Comments on: ALA Midwinter: ALA in Beantown

By: Post a Comment

Post a Comment — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:19:32 +0000

If you have to announce that you are a leader, you aren’t one.

By: TheIlliterateLibrarian

TheIlliterateLibrarian — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:18:15 +0000

@Skeeter but knee-jerk reactions are the best kind! They have a nougaty center!

Honestly though… I wonder if the ALA hasn’t become too big to be effective? They seem to be mired in their own bureaucracy. Not to mention legends in their own minds. I really haven’t seen the ALA be “effective” or anything in the few years I’ve been a librarian. They just seem like a gynormous institution for an instution’s sake (basically so they all can have jobs off of our dues), not to mention blowhards who believe their own press.

I’d like to see some new organization rise up and gain steam. Perferably one that’s, um… like… effective and stuff.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:59:32 +0000

The only reason I join ALA is to attend the PLA convention every other year if I can afford it. And even then I avoid the “power” stuff and hang out at the exhibits and the sessions which are going to give me some practical, immediate ideas. I’ve been in this profession for 20 years and have seen “leaders” come and go (and some crash and burn). I’m doing the work that gets my library good public support. I’ve learned the hard way, and they lost a good “leader” – I am one, even if I haven’t been “annointed”.

By: Display Name

Display Name — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:59:37 +0000

Sadly, it is the American LIBRARIES Association.

Read, Management.

The ALA doesn’t give a hoot about librarians.

By: Display Name

Display Name — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 13:59:29 +0000

Sadly, it is the American LIBRARIES Association.

Read, Management.

The ALA doesn’t give a hoot about librarians.

By: Roland

Roland — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 12:52:51 +0000

I think most librarians understand that their profession is being marginalized by an incompetent organization that is incapable of governance, promotion, or activism. But, it’s not like librarians do not have choices:

1. Maintain the status quo, letting their profession be defined by outside pressures because of a lack of understanding of marketing, salesmanship, and knowledge of who and what they have become.

2. Attempt to regain control over the ALA – a vast and wayward, loose conglomerate of librarians – and focus its message, goals and energy into “professionalizing” librarianship and making positive and proactive changes.

3. Let the ALA fail into obscurity and make a new organization that succeeds in achieving the goals outlined above.

If librarians choose the first, they simply keep an ineffective national organization that serves no purpose other than being a venue for library related vendors. Some librarians are happy to pay hundreds of dollars a year to fund this service. Eventually, policies and practices will fracture along regional and state lines, where some libraries will be increasing run like businesses, entertainment centers, and bookstores. Likely, people with MLIS degrees will be passed over for cheaper alternatives as is already evidenced by current events.

If librarians choose the latter two, as they should, they may save themselves what increasingly looks to be a humiliating ride into a future of professional uncertainty and costumer service friendly smiles – one for which a majority of us paid far too much for in tuition.

Would you like fries with that?

By: male librarian

male librarian — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:38:58 +0000

generic – I believe the quote you are referring to is:

‘Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.’

It sounds to me like he was warning against staring into the void.

By: generic

generic — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:32:02 +0000

The AL truly does us all a service. These are tumultuous times and the AL seems to be the only one willing to take a peek at the existential void in the profession. More Nietzsche than Limbaugh I would say. Those maligning the AL are at least writing and thinking about the profession in a candid way.

By: Gman

Gman — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:09:03 +0000

Male Librarian – don’t worry about not being able to afford ALA membership I’ve been a proud non-member for several decades now. Talk about a useless organization, they fiddle while Rome burns.

By: male librarian

male librarian — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 08:57:36 +0000

Sadly, I don’t make enough money to be able to afford an ALA membership. I guess I could qualify for the discount membership, but sadly I can’t afford that on my librarian’s salary.