Welcome to the September 2010 issue of SLIS Descriptor!

We are excited to bring you the SLIS Descriptor in a new, more interactive format.

In this issue:

Grace Chilingirian and Allison Coltin invite you to participate in a mentorship program for students interested in law librarianship.

Kimberly A. Price discusses the versatility of library and information science skills outside of the "traditional" library setting in Seeing Through Librarian-Tinted Lenses: The Relevancy of MLIS Coursework.

Margaret Puentes reviews a cutting-edge academic library in A Tour of the William H. Hannon Library.

Yolanda Ramirez examines resources for addressing intellectual freedom and privacy in Pornography: Solving an Ethical Dilemma with CALIX.

Interested in Law Librarianship?

By Grace Chilingirian and Allison Coltin
 

This fall, the San Diego Area Law Libraries Association will be launching “SANDALL Buddies," a new mentoring program that pairs up professional law librarians with library students, new librarians and other types of librarians who are interested in the field of law librarianship.

The pairs can choose to perform a variety of activities together, such as attending events, working on projects such as newsletter articles and planning a SANDALL event to help mentees get more familiar with the organization. The Buddies Program is designed to be flexible to allow pairs to set their own goals and expectations and establish their own meeting schedules and contact preferences. There will also be occasional social events where the pairs can meet other participants and share ideas.

Seeing Through Librarian-Tinted Lenses: The Relevancy of MLIS Coursework

by Kimberly A. Price

I work in a law firm without a library (eek!). I’ve sometimes lamented the fact that I do not have a job  in a traditional library setting, or even a library associated with my work; but having a job pays the bills, and given the current state of the economy, I do truly feel blessed to have a job at all. While I still long for the day I can refer to myself as a “librarian”, I have recently realized that, even in my current job, I am already using many of the skills I’ve learned thus far in my MLIS coursework.

If I put on my “librarian lenses”, I can see that much of the work I do is relevant to my future career choice. I find this encouraging, and I hope you will too, as it is validation that the things we are learning are practical and important, in more ways than I originally anticipated. This realization has broadened my own view of what it means to be a librarian or information professional, and it has helped me recognize experiences outside of my MLIS courses that will be directly applicable to my culminating eportfolio and future job.

Looking at the glass half full, I’d like to share some of my experiences, with the hope of inspiring you to put on your own “librarian lenses” and recognize the value of the lessons and skills you have learned in this program, regardless of whether you are working in a library or not.

A Tour of the William H. Hannon Library

by Margaret Puentes

On Thursday, August 26, a small group of San Jose students visited the William H. Hannan Library at Loyola Marymount University.  The tour (hosted by ALASC) was conducted by Glenn Johnson-Grau, Head of Collection Development. The library is named after William H. Hannan, whose foundations donated $20 million for the construction of the library.  Hannan became a student at Loyola University (now Loyola Marymount University) in 1933.  Since his family could not afford the tuition, his mother sent a letter to president of the University requesting that her son be admitted to the school if he promised to pay back the school after he found a job.  The president admitted Hannan on a full scholarship ($200).  Since then, his foundations have contributed approximately $83 million in donations to the University.

The library was in development for 2 years and opened in July 2009.  It replaced the old library building, which is currently being renovated into a student union.  As you enter the new library, there are touch-screen panels on the wall with information for visitors.  Near the entrance is Jazzman’s Café and media lounge, which was added due to numerous requests by students and staff.  On the first floor is the Information Commons, which contains the print reference collection and 85 computers which have double platforms, meaning that they may be booted up with either a Windows or Mac OS, depending on the user’s preference.  Students may also plug their laptop into the network or use the building’s wireless capabilities.

Pornography: Solving an Ethical Dilemma with CALIX

by Yolanda Ramirez

One evening in 2010, in a small family-oriented library where I work as a part-time Reference Librarian, I found myself faced with a dilemma. A parent came to me for assistance. She quietly stepped up to the reference desk, and so as not to be overheard, whispered that a man seated next to her 9-year-old child was using one of the public access computers to browse what looked like child pornography. I was facing one of my biggest fears: confronting someone for accessing pornography,  possibly violating his Library Bill of Rights and contradicting intellectual freedom - or was I? I was the only librarian on duty. I had to think, assess the situation, confirm the information and act quickly, discreetly, and ethically to solve this dilemma. What should I do?  What would you do? What library principles should librarians and library professionals obey in a similar situation?

I am certain that I am not the first - and sadly not the last - librarian to encounter a similar situation. First of all, without corroborating the alleged claim, I must admit that my reaction was not only judgmental; it was also unprofessional. Thus, I am writing about my predicament because, I know that as a SLIS graduate student at San José State University, I must remember to apply the concepts in Competency A “Articulate the ethics, values and foundational principles of library and information professionals and their role in the promotion of intellectual freedom.” (Statement, 2010) and this dilemma is a prime example.