I haven't renewed my ALIA membership for this year. Not yet, anyway.
I mean, six months earlier, I would have renewed it in a heartbeat, but there are a few things that don't sit quite right with me. In fact, I've been on the verge of letting my membership lapse completely, and resigning from the committees that I'm currently in. I've tried to put it into words as eloquently as possible, but up until now, words have failed me. This is about the third time that I've tried to write a post on it, and hopefully I'll get it right.
There is an idea of what a librarian should be. A Library and Information Professional. Yes, I will use capitals. One who is an expert in the field of information management, as accredited through university study, and through continuing professional development. One who upholds principles that are fundamental to professional practice.
And central to all of this is the Professional Association. The Professional Association dictates the terms in which one becomes accredited and qualified to call themself a member. The Professional Association dictates the overbearing principles of the industry. The Professional Association thus represents its members - The Profession.
In this case, The Profession is Librarianship. The Professional Association is ALIA.
But what happens when a substantial proportion of librarians in the industry aren't members of ALIA?
What happens when ALIA takes a stance that some of its members don't agree with. Are such members being "unprofessional"?
What happens when library employers increasingly see professional accreditation as something that is optional, and other areas of professional specialisation are more valuable, where once upon a time it was the sole realm of the librarian?
What happens when professional conferences showcase innovations and success stories that many libraries will never make a reality?
I think the idea of the Professional Association can a misleading one, as is the idea of The Profession. These ideas imply a certain authority - be it based on academic traditions in library science or just a culture of educated classes maintaining control of cultural collections. And whilst the education is still highly regarded by employers in the recruitment of librarians, it seems that professional membership and professional activity through the Professional Association is not. Is this due to apathy and indifference? A lack of faith in the Professional Association?
And I wonder, what's the point in being active in the Professional Association?
Am I representing the entire new generation of Library Professionals when I sit on the ALIA New Generation Advisory Committee? Does the ALIA New Graduates Group provide the necessary services to newly-graduated members of The Profession?
More importantly, is there a point to it all, when many librarians in the industry aren't members of ALIA, and current membership is dropping?
I believe in the importance of a professional association for librarians.
I believe in the importance of a communal point in the profession, for ideas to come together.
I believe in importance for a body that will advocate for the principles that the profession was built on, and those that the profession has since adopted and will in the future.
I believe in the importance for a professional association that all librarians will want to become members of.
The only problem is - I don't know what they are. The library world is so diverse these days that it's hard to picture a collective vision for the industry as a whole. And it seems misleading to ask members "What do you want from your association?" More importantly should be the question, "What opportunities do you want for you, as a librarian, to contribute to your association?"
And that's pretty much the heart of it - for me, the value in a professional association comes from its active membership. The opportunity to be part of a vibrant professional culture, that is representative of the industry. The opportunities to interact with one's professional peers in sharing ideas, celebrating successes, and collectively tackling challenges. To create professional forums for subverting outdated paradigms and being agents for change in a time where the nature of information has never been more diverse and dynamic.
But I'm not feeling it at the moment. And I know I'm not the only one. There's a feeling in the air that many library professionals - at least New Graduates - aren't as passionate as they used to be. There isn't the same kind of buzz on the e-list as there once was. In some states, there aren't even any New Graduate events. And that's not for a lack of new graduates. Are people less inclined to get professionally active in this day and age? I know that it's a time of Global Financial Crisis, but surely this is one way to get an edge by being professionally aware? Right?
If you're a librarian reading this right now, what would it take for you to offer to help organise an event for your professional association? Or even attend one? Or are the naysayers right after all, and most librarians couldn't care less about their association, as long as they have a job.
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But back to my initial dilemma - to renew or not to renew. Yes, it's quite a bit of money. And no, there aren't enough events on in the next 12 months through which I can hope to get my membership's worth through discounts (always an incentive).
However, if I leave the Professional Association, I'll just be another seemingly apathetic librarian, and I refuse to believe that there aren't enough other librarians out there who want to get active and collaborate, and get that buzz happening again.
Is anybody with me?
