PAR-TIC-I-PA-TION, or 37 pieces of library flair (also a 365days shot)
Originally uploaded by cindiann
Read this:
http://alreadygone.blogspot.com/2007/06/par-tic-i-pa-tion-or-37-pieces-of.html
I am a “next generation” librarian, librarian 2.0 (1.5!), “young librarian,” whatever you want to call me, and I recently made the choice to get involved in ALA. I am currently attending the annual conference and having to make hard choices about what programming to attend and what to research later. Rather than continuing to believe that it’s hard to get involved, I chose to show up and agitate–ask people how to get onto committees, talk to those around me who are already involved in the organization, not be shy about talking to presenters, giving out my card, the whole nine yards. As a closet introvert, this is kind of hard for me.
So, if I’m willing to get over myself and get out there and (sssh, don’t tell anyone) try to transform the organization from the inside, what is holding traditional librarians* back from participating in the new web, which could transform every library in the world (for FREE, I might add)? The questions that were asked at the end of the “Reinventing Reference” pre-conference session were very revealing; it was as if people *heard* what was said but didn’t *listen* to what it meant for them, their libraries and their library users.
I’m with Cindi… transformation of ALA — huge organization that it is — is best done from the inside. I’ve heard and participated in some incredible conversations these last few days. I’m fired up by the sense of promise in the air – and also a little irked at the resistance voiced by some as they smell change — but still I see the value of questioning and thinking.
Have you heard the conversations? Will you participate?