Why I'm Doing This, Parts One & Two

Why I’m Doing This, Parts One & Two

The approved reason for the “One Small Good Thing” project is for me to get a broader understanding of various aspects of public library administration. (And to fulfill a class requirement for my MLIS, of course.) The hope is that, through the examination of these “micro” anecdotes, I will have an opportunity to consider larger “macro” issues facing public libraries.

This is what I wrote in my project proposal:

"I believe that this experiment will result in a rich 'in the moment' snapshot of how public libraries (and librarians) operate, which will in turn help me more deeply understand the theoretical issues of librarianship, particularly because they will be tied to actual experiences."

(I've since found actual research that shows this is a hole in professional library literature. Hot dog! I'll share that in a later entry, since I'm still processing what it all means -- thank you, Bill Crowley and John E. Buschman.) 

Of course, the real reason I’ve undertaken this project isn’t altruistic, communal, or even educational. 

It’s selfish. It’s for my own survival. 

Let me explain.

A few months ago, in response to some disparaging messages about the role of librarians from people who should know better (I won't mention the particulars of the whos or the whats, for various reasons), I got what is formally called "bummed OUT"... depressed... demoralized. I wondered if what I'd dedicated my life to, the profession I'd been practicing for almost seven years, would continue to be mischaracterized, maligned, and simply misunderstood. Why was I doing this -- furthermore, why was I pursuing a higher degree in it -- if what I was doing was just going to be devalued and brushed away as a kind of computer-store clerkship?

I agree with my library's CEO, Gary Shaffer, who does a great job of explaining why libraries are so important. His cri de couer is "Libraries change lives" -- my only addition would be "...and so do librarians!"

So I decided I needed a jolt of radical positivity. I had to find a way to start focusing on what I and my wonderful colleagues were doing every day that was of value. I wanted (and still need) to know that what I did mattered.

I started collecting stories: at least one positive interaction, one "small good thing" I experienced in the library every day. I wrote on post-it notes, scratch paper, notebooks.

After a few weeks I noticed I started to feel better... and that I wanted to expand my story base, to see the "small good things" that others in my library experienced.