Madeline McGuire

LIS 702

Librarian Philosophy

As a public librarian I operate under the belief that I am here to assist and help patrons

discover and be active participants in their quest for information. I do not think that I am the

keeper of knowledge and that patrons need to come to get the knowledge. When I am engaging

with a patron I aim to practice discovering learning where they are able to explore and figure out

the answer. It’s important for me to show patrons how to find what they’re looking for so that if

they wish to next time they can find it on their own. This can be seen both in the way I do

reader’s advisory and how I run my programs.

When I am on desk I often engage in reader’s advisory. When a patron comes up the desk

and asks for help finding a non-fiction book, a fiction book or a graphic novel I come around the

desk so we can look through the stacks together. I ask questions about what kind of books they

have read and enjoyed in the past, as well as books they haven’t liked. This allows me to get an

idea of what sort of books they have enjoyed, and ones that might fit what they’re looking for. If

what they share relates to a particular genre than I am able to direct them to where we keep our

booklist, and by walking over with them I am enabling them to remember where the book lists

are for next time. The book lists are created so that each list has a topic or genre that centers as

its theme and an array of books that fit that theme. Booklists aide in reader’s advisory both in

active interactions and in passive interactions. I can use them as a reference when actively

helping a patron for a genre I am not overly familiar with, and show readers where they are

housed. Once readers know where the book-lists are housed the reader can find them on their

own the next time if they wish to explore books on their own. By showing them where the book
lists are and having that conversation I am not just handing them the knowledge they seek I am

helping them discover what they’re looking for rather than just giving them the answer. It is my

belief that people should be able to explore and find what they want and need on their own as

well.

This also carries over when I am doing programs with patrons. I often do crafting

programs. When I run a craft program I like to give people a hand out with the instructions so

they can visually see the steps that I will also be telling them. Once I have given instructions on

how the craft should/can work I let the people use the supplies to create. If they start to go off of

what are the main instructions I let them, offering assistance as they go. It does not matter to me

that the final product be beautiful and exactly what I’ve pictured when planning the craft. What

matters is that they had an opportunity to be creative and they explored their creative process.

Instead of just giving making sure we go step by step and follow exactly how things should

work, I like it to be a process of discovering. Then they can see what works and what did not, so

if they wish to craft what we’ve made here at home they are able to with some new knowledge of

the subject.

Whether on desk and helping a patron look for a book or running a program it’s

important to me that I talk and instruct in a way that shows the patron how they can do these

steps on their own next time if they wish. Creating a craft and finding the right book to read

should both be discovery experiences that let the patron involved explore and find what works

for them. I am more than happy and pleased to always aid a patron in readers advisory, but the

next time they come in looking for a romance book or a dystopian fiction book they have the

option to use the booklists. Although in crafting I give a set of instructions I leave room for
people to be creative and figure out what works. It should always be a conversation when

working with a patron.