ALA: Library computers essential for those trying to get new jobs

In this national economic downturn, more people than ever are utilizing their local public libraries to find employment information and apply for jobs electronically. Poverty and the digital divide are real, yet states are cutting back funding in these crucial areas. Public libraries are at the forefront by providing greater access to information and educating patrons on how to become more informed citizens.

A sampling of findings from the American Library Association study of Public Library Funding and Technology Access reveals the following:

# 99 percent of public libraries offer free access to computers.
# Public computer and Wi-Fi use was up last year for more than 70 percent of all libraries.
# 89 percent of libraries provide technology training, including classes in computer skills, software use and online job-seeking.
# Most libraries offer Internet services ranging from subscription databases (95 percent) to online homework resources (88 percent).
# 66 percent of libraries provide assistance to patrons completing government forms.
# 76 percent of libraries report public use of Internet computers increased in 2009.
# 88 percent of libraries provide access to job databases and other job opportunity resources.
# 15 percent of all libraries report decreased hours of operation and 56 percent report flat or decreased operating budgets in fiscal 2010.

danah boyd: Information Literacy and Engaged Citizenry

The New America Foundation recently published an article, "Community Media and Information Literacy in the Digital Age," that ties in nicely with community informatics and the importance of information literacy. The digital divide is not only about access to information, but it also includes an interpretation of information:

boyd argued that people need access to multiple interpretations of information and the training required to contextualize. She concluded her talk with a call to action, saying that while information is power, interpretation is even more powerful and government transparency is not enough. The facts do not always speak for themselves, after all.

Therefore, as boyd explains, government transparency is only one part of the equation. Literacy through engagement is often the catalyst that brings private citizens into public life. However, information literacy is still reserved for the privileged few.

I love this quote because it speaks to the heart of why intellectual freedom and democracy are so important today. If we want to reduce the digital divide among underserved populations, we must reach out and educate these communities on how to evaluate their resources. Then, these communities become engaged citizens who can more accurately interpret the world around them. Otherwise, we can only committing information overload.

Francis Perkins and Social Security

The Francis Perkins Center launched a website, Social Security Stories, about the origins and legacy of the Social Security Act of 1935. It provided benefits to retirees, the disabled and the unemployed. She accomplished a lasting legacy in the history of social welfare.

Francis Perkins was the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. She completed her undergraduate work at Mount Holyoke College and graduate work (economics and sociology) at Columbia University. In her work experiences, she visited settlement houses and engaged in progressive causes. She advocated vigorously for better labor conditions In the U.S. Cabinet, she played a key role in drafting landmark New Deal legislation, such as social security, child labor regulation, minimum wage laws, and unemployment insurance. In 1980, the Francis Perkins Building (Department of Labor headquarters) was commemorated in her honor.

Since the 1930s, Social Security has gradually moved toward universal coverage. Changes in Social Security have reflected a balance between promoting equality and efforts to provide adequate protection. This includes underserved populations, such as the disabled and minority groups.

The Death of Library Schools?

There is a very interesting discussion on the blog thread, "The Death of Library Schools" by Will Manley. So far, there are 162 posts on the topic.

These are very dark days in the library world. Skilled and experienced librarians are being terminated, unqualified people are now staffing public service desks (where public service desks still exist), and reference services are being surrendered to Google.

If our profession is going to survive, we need strong library schools. If the library schools die, the profession will die. If the profession dies, libraries will die.

What are your feelings on the future of library schools? Is the iSchool movement the future or should traditional library schools stay intact? Should there be more emphasis on vocational training or a liberal arts education?

LATimes: Op-Ed on U.S. Public Libraries

The Los Angeles Times has an op-ed about the decline of school and public libraries in the United States. The bad economy has forced many school districts and local governments cut back in funding. Librarians and other service-oriented professions are among the first to receive pink-slips and shutdowns. This is sad news when such services are most critical for needy children and families:

The U.S. is beginning an interesting experiment in democracy: We're cutting public library funds, shrinking our public and school libraries, and in some places, shutting them altogether...

Libraries are an essential service in action, as well as an effective leveler of privilege and avenue of reinvention. As budget cuts affect more facilities, children will be the first to suffer.

Future of U.S. Education Looks Bleak

If you have any interest in K-12 education, then I recommend this three-part series based on the book, Education and the Crisis of Public Values, to be published by Peter Lang Publishing Group. Although I am not enrolled in an education graduate program, I have been following the trends closely. Education was an area I studied in my undergraduate days. It is hard to believe that teaching was once a respected profession, but it is slowly eroding as external influences determine how and what children should learn. Sometimes, I wonder what will happen to the future of education in the United States. Right now, it looks very bleak.

Underlying these transformations are a number of forces eager to privatize schools, substitute vocational training for education and reduce teaching and learning to reductive modes of testing and evaluation. - In Defense of Public School Teachers in a Time of Crisis

• Dumbing Down Teachers: Attacking Colleges of Education in the Name of Reform (Part I)


• Teachers Without Jobs and Education Without Hope: Beyond Bailouts and the Fetish of the Measurement Trap (Part 2)


• Chartering Disaster: Why Duncan's Corporate-Based Schools Can't Deliver an Education That Matters (Part 3)

Forbes: Worst Master's Degrees List

Last month, Forbes ranked the best and worst master's degrees. The magazine considered job growth and mid-career earnings. It received a lot of attention and backlash due to incorrect facts and figures (for instance, Payscale data is very misleading). It also just happens that my favorite fields (social work, library science, and education) were listed among the worst category.

Here are my thoughts: Although I am very disappointed with the list, I do not take it seriously. I have no regrets in my choice of fields. I am learning analytical and leadership skills in my graduate program. Not everyone can become a scientist or physician assistant. Payscale figures are also not credible because it doesn't take into account a person's practice area. Social work and library science are very diverse fields; the practice area can lead to different salary levels. The list is also discriminatory because women disproportionately attain most of the "worst degrees."

The bottom line is focus on what interests you, excel in the subject, and your career will take off from there. Don't listen to dubious rankings that adopt arbitrary data. I love this comment because it reveals why society needs librarians:

Forbes should have asked someone with a Master's degree in Library & Information Science about the difference between nurses and PAs. This is what happens when information professionals are devalued in our society.

Obama's Next Task: Reading and Childhood Obesity

First Lady Michelle Obama launched the "Let's Move, Let's Read" program to encourage children to exercise, eat healthy, and read during the summer vacation. It is part of her national campaign against childhood obesity and reading loss. She wants children to read at least five books during the months they are not in school.

However, there are several flaws to her plan because it does not address funding for public libraries in high-poverty areas which are disproportionately urban and rural. Most school children will rent books from their local libraries, yet state governments nationwide continue to cut funding towards public libraries. During this economic recession, more people are flocking to public libraries than ever for educational, employment, and recreational purposes. The first lady should advocate for public libraries if she wants her campaign to be successful.