Personal Librarian Philosophies: Discovering Meaning in What We Do

Abstract

abstract:This article summarizes and explores personal librarian philosophies. Much like widely known teaching philosophies, librarian philosophies are statements that reflect an individual's standards and beliefs about their vocation. These statements can be used to incorporate meaning, identity, and direction into professional practice. As a form of self-reflection, personal philosophies allow librarians to delve into their professional values and give meaning to their lifework. There is little literature on personal librarian philosophies; this article describes the concept and how a librarian can develop such a philosophy.