‘Who am I?’ (Library Juice Academy, ‘Cultural Competence for Librarians’)

I wanted to produce at least one video for the class I am taking through Library Juice Academy, “Cultural Competence for Librarians.” So I decided to make a video that addresses the question that was posed to us this week, “Who am I?”

My professional identity is closely related to the question of “Who am I?” One of our readings this week talked about the difference between a “profession” and a “job” (Gonzalez-Smith, et. al., 2014, p. 158).

Working in a library is more than a job to me. I am building a professional identity that is based on the “work, position, and values” of librarianship (ibid). And as I learn more about best practices and principles that define librarianship, I strive to bring those best practices and principles into my own work in the library.

Being a member of invisible minorities as part of my social identity, I have a personal, as well as professional commitment to serve diverse populations. I deliberately seek out books that speak to diverse identities, but I also endeavor to bring diverse selections to the attention of readers: through the books I read aloud to students visiting the library, to the books I display on shelves, and the books I promote through “First-chapter Friday” videos.

For this video, I decided to share a quote from Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper (2022, p. 237). It talks about a need for acceptance by people who are LGBTQIA+, but I feel that similar needs for safety, acceptance, and belonging could apply to people in other types of minority groups as well.

My race is probably the most visible aspect of my identity, and one way that my identity could influence interactions with patrons in the library? Our reading cited a study in which students found librarians to be “most approachable” who were racially and ethnically “like them.” (Gonzalez-Smith, et al., 2014, p. 163).

I know I won’t “look like” every person who comes to the library. I won’t share a background or life experiences or a way of looking at the world. But I hope to relate to people as individuals, not just members of “a group.” And I hope too, that library patrons will get to know me as an individual.

References:
Gonzalez-Smith, I, Swanson, J., & Tanaka, A. (2014). Unpacking identity: Racial, ethnic, and professional identity and academic librarians of color. In N. Pagowsky and M. Rigby (Eds.), The Librarian stereotype: Deconstructing perceptions and presentations of information work. Association of College and Research Libraries. https://digital.lib.washington.edu/researchworks/handle/1773/27322

Stamper, P. (2022). Small town pride. Harper.