palling around with librarians (from the future)
Do you believe in magic telephone numbers? I do. I believe together we can dial these magic numbers and contact experienced or new librarians from the future, because I believe in librarians from the future who walk among us, some with alarmingly beautiful mobile devices, some with acutely sharpened pencils. Sometimes they are disguised as angels.
They will pal around with you. They will draw Venn diagrams in the air like hexes that make real the points of contact between people, information, resources, what is known, what is unknown, chthonic animals and ether. Some among you may be asleep. Some among you may be wondering if all librarians are good. No. Some librarians are crying. Some are filled with light and grace. Some are very good at what they do. Some are character assassins. Some stop to say hello. Some pretend to be patrons complaining about library services they don’t like because real patrons are not complaining. Some remember their manners. Some are watching you, waiting to delight in and exaggerate your missteps or distort your words and deeds. Some go out of their way to support the efforts of their colleagues, and serve their various constituencies. Some see opportunity and possibility in their situation. Some point their finger and blame. They all make mistakes yet there is hope for them all. They can all play a role in something wonderful. Today is a new day. Tomorrow is another. Do good work and be a pal. Don’t let others define you.
Further sources of inspiration:
Bivens-Tatum, W. (2007). The Ethos of librarians. In Academic Librarian. Retrieved November 19 2008 from URL (http://blogs.princeton.edu/librarian/2007/12/the_ethos_of_librarians.html).
“Code of Ethics,” American Library Association, July 07, 2006.
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/statementspols/codeofethics/codeethics.cfm (Accessed November 19, 2008)
Futurama Official Site. URL (http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/futurama/index.jhtml).
palling around. (n.d.) The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. (2003). Retrieved November 19 2008 from URL (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/palling+around).
