[Publib] Darien Re-write

Sun Apr 12 08:38:20 EDT 2009

Since it's apparently open-season on first drafts...

Actually, the author's original draft has its bumpy parts -- and they never
claimed it was anything other than a living document, subject to revision
and evolution -- while this feels grim and dry, as if librarianship were not
a quirky, annoying, exasperating, surprising, satisfying, often-amusing, and
ever-changing profession, but a duty akin to annual tax filing--necessary,
even important in a big-picture way, but hardly pleasant.

The language in the original document mirrored the authors' intent to
express the inner heart of librarianship. It needs work, but most writers
understand that writing is 10% inspiration and creative dreamwheeling and
90% grim-slog-of-revision. (Cue Jack Nicholson in The Shining)

One thing I like about the Darien statement is that the authors come to it
from various parts of LibraryLand: public, academic, U.S., Australia, etc.
They have been in the trenches a bit and understand some of the challenges
in libraries. Like most statements with multiple authors, this statement has
a strong sense of first-person-plural but also means one challenge for
revision is to smooth the document into a more coherent whole. But even with
its bumps and rough edges, I prefer the liveliness and sheer warmth of the
Darien statement to the following (hereafter dubbed, at least by me, Close
Your Eyes and Think of Melvil).

I sorta get the feeling you are most bugged that it came from elsewhere and
has had a lot of attention. Don't begrudge others their achievements--it's
unseemly.

Karen (writing on her own behalf)
kgs at freerangelibrarian.com

On Sat, Apr 11, 2009 at 11:50 PM, <Backwage at aol.com> wrote:

>  It is tough to capture the tone of the original writers, and a lot has to
> be added here by them to fill in holes.  Here's a suggested alteration.
> Shorn but recognizable.  M. McGrorty
>
> ------------------------
>
> *The **Darien** Statements on the Library and Librarians*
>
> We the undersigned hereby record this statement of our beliefs as
> professional librarians:
>
> *The Purpose of the Library*
>
> We believe that the role and purpose of the Library is the preservation of
> the information, resources and materials whose sum constitutes the
> intellectual foundation of civilization.
>
> *The Role of the Library*
>
> The Library is a creature of many roles:  The Library provides
> opportunities for learning; encourages the fulfillment of civic duty;
> facilitates communication; preserves valuable and desired materials and
> access to information in many formats; expands opportunities for creative
> expression; and provides a haven for civilized activities of many sorts.
>
>
> *The Role of Librarians*
>
> We believe that librarianship constitutes a stewardship in furtherance of
> this role, and that all librarians are obligated to adhere to these purposes
> despite conflicting or opposing social, economic, environmental, or
> political influences.
>
> We believe that the essential responsibility of the librarian to this role
> remains without regard to the paths or chosen methods taken by individual
> libraries for which she may labor.
>
> Librarians fulfill the role of the library; they personify the spirit of
> the institution, maintain its processes and bring its goals to fruition.  Librarians
> accept the burden of the past, accept the responsibility of the present day
> and anticipate the duties and needs of the future.
>
> Librarians make the Library possible:  they select, organize, disseminate,
> but always without judging either material or the individuals who seek it.
> Librarians defend the existence of material, the access to information and
> the rights of the library users.
>
> Librarians evaluate, but do not judge.
>
> *We believe also that:*
>
> **
>
> Librarians must maintain and promote openness and transparency in their
> engagements with users, and in their relations with other professionals and
> institutions.
>
>
>
> Librarians must recognize and eliminate barriers to cooperation between the
> Library and its users.
>
> Seek and use information derived from other fields in order to improve the
> institution and the profession;
>
>
>
> Assist users in learning to use the Library’s tools in order to receive its
> benefits;
>
>
>
> Speak and act in support of the Library and these principles;
>
>
>
> Evaluate changes in procedure or policy against the background of these
> principles and in light of best practices for the Library community;
>
>
>
> Support the free flow of information and materials regardless of source,
> origin, substance or destination;
>
>
>
> Support the profession and its principles through training and hiring of
> those likely to adhere to these principles; oppose those whose actions would
> do otherwise;
>
>
>
> Maintain an atmosphere of trust, friendship and  collegiality among
> practitioners and those the Library serves.
>
>
> *The Preservation of the Library*
>
> *As stewards, Librarians ensure preservation of access and materials; they
> accept the best of traditional methods and embrace the best of new
> technologies while understanding that, as the book surpassed the scroll,
> change is a constant and not an enemy.*
>
> Librarians accept change, choosing the best of the new for the improvement
> of service and the institution itself.  *Preservation* and *providing* are
> the only constants.
>
> *Conclusion*
>
> With faith that our citizens will accept these principles as a token of our
> love for the Library and a guide to our intentions, we remain,
>
> John Blyberg, Kathryn Greenhill, and Cindi Trainor
>
> ------------------------------
> Check all of your email inboxes from anywhere on the web. Try the new
> Email Toolbar now<http://toolbar.aol.com/mail/download.html?ncid=txtlnkusdown00000027>
> !
>
> _______________________________________________
> Publib mailing list
> Publib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib
>
>

-- 
-- 
| Karen G. Schneider
| Community Librarian
| Equinox Software Inc. "The Evergreen Experts"
| Toll-free: 1.877.Open.ILS (1.877.673.6457) x712
| kgs at esilibrary.com
| Web: http://www.esilibrary.com
| Be a part of the Evergreen International Conference, May 20-22, 2009!
| http://www.lyrasis.org/evergreen
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/publib/attachments/20090412/dcda4336/attachment.htm