Library Chat: What is a library? It’s so much more than a building and books

By Medicine Hat News on April 27, 2018.

My name is Ken Feser and I am excited to be the new chief librarian at Medicine Hat Public Library.I will be writing the next few Library Chat columns about my view of public librarianship and where I think our library may be headed.

In this first column I would like to start by considering the question, “What is a library?” Some might say, “A building and a collection of books,” but that obvious answer doesn’t seem adequate. You will find much more than that in Medicine Hat Public Library; there are programs and events, targeted services for groups such as teens, and specialized facilities such as a theatre.The “building and books” answer also misses the deeper question of what the library is for. To define what a library is, we need to consider what a library provides and why it is useful.

Traditionally, public libraries gave people self directed access to educational and cultural resources. The first public libraries helped people to improve themselves through learning. From these roots, public libraries grew to be barrier-free public places, open to all without prejudice or preconception.The public library’s foundation as a “people’s university” and a place that everyone can use on their own terms demands intellectual freedom and respect for diversity.

A few historical trends have enriched that basic mandate.The materials that libraries collect have changed as new formats such as DVDs came along. Patrons have always used libraries for fun and entertainment as well as learning. One of the most interesting developments has been the increased importance of the library as a community hub.Social connections have weakened in the last few decades, and the library has become a place where we can be with others in a safe, neutral space.

There is another fundamental root that nourishes public libraries; they tend to exhibit a kind and nurturing attitude towards the people who use them.This was not always the case, and there is in fact a contrary historical tendency towards regimentation and control (think of the “shushing” librarian).The old ideals of silence and the reverence of books above people is dying out, replaced by a tolerance for chaos and a caring respect for all who enter.I’m not sure where this human touch comes from, but I think it has to do with the high percentage of women who enter the field and the service ethic of those who choose work that doesn’t offer the highest pay scales.

A public library, then, is a free and open and friendly space for everyone that supports learning, culture, entertainment, and community connections.I would add that library collections for common use provide value. Sharing makes economic sense.

In future columns, I will talk more about the positive impacts of the public library and the many forms that library services can take. I can’t wait to share some of the creative and innovative ways that Alberta libraries support their local communities.

Ken Feser is chief librarian at the Medicine Hat Public Library.

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