Librarians: Undervalued, Understaffed, And Irreplaceable

They’ve frequently been portrayed (for comedic effect or otherwise) as unflattering stereotypes in popular culture, but the real-life work of librarians is a lot more crucial than most Hollywood portrayals would lead us to believe.

The crux of the job

There are countless ways librarians can assist people in the community on an individual level, but a comprehensive look at the position will identify three pivotal services the typical librarian provides:

• Cataloging current content: This is the step most often shown in movies, though it’s usually not an accurate representation. Librarians specialize in classifying books and all other sources of content to ensure users can find precisely what they’re looking for.
• Acquiring new content: A library’s inventory isn’t stagnant. Sometimes, outdated content will be removed — but more importantly, librarians play an important role in determining which books and other resources are appropriate for their community.
• Assisting with research: Anyone who has ever crammed for a paper at the last minute knows how important a little help can be. And librarians are equipped with the tools necessary to help anyone dig up the research they need for just about any task.

Beyond the bookshelf

To many individuals in marginalized communities, librarians can provide the first step toward getting the assistance they hadn’t been able to find anywhere else. Some of the services libraries often provide include citizenship classes, English as a second language, legal resources, drug rehab assistance, and certain personal hygiene essentials.

Unfortunately, many people don’t realize exactly how much librarians do … and how many more people they could help if their profession were more widely understood.

Instead of laying off librarians, like a growing number of libraries have been doing lately, perhaps it’s time to give these local heroes the tools they need to save the day.

Chris Agee November 14th, 2024

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