There is that trendy phrasing during the time when I write this that folks semi-sarcastically point out what someone else proves without directly mentioning it. Wow, that’s a hard thing to describe! Anywho, here’s what it looks like for what I’m about to say:

Tell me you have no experience elsewhere without telling me you have no experience elsewhere.

I’ve studied and worked now in 5 different institutions of higher education, three of those from both the student and professional perspectives. My experience covers public and private institutions, small, medium, and large institutions, and a variety of subject areas, both those that are highly specialized and those that are broadly understood. My work has covered every area of the field, including both public and technical services, supervision, facilities management, space planning, program and project management, donor relations, instruction, product development, standard-setting, event planning, leadership, teaching, presenting, writing, editing…you name it, I’ve done it and have the pictures to prove it. So I’ve seen a lot and done a lot.

I’ve found that it is easy to tell when others have not.

For example, when someone is impressed by a librarian being in touch with teaching faculty, working together to develop something for that faculty’s students…that tells me they’ve never been where that is just standard practice. To them, that is a novel idea, but to the rest of the field, it is not. Often, that is something they’ve wanted to invent, but they don’t know it’s already been invented.

I only wish everyone in the field realized, at this point, it’s like that addage that “no idea is a new idea.” There’s nothing novel about what you are doing just because you’ve never left home to see the outside world.

At the same time, all of this makes it clear that educational institutions are failing at providing the foundational information about the inner workings of the profession at the outset of librarianship education. And that will be the downfall of the profession. I dream of developing an open course, not one that is part of a system with a cute name that requires payment, but a truly open course that is free of charge that will provide the missing information. Someday, maybe I will have the time and means to do so…and hopefully before it’s too late.

p.s. no one ever hears your background noise in a virtual meeting. With one notable exception that is not a lawnmower, garbage truck, neighbor’s dog, construction outside, or even first responder sirens. So, stop apologizing for it. And stop apologizing for the existence of your pets! When we are sighted, we know they are there, they do not cause us any consternation, and we are generally happy to see them. There is nothing inherently wrong with their presence.

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Disclaimer:
All words and images are my own. If they are not, they are cited as such to give proper attribution to the intellectual property owners.
No words or images reflect the opinions or viewpoints of my current, former, or future employers and educational institutions. They are from my own viewpoint.