Community Leadership through Public Library E-Government
Services
Gibson, McClure, Bertot, McGilvary and Andrade
The authors discuss their views on the library’s role in
e-government services.
This article makes me question what the authors are
really getting at. They seem to be pushing librarians to provide advice and
assistance to patrons who are dealing with personal information. I immediately
thought of tax season. Public Libraries are not allowed to give tax advice.
They know the risks it entails giving a false sense of trust that they know
what they are talking about. This goes with a reading from a few weeks ago that
discussed how much the average person trusts a librarian to tell them factual
information. Librarians are not trained to be social workers so they really
shouldn’t be actively providing those services. Assisting a patron access a
site is completely different than assisting them with filling out the
information. At least that’s my two cents.
Public Libraries, Values, Trust and E-Government
Jaeger and Fleischmann
Discussed the value of trust citizens have in public
libraries and how that relates to e-government.
While I don’t disagree in theory for librarians to offer
assistance to their patrons when filling out e-government forms, I fear the
what ifs. What if the librarian gives faulty information? And what if the
patron then sues the library? Their
suggestion that changing LIS programs to suit this need is not going to be
enough to alleviate this worry. Nor is it even that likely since the majority
of LIS programs (at least here at IU) are geared towards academic libraries not
public.
This article did have one really good point and that was
the fact that public libraries need to seek more funding if they are to provide
these services. One of the best ways they could do this would be to inform
those involved in government of the services they are asked to provide by their
public.
Responsibility Rolls Down: Public Libraries and the
Social and Policy Obligations of Ensuring Access to E-government and Government
Information
Jaeger and Bertot
Discussed the history and evolution as well as the relationship
of government information and public libraries.
I believe this article had a valid point when it referred
to “the focus has typically been on making the interactions easier for the
agency, not the citizen.” I am sure many classmates have brought it up, but I
immediately thought of the digital divide (it’s like once you are made aware of
it, you can’t help but think of it every time something offered solely online
comes up.) It also brought up last year when the government decided not to mail
out print tax forms. I couldn’t tell you how many people came up to the library
desk asking if we had paper copies or could print them out for them.
In the Public Trust
Overview of what the duties and responsibilities are of
public library boards.
This happens to be my favorite reading this week. I don’t
know why I find information like this interesting, but I do. Just another sign
that I am meant to be involved in public library management I guess!
I completely agree with you about the public trust! I liked the wording (ok maybe the romanticizing...) And after meeting Krista's favorite board member in today's class, I'm just incredibly stoked. I think public libraries are amazing and I really love that there are caring and thoughtful people who dedicate so much of their time and energy to the library board. It almost seems too good to be true.
ReplyDeleteCommenting on Responsibility Rolls Down....we today in the work fields see things being pushed down into the departments more and more year after year. People have full jobs to fill the duties to begin with...and it is stunning the level of responsibility departments we have depended on for many years are being centralized or completely changing...resulting with people in departments who do not have that particular training having to assume these responsibilities...when there is not enough time. We are also facing positions within our areas that have not been filled...resulting with an unbelievable amount of work we are addressing while trying to keep up with the growing tasks. Somewhere along the line....proper training and assuming of responsiblities has to happen...only so much can be pushed down with a successful result. I liked how the article took a positive approach looking at this as "an opportunity" and we are all trying to approach in positive manners...but is is getting harder. I still think with the amount of funding saved for the government, they are going to have to use some of this to actually fund trained and planned programs within the library systems. You only get back what you plant in an investment...and you would think eventually it will have to be seen this way. But I strongly feel utilizing local political leadership is the best way to achieve...unity, unity with a strong level of information to interest them and support the efforts.
ReplyDeleteYou make a really good point. And I think it can be applied to more fields than library science. I for one immediately think of the education field (my mom's a teacher.) They are also constantly expected to do more with less.
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