A little something to stir the pot… Undoubtedly, most of us in this librarian and information professions love what we do. But how do we explain it to others – especially those who are considering a career in what some misguided commentators have been led to believe is a profession on the verge of obsolescence. This author has the right idea.
“How can we answer the questions people ask about what we learned in school and why we claim professional status in a convincing, accessible way? In my experience, it does little good to start talking about metadata or information architecture. Most people don’t see how those have anything to do with working in public service. The only situations that breed more ridiculous answers are the inter-staff debates I’ve experienced.”