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SLA Boston Student Essay Contest, Submitted by Karen A. Vagts

The theme for the 2008 SLA Annual Conference of "Breaking Rules – Building Bridges" is provocative because it promotes actions that appear to go against the traditional stereotypes of librarians and other LIS professionals. The common perception of librarians is that they are rule enforcers ("shush – quiet in the library!") and passive, not given to approaching their clients proactively, anticipating needs, or marketing their services.

These common perceptions increasingly are outdated and in most contexts no longer work for librarians and their clients. Librarians must be prepared to initiate change in how they deliver their services, maintain collections, and present themselves. Frequently, this entails breaking long-established rules on how and what we should provide. It means getting out from behind ours desks and doing outreach; planning for needs well in advance instead of responding only when being explicitly asked; and packaging information in new forms that exactly dovetail with our organizations' workflow and goals. In short, we are assuming new roles that break the old rules and expectations. We also are required to build strong relationships with a wide range of different types of professionals who can help us navigate through ever greater amounts and types of information.

As a LIS student in the mid-2008s, I have been fortunate to see our profession in the midst of major changes to its self-perception and its scope of services (although the SLA slogan of "connecting people and information" remains absolutely relevant). Library 2.0, embedded and field librarians, virtual reference, a greater push for evaluating and measuring the effectiveness of our services – these are just some of the developments we students have observed. In our course work, internships, and jobs, we also have observed the tension at times between traditional and new expectations and rules.

As a soon-to-be newly minted LIS professional, I anticipate a future of ongoing change (Library 3.0 and then some) and expect to see ongoing demands for rule breaking and bridge building, in particular in helping clients cope in an increasing changing and competitive environment. I don’t expect to be able to rest on my MLS laurels for a single minute but instead must continue skill building, not just in technologies and knowledge of sources, but also in ways of collaborating with clients, vendors, and other parties in the LIS environment. Above all, I see the need to be flexible and to demonstrate a willingness to step out of a professional box – whether imposed by myself or others – in order to improve my services and to help my clients.

At the SLA Annual Conference, I expect to build upon my formal LIS training in graduate school. Both formal workshops and presentations as well as encounters with LIS professionals will offer insights into how change is effecting the workplace and what skills are going to be needed to ensure success in current LIS settings. The conference will provide an excellent opportunity to see how thousands of working professionals from around the world already are serving as rule breakers and bridge builders in special libraries.

SLA Boston Student Essay Contest, Submitted by Toshika Suzuki

I am about to complete the Simmons Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) program in May. In my two years of education at Simmons, I have learned a wealth of information regarding library professions that would prepare me for the real world. However, sometimes I feel that there is a limit to what classes can teach us. Since the study of Library and Information Science (LIS) is broad, and the way the subject is taught can vary from instructor to instructor, students have to shape their learning to fit their field of interest; the bigger challenge is applying theory to practice. My past exposure to professional conferences has shown me the practical educational aspect fits well to my learning style. Moreover, successful application of this year's conference theme of "Breaking Rules – Building Bridges" to practice will help both special librarians and me to play a more active role in our communities and to demonstrate our proficiencies. Attending the SLA conference in Seattle will expand my studies in the LIS field by exposing me to the professionals in action which will fill the missing half of my LIS education. I believe that merging theory and practice at the conference will help me create a pathway to the professional world.

When in class, I often failed to contextualize my learning to solve challenges, which library professionals may face in real life due to my lack of working knowledge. People learn in different ways. Some people learn better by reading and some learn better by working with others or using interactive tutorials. I find that I understand better when I receive information through multiple paths, especially from listening to people and having my immediate questions answered. My experience attending both academic and professional conferences in the past confirms that these meetings are more actionable learning practice. They are the perfect opportunities to observe current issues in the profession and the skills and techniques applied in action.

For example, three years ago, I was involved in a project concerning the future of the slide library and using images to teach art/art history. I attended the Visual Resources Association conference for the first time to gather information. The focus and issues concerning the members were directly related to my project, and the amount of information I received in a week was incredible. Through presentations, workshops, and conversations with vendors and conference attendees, I was able to observe varieties of cases by different types and sizes of institutions and learn about the critical skills necessary for the profession. Such an invigorating experience was not something I can receive in a regular classroom setting.

I think the SLA 2008 conference theme of "breaking rules" and "building bridges" represents the dynamic role that special librarians need to play in this age. I understand "breaking rules" and "building bridges" as thinking beyond the fixed perception and actively forming creative links among cross disciplinary modes. We are constantly surrounded by "rules" that we do not even realize their existence. They are deeply embedded in our idea of what we consider "normal." Thus, building bridges where they do not already exist can be considered breaking rules, because the action goes against the norm. In order to build bridges where they do not already exist, we must identify information silos within an organization, and create a system to connect them with methods that are suitable to the community. Sometimes the use of unconventional technology might be necessary to improve communication, presentation, or organization. If librarians can build bridges across unexpected or disconnected areas successfully, they can act not only as the conductors of information and ideas but also as the agile catalysts.

Many in the profession may agree that the expectations for special librarians continue to increase as the world and technology standards rapidly shift. Although having knowledge of emerging technology is advantageous, that will not be enough. I think that to be a successful special librarian, one needs to have fluidity like water. Water changes its shapes and forms appropriately according to different environments. There is no guarantee that one can remain in one field, at a particular position, or work for the same kind of colleagues and users. What is important is to be able to transform previous knowledge and experience to fit the change and know how to be the oasis in the desert for others. Having flexible minds, being able to quickly learn new concepts, and effectively translate these learnings to users and community members for their benefit will be vital skills for the special librarians.

Predicting the future is difficult, as many of us cannot tell what changes to expect in the economy or world situation. I can only hope that I will find chances for me to convert my theoretical thoughts about the world and life into practice. My idealism may fail and I may face reality, but in whatever profession I may land first, I will continue learning, improving, and trying the best to become an efficient and effective information professional. First, I need to lay a bridge which will connect me from the classroom to the real world. I am completing my LIS education in May, and I believe that attending the SLA Seattle conference in June is a perfect segue into the professional world and into the beginning of my lifelong journey.