Statement of Competency C
Recognize the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use.
Equity of access is a key tenant of the American Library Association (ALA). It states, “all people have the information they need-regardless of age, education, ethnicity, language, income, physical limitations or geographic barriers. It means they are able to obtain information in a variety of formats-electronic, as well as print. It also means they are free to exercise their right to know without fear of censorship or reprisal.” Additionally, RUSA publishes documents to promote equitable service such as, "Library Services to Older Adults Guidelines". Providing service to patrons in the United States, especially diverse areas like Southern California, means providing adequate library service to all. Analysis of the community surrounding the service area of the library should be examined so that collections and information access tools will take in account these special populations. Studying the social, cultural and economic dimensions of information use will ensure libraries are providing information access to all in need.
Social Dimensions
An issue significant to libraries when providing access to all is considering the digital divide. The digital divide refers to those who have limited or no access to information and communication technologies such as the internet. This lack of access can be a result of education, economic, language or other social barriers (Aqili & Moghaddam, 2008, p. 227). Libraries have the ability to provide information access to individuals who would otherwise be without. Bridging this gap requires librarians to be proficient in the newest areas of technology in order to help patrons who are unfamiliar with digital access. Additionally, information literacy programs are to be offered for all groups.
Other options for libraries to serve various social groups include large print materials for areas with older populations. If budget permits, bookmobiles can be utilized to serve older adults and individuals with physical limitations. Integrating Web 2.0 tools in the library’s website is a great way to keep the important younger demographic interested in libraries. Libraries are a powerful tool for information access, but hold responsibility to serve all segments of society.
I was able to synthesize aspects of cultural and socioeconomic elements of a service population in the evidentiary item from LIBR 266 (Collection Management). The Community Analysis assignment allowed me to choose a library and research the demographics of the service area. Through tools provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Educational Statistics and other data collecting agencies I was able to analyze the community of Santa Ana. The purpose of the assignment was to determine if collections and informational technologies utilized by library were sufficient for proper service to the community. I used both evidentiary and anecdotal evidence to evaluate if all niches of the community were provided with adequate information access. This project enlightened me to real world use of statistics and observation and their application for libraries attempt to provide equity of access to all.
Cultural Dimensions
Cultural constraints can make potential library patrons feel alienated. Libraries must be sure to meet the needs of this special population. An example of this can be seen in the Santa Ana Public library that provides Vietnamese and Spanish language materials as those are predominant cultural pockets. For communities with strong ethnic diversity, ESL courses and multi-lingual OPACs and signage should be present. Books, magazines and audiovisual materials should be available in the languages of the community. Tutoring programs for youth can provide for students in households were English may not be spoken. Many demographic evaluation tools are available to library directors to help discover large pockets that may be underserved. Once the service area has been profiled, collections should be audited to determine if the volumes per capita are adequate for the area. When developing collections U.S. Citizen Exam books, ESL kits and other reference materials are vital. In areas with a predominate demographic, such as Hispanic, bilingual library staff is necessary.
Economic Dimensions
Libraries serving lower income populations have to take in consideration that lower literacy rates probably exist. Several actions a library may take include providing literacy courses, youth programs and free computer workshops. Outreach programs can be implemented to spread the word of these services as this group may not frequent the library. The ALA provides a document entitled, “Library Services for the Poor” to guide libraries in providing the best service to this area. In the increasingly poor economic climate, knowledge of equity of access for the economically disadvantaged is more important then ever.
Students in San Jose State University’s MLIS program are encouraged from the start to recognize the need to provide equity of access to all potential library users. LIBR 200 (Information and Society) gave me the opportunity to explore social, cultural and economic facets that libraries acknowledge via the Information Competency assignment. The group project allowed me to become aware of cultural constraints, economically disadvantaged, prison inmates, and the hearing impaired populace. My concentration was on those with the cultural constraint of having English as a second language. The evidence shows my findings on a PowerPoint presentation and my oral presentation accompanying the slides. I was able to research a number of programs that successfully produced programs to facilitate this population and introduced them to my LIBR 200 peers. After the presentation, I asked the class to explore the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) tools for information literacy and began further discussion on Blackboard.
The submitted pieces of evidence show my awareness of diverse populations and how libraries should tailor information access in relation to their community. Although budget constraints often prevent libraries from providing all inclusive information services, there is an ethical necessity to use resources to provide access to the primary demographics of the service area.
References
ALA. (2008, June 13). Equity of Access. Retrieved February 10, 2009 from http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/access/equityofaccess/index.cfm
Aqili, S., & Moghaddam, A. (2008). Bridging the digitaldivide: The role of librarians and information professionals in the third millennium. The Electronic Library, 26(2), 226-37. Retrieved February 14, 2009, from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database.