Week 7

Responsibility Rolls Down

This article discussed the history of public access to government documents in the US and then moved on to an examination of the role that public libraries have and continue to play in this field. Prior to reading this article, I did not know too much about the history behind why public libraries are the primary provider of government documents. It was quite shocking to learn that so many of the access points in the past, such as law libraries or ones in courthouses, have failed to keep up their obligation to serve the public in any meaningful way. The switch to e-government would seem to make these documents more available, but this is not always the case. Instead, Jaeger and Bertot write “the focus has typically been on making the interactions easier for the agency, not the citizen” (99). This seems to be a way to prevent discourse on the government from happening, which is disconcerting to say the least. Perhaps this gradual chipping away of access to government documents can explain why the country is in such a sorry state right now. In any event, this article highlighted for me the great importance that public libraries have in preserving access to these very valuable resources. We should be educating ourselves and our patrons on how to effectively use all types of government documents. If we don’t who will? 

Public Libraries, Values, Trust, and E-Government

This article discusses public libraries and the trust that the public have put in them as guarantors of e-government information as well outlining how libraries should respond to this increased need. It cites the role that libraries played in the aftermath of the hurricanes along the Gulf Coast in 2004 and 2005 to show how important this service has become. I felt that this article was great because it validated why I decided to go into the field of library science: serving the public’s information needs. Unfortunately, as the above article outlined, this is an age when access to important documents are increasingly unavailable due to budget cuts or willful obfuscation. At the same time, demand for access to these documents is still the same, if not increasing. Public libraries are one of the few spaces left where anyone can access this information. Especially important, as the article points out, are in times of disaster. At the same time, it is important that libraries recognize and value their importance in the communities they serve and fight for the resources that would allow them to perform this role better.

Community Leadership through Public Library E-Government Services

This article discusses how libraries have had to take on the burden of providing e-government services as government agencies have sought to cut back in the face of smaller budgets. This shift is great because it gives knew life, so to speak, for public libraries. As librarians, we can help to provide services that are so essential for citizens in our country. At the same I think libraries should ask for an increase in funding if we are to adopt this course. That way, instead of just providing a minimum of service, we can strive to meet patron needs in every way.