Professional Journal Analysis

Library Journal

The Library Journal is a peer reviewed professional publication. They publish a magazine, newsletter, webcasts, website, and blogs of interests to academic, public, and specialty librarians. They review books, publish articles and webcasts on topics such as current trends in libraries, notable librarians, and various opinions of the profession written by those currently in it. Their website offers a “Career Zone” where a career in the library profession can be researched, and job opportunities can be posted. Of all the publications I am required to read for my job, The Library Journal is my favorite.  I enjoy learning about what other libraries are doing. I find the articles inspirational and have taken note on several ideas that I have translated into something we could do at my library. My favorite feature is the “Pre Pub Alert.” As a materials selector, I have the “Pre Pub Alert” section of The Library Journal out as I order. I find this publication to be a great tool.

 The American Archivist

The American Archivist is a peer reviewed professional publication as well.  They publish a journal, newsletter, brochures, and several free publications intended for archival professionals and those interested in the field. They publish articles and information on topics of current trends, notable persons in the profession, and review books related to the archive profession. As a public librarian in a small community, this publication is not one I would not necessarily subscribe to. I do see the value in knowing about it, and perhaps reading some of the articles every so often. Archives are important to researchers, which the public library does serve, and I could see how knowing archival methods and resources would be of use.

Notable Comparisons

Both of these publications are peer reviewed. Peer review is important because it helps to, “maintain standards of quality, improve performance, and provide credibility” (Peer Review, n.d.). They both offer several different publications, although The Library Journal offers more, such as webcasts and blogs. I believe both of these publications would be of interest to those in the library and information profession, even if their careers are outside of the intended audience.

From reviewing these publications, I have come to realize how important these and similar publications are to the library and information profession.  The availability of these journals help keep those that are no longer in school informed on current trends. They allow for librarians and information professionals to learn from each other, and take what others are doing and implement these ideas in their own careers. These publications are incredibly important to keeping the profession moving forward.

References

The American Archivist. (n.d.). Society of American Archivists. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www2.archivists.org/american-archivist

Library Journal. (n.d.). Library Journal. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://lj.libraryjournal.com/

Peer Review. (n.d.).Wikipedia. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_review

Mid-Semester Analysis and Reflections

Reading through my assignments, one theme continues to show itself, public libraries. My interests lie heavily in public library careers. It is where I currently work, and how I first fell in love with librarianship. This class has given me the opportunity to reflect on careers outside of the public library spectrum, but the public library career path seems to be where I continually return. What surprises me the most, as I read through the assignments, is that I do have an interest in more administrative duties. I did not think of myself as one who wanted to “climb the ladder,” but I am finding myself looking more into that aspect of public librarianship. 

In my blog post, “Personal Goals/Objectives,” I wrote, “I want to learn updated methods of running a library, management theories, have a broader understanding of technology and the library, and learn more about the administrative role in a library system” (Geer, 2014). I am already seeing an improvement in my understanding of the role technology is playing in libraries, and updated methods of running a library. The topic for my team blog, “Social Networking: Adoption and Impact on Libraries and Information Centers,” has encouraged me to dig into how other libraries are using social media. I have found some unique methods and hope to use them in my library’s social media efforts. I found the articles we had to read for the Think Tank assignment to be very interesting and informational. These articles bring to light how other libraries are running their operation, these articles have also given me some food for thought as to how I could implement some of these concepts at my branch. 

One of the assignments I am looking forward to is the library visits. I have chosen two public libraries. Not only will I be comparing these libraries to each other for the assignment, I will be comparing them to my own library. One of my goals for my studies with Wayne State is to bring what I have learned back to my library and the community for which I serve. I am already seeing the benefits of the class as I reflect on what I have learned and how I am going to use it at my branch.

As a side note, I am also seeing an improvement in my knowledge and usage of the APA format. I still need improvement, but it has been fun to look back at what I have written so far and notice the mistakes.

I am looking forward to what the second half of the semester brings. As we start wrapping up on projects, I am curious to read and discuss what other teams and classmates have worked on. I have learned so much from everyone so far. One of the most informational learning tools from this class has been the discussion boards and learning from my classmates. I hope they have learned as much from me as I have from them.

References

Geer, S. (2014, January 25). Personal Goals/Reflections. LibraryGeer. Retrieved March 3, 2014, from http://librarygeer.blogspot.com/