“Why did you go to Duke if you’re going into libraries?”

Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash

This is a question I’ve gotten from a friend’s dad a while back.

It’s been bothering me, and I think I’ve finally sorted out why.

People outside the library profession often seem to look down upon the profession as a whole. Librarians aren’t held to the same standard or same level of respect as lawyers, doctors, or engineers. They aren’t as highly valued in society, and often funding and budget concerns are a major issue.

Even in library school, some of us have contemplated what would happen if libraries were rendered a thing of the past. Would technology outpace the need for libraries and librarians?

Considering how libraries are one of the only places in a capitalistic society where money is not needed to exist in this space, they hold a lot of inherent value. They’re community hubs for people to come together and learn. You don’t have to pay to stay here; you’re always welcome when the doors are open.

Of course, I’m trying not to express “vocational awe”: libraries are imperfect institutions that also perpetuate inequity. They are not free from judgment or institutionalized racism.

But what I’m really getting at here is that people seem to think lowly of librarians and library science.