I’m stealing borrowing an idea from my friend Maria.  She writes a weekly blog post called “Things I Like Thursdays,” where she posts links to things that she thinks are awesome, cute, or otherwise cool.

For my blog, I’m translating it into “What Matters Monday.”  It goes without saying that there’s a lot going on in Library Land, and sometimes it’s easy to lose track of what’s really important or take things for granted.  I’m hoping that these weekly posts can provide perspective, while questioning what really matters to our profession and our institutions.

For this edition, I’m thinking about library paraprofessionals, and not at all just because I happen to be one.  Whether you’re a student worker at a university, a circulation assistant at a public library, or an outreach specialist, there’s so much library action that simply could not happen without the help of people who do not have a “professional” status.  Who would check in all the books?  Who would handle the customer inquiries and complaints?  Who would tell stories and lead sing-alongs or hosts video game tournaments?

I’m not devaluing the MLS, but it’s true — a library does not (and cannot) function on its MLS’d staff alone. The institution is only successful when you pool together the talents, education, and experience of all the people who contribute to the successful functioning of the library.  And then you end up with a lot of people to thank.

And among those paraprofessional staff, you might have a number of rising stars who will one day become leaders in the profession or who want to pursue graduate study in library and information science.  In addition to making paraprofessionals feel appreciated, how we can better support those rising stars?  Tuition reimbursement or scholarships?  Grants for conference attendance? Opportunities for professional development and leadership?

Library paraprofessionals often find themselves on the frontlines or in the backrooms of library service, and being considered something other than (or less than) professional can carry an unnecessary and unwarranted stigma.

How can we bring these very necessary staff members closer to the forefront of our profession?

Image: Childrens Room by Flickr user herzogbr.

File this one under “how am I just now getting around to reading this.”

Rick Stoddart of the blog L1BRAR1AN has written an excellent piece on libraries  (as well as museums and other information institutions) as “open works.”  In other words, libraries (including their services and resources) have set parameters and structures, but what these institutions represent to individuals is a much more subjective matter, open to interpretation.  I’m very much inclined to agree — and I especially love the comparisons to jazz, as well as the idea of “libraries as communication.”

I remember learning about the differences between “collection development” and “collection management,” how the latter implies a state of flux as opposed to the achievement of a terminal goal.  In a way, a good library (like many Web 2.0 applications) is in a constant beta — a “perfect” library is a fundamentally unattainable goal, and attempts to be “perfect” can only end in self-sabotage and / or burnout.  Instead we must judge ourselves by other criteria — including our adaptability and our responsiveness to a constantly change (external and internal) environment.

Thinking about your library in all its various contexts can create a rich picture of what your library means to your patrons, as well as the ways in which you library could be doing better.  In the same way we can prevent back injuries by doing stretches, both libraries and individual librarians would be well-served by reaching (hoping, of couse, to exceed our grasps), at least every once in a while.