city in China with more then 8 million populations, only has 4 or 5 public libraries, including a library for children and teenagers. And there is no "branch library", but they do have reading rooms in few communities.

2.Libraries are more resource oriented. There is almost no "reference service". You can find it under "service" of the library website but I highly doubt if they are really offering it and if they do, what level of the reference service.

3. Most of the public libraries in China are not free, there is membership fee and extra security deposit.

4. People go to the libraries for books, magazines, study rooms and some people go there for air conditioning in hot summer. The point is, they don't go to libraries for adult services or children services.

5. I mentioned tonight that there is no "information literacy" program. But I just figured out they are establishing such programs.

6. There is no respect to freedom of speech. So you can never see "Banned book week"and you can never see controversial materials.

7. Librarianship is not that respected. Most Chinese students in iSchool think it is a strange choice for me to be in the LIS program.

I guess this is what I could come up with now. I do need more research to talk about library and librarianship in China. And though I'm really not satisfied with the current status, I need to admit that they are improving. For example, a.few libraries charge no fee for the membership; b. they do have information literacy program; c. they don't have blogs, SNS or podcast to reach out to patrons, but they are updating their websites, answer questions more actively and frequently.

Amanda E. Perrine said...

Others apparently want to know as well:-)
http://libraryroutesproject.wikkii.com/wiki/Main_Page

S. said...

Amanda--

Thanks for that link! It looks like a great project. I'm going to put it in my next post....unless you want to do it! Feel like blogging?!