The "L" Word

During library school at UIUC as a LEEP student, we spent a fair amount of time debating the name of library schools, and how many venerable ALA accredited programs have dumped the “library” word. As glassy-eyed students, most of us could not understand this drastic action and definitely did not approve.

Now OCLC published a report just last month, Perceptions of Libraries and Information Sources that provides evidence that the word library is a brand that invokes perceptions that are not necessarily healthy for the longevity of libraries. OCLC report
Chris Olson, as a guest columnist in Informed Librarian reviews the report, and cites 3 key findings:
1. The people surveyed overwhelmingly equate the library brand with "books."
2. Respondents use the library less and read less since they began using the Internet.
3. People like to self-serve when it comes to locating information.

Reading the Tea Leaves, Chris Olson, Guest Forum, Informed Librarian Online

Chris further relates what a millstone the library brand is becoming to libraries who are working to project the image of information utility. Libraries have always been and probably always will be associated with repositories of books. Looking up the word library in a dictionary gives primary meanings related to books and repositories. Even Wikipedia only adds “modern libraries” and access to information in the second paragraph.

I work hard to inspire libraries of all types to establish themselves as something more in their communities than the place they keep the books. The libraries I see receiving the most respect (and the funding that follows) have positioned themselves as an intrinsic part of their communities, as critical a utility as the power company.

I understand the concept that Chris is putting forth, but I fear that attempts to adopt a new identity and word other than library will not be in our best interest. As an example, I see school library media centers being marginalized out of existence. I hypothesize that the beginning of the end for those institutions was when they ceased to be known as libraries with all the history, tradition, and respect of the institution in the educational system, and proclaimed themselves as media centers – media being something that could be maintained with credentials far less than those of the teaching librarian.