Dang Worthless Librarians...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/30/us/new-digital-divide-seen-in-wasting-time-online.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all


So this article is slightly old (May 29) and I remember skimming over it and having some snarky conversations with myself. I didn't post it, but since there has been some backlash/uproar since this article came out, I thought it might be appropriate to post.

So...the FCC wants to create a task force to teach literacy skills? Here's a thought- maybe if libraries of all kinds were better staffed, this could help the problem. But with budget cut after budget cut, public, academic, school, etc libraries are strateching their professionals thin and using people that aren't trained to do more library related work. While I have mentioned many times that I'm still unsure of the total value of my Master's, it did give me a better understanding of the importance of information literacy, the role that libraries play in the community- these are things that on the job training wouldn't necessarily give me. But when you have people who don't have extensive training (because most libraries are hiring people without a Master's to save money but not training them much to, again, save money) doing a good amount of work in a library- our constituents are not getting the best service. But time and again, budgets are slashed over and over, with libraries somehow having to get by on bare bones while usage goes up every year.

It just seems counterproductive of the FCC to want this task force. Why not put that money towards funding/grants for libraries? More staff who are better trained would be able to provide this assistance with the skills the FCC wants to develop.

This article really had me thinking about school librarians. In an ideal world, I would have loved to have gotten my Master's and certification to be a school library media specialist. It combines all the things I love- working with students of different ages, information literacy, books, collaborating to improve education. But when it came down to it I would have had to spend more money to take extra classes, plus the costs of student teaching- in this economy and especially since school librarians have an even more unstable job market compared to other librarians- it didn't seem like a worthwhile risk. It makes me sad that I had to make such a decision, but that's life. But imagine if this money was funneled towards hiring more professionals to be in school libraries, the impact it could have on our education, specifically digital/information literacy could be amazing. Now I'm not usually a proponent of, as many stereotypical GOP'ers say "throwing money at the problem to fix it". But I don't think that is the case here. It would be hiring professionals, who have been trained, done research and are filled with ideas- to come and better the community. But you'd have to pay them real money- and sadly, I think that's what it comes down to.