Perspective

When I decided to go to library school, I had finished my English education degree the year before. I had a hard time learning to look at information from a different perspective. I was definitely used to interrupting the author's meaning from his or his words, but somehow trying to define what information actually was wasn't as exciting for me. When we started studying how people see information differently and how they seek it, I found something I wanted to know more about. When we talked about user needs, wants, gatekeepers and information pathways I was hooked.

Recently, I went back and reviewed papers and materials from my first classes. I reread articles which made so much more sense to me now. My perspective changed. I know understand the importance of information rights and of explaining concepts so patrons can understand them. For me, the importance of being a librarian is not about defining information itself, but making it available for people to define for themselves.