The New Librarianship Field Guide

by R. David Lankes

How librarians can be radical positive change agents in their communities, dedicated to learning and making a difference. This book offers a guide for librarians who see their profession as a chance to make a positive difference in their communities—librarians who recognize that it is no longer enough to stand behind a desk waiting to serve. R. David Lankes, author of The Atlas of New Librarianship , reminds librarians of their to improve society by facilitating knowledge creation in their communities. In this book, he provides tools, arguments, resources, and ideas for fulfilling this mission. Librarians will be prepared to become radical positive change agents in their communities, and other readers will learn to understand libraries in a new way. The librarians of Ferguson, Missouri, famously became positive change agents in August 2014 when they opened library doors when schools were closed because of civil unrest after the shooting of an unarmed teen by police. Working with other local organizations, they provided children and their parents a space for learning, lunch, and peace. But other libraries serve other communities—students, faculty, scholars, law firms—in other ways. All libraries are about community, writes Lankes; that is just librarianship. In concise chapters, Lankes addresses the mission of libraries and explains what constitutes a library. He offers practical advice for librarian training; provides teaching notes for each chapter; and answers “Frequently Argued Questions” about the new librarianship.

Genres: Nonfiction, Librarianship, Library Science, Professional Development, Reference

238 pages, Paperback

First published May 6, 2016

About the author

R. David Lankes is the director of the University of South Carolina’s School of Information Science, and recipient of the American Library Association’s 2016 Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship.

His book, The Atlas of New Librarianship, won the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature.

Lankes is a passionate advocate for librarians and their essential role in today’s society.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome short version of The Atlas of New Librarianship. This is a nice foundation to work with, and I think I can actually answer the "Who cares/would care about this?" problem question from my thesis: Librarians would care - because their goal is to "improve society through facilitating knowledge creation in their communities," and they take this on as a serious social responsibility. And I still believe knowledge creation and cultivating imagination can help resist despair. "For librarians, "knowledge" is the set of beliefs held in relation to one another that dictate behaviors. This set is a network constructed through conversations and actions on our own and in larger communities. Note, knowledge is not equivalent to absolute truth. Truth is an area of pursuit reserved for philosophers and priests. Instead, librarians are interested in what people believe, and how this will impact what they do." pg.26-27. I like that Lankes takes great lengths to emphasize all the ways in which librarians are not neutral, and indeed he goes further to argue why they shouldn't be neutral.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main thesis of this book is that librarians are people who work on improving their communities through knowledge creation. The first section of the book, talking through the various conceptions of librarianship and making an argument for his view, was OK, but later sections on various types of libraries were repetitive, taken up with manufacturing straw men, poorly edited, and generally not edifying to read. I gave up in the Excursus when I saw the word "Liberians" where it was obvious that it should have been "librarians."

The best thing about this book were the stories about what individual librarians had done to facilitate a more vibrant community in their libraries.

[Gesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

didn't think an university book could make me cry. Thank you mr. Lankes

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource!

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful. This needs to be included in progressive LIS curricula.

[Matt Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read to page 36 and then skimmed the rest for background reading for a paper im planning on writing.

I loved some of the ideas proposed here but some are downright incorrect or at least badly worded and not sufficiently supported. It certainly was well organized and raised some important issues for our profession so I hope to find the time to read the rest.

[Beate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on what I have heard about The Atlas of New Librarianship, this is more streamlined and easier to get into.

I picked it up because I needed a definition of a librarian that was not dependent on the institution, and I was not disappointed. It is easy to follow, understandable and it is clear Lankes cares deeply about the profession.

Changing the mind toward individualizing libraries and utilizing the communities more may be hard however. This is something I would like to learn more about.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read for someone with no librarianship training under their belts (e.g. me!) but who finds themselves working as a librarian. Introduces and interrogates the ethos and ethics of librarianship with a focus on the person and the community rather than the institution. Lists skills to investigate for competency, and a few inspiring action ideas at the end. Really helps to contextualize my work in the field.

[TrudyKJP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for all librarians! This is the direction and future of librarianship--a new way of thinking about what it is we do and how we can do it better. Very interesting and very motivating. All the right questions being asked and new ways to think about the answers.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful book. It has made me want to get out and read as much in my field as I can.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best piece I've read on librarianship so far.

[Tintin Johansson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Efter ett tag smälte allt ihop med varandra och den kändes repetetiv

[Madison Bolding · Rating 4 out of 5]

reread for class: honestly rip libraries and my future

[Kelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this was good until it wasn’t.

Overall, the intention was great, but there was one part that really bothered me , Quote: “ the librarians didn’t fix a literacy problem they empowered better parents. The librarians of Madison County didn’t fix children who couldn’t read, they created children of worth.”

This could have been so easily changed to not say what this is saying, so I have to assume either carelessness or they meant it and both are not great concepts.

Delete the word better and that first sentence could then be described as such. The second sentence is a disaster but almost anything could have been better “ they taught children how worthwhile reading could be” or “they helped children reach their reading goals” or even simply combine the two to say “empowered both parents and children”

[Christine Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well constructed and could easily be used as a textbook or supplemental reading for librarian training courses. I appreciate the modern approach to librarianship as a more community driven profession. I did find the discussion of semantics of certain words a little "much," but understand how anyone going into this with a less open mind or ready for a fight would need those discussions/clarifications. Overall, I am impressed with the work and found it helpful in suggestions for advocacy within my profession and the community in which I serve.

[Marina Klimova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure if reading my first librarianship book being one that’s a change in what librarianship is was a good idea but I sure learned a lot! Knowledge creation and serving the community were key themes of this book and I totally agree with the mission of improving society. I feel even more confident and happy that I decided to pursue this line of work. Also I don’t really agree with the whole librarians need to be making political statements thing. Everyone has there own point of view and librarians should just be presenting resources for people to make their own conclusions.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

descriptions of individual community centered libraries / LIS professionals, curatorial/facilitatory models of service, and initial hints at destabilizing neutrality/service model LIS rhetoric are lovely and necessary.

overall though this book is repetitive and poorly edited, which is a shame bc the content is pretty groundbreaking irt institutional LIS

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very intriguing at first! Super interesting take on having a bigger purpose as a librarian than sorting books. As an INFJ I felt seen. But then I found myself taking the same notes over and over again. Unfortunately, Lankes does repeat himself a lot and only has a few worthy points - they are worthy, though!

[Tahj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hit me with quite a bit of inspiration. A well explained, well organized manifesto. I would recommend to not only people interested in being librarians, but also people interested in community organizing.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have read this book years ago. I think the field has caught up to and surpassed the book.

2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge | Task 20: Book w/career advice
2020 Catch Up Challenge: library book, finish past challenge

[Hedda · Rating 4 out of 5]

”As librarians, we are pragmatic utopians. We believe that our communities seek a better tomorrow. We are willing to contend with bureaucracy, politics, the uninformed, and the downright hostile for as long as it takes to help our communities reach a better tomorrow in our pluralistic society”

[Frederik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book for those working in or with libraries. Questions every aspect of the profession of librarians and carves out an update of what it could mean to be one. Written with wit and clarity.

[Verena S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring! Sort of radical vision but from a (northern) european view a zip to much of the american service thought.

[Maria Abreu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirador!

[Rowan Sully Sully · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Made me excited to contribute to the community more through the library and shows the potential of what librarians can achieve.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for a library professional at any stage- from school to well-known in the workforce. I would recommend taking the time to slowly digest this book. While it's a worthwhile read, Lankes leaves the reader with good bit to process in each chapter.

[Mills College Library]

020.1 L289 2016