Reflections on the Academic Library

1.The first and foremost purpose of higher education in the United States is the education of its students. Without a basic education in math, science, literature, and history the student will lack essential knowledge of the world around him or her. This basic knowledge is the foundation of an educated life and without it a student cannot easily add the building blocks of his or her specialty field.

The second purpose of higher education in the United States is to provide the training necessary for its students to enter the field of their choice. These fields will vary depending on the school or university in question and it is ultimately up to the student to choose which school of university will suit him or her best. However, once a student chooses a school or university that provides training in the field of choice, it is the duty of that school or university to provide the best training and education possible in that particular field so that that student will be fully equipped to enter that field’s workforce after graduation.

The third purpose of higher education in the United States is one that may not be considered initially by students but is very important. A school or university should provide basic life skills and life experiences. A student should leave the halls of a school or university not only with knowledge in his or her field of choice but also in life and social interaction.

I believe that all of these purposes are important to all types of schools or universities and should be provided. A student leaving any school or university should have a basic, well-rounded education in math, science, literature, and history and a more detailed knowledge base and training in his or her chosen field, as well as experiences in life and social interaction. I believe that all of these skills are necessary for one to fully succeed in life.

2.Relating to the purposes listed above, the library plays a central role in higher education. The library is a central place of knowledge and research and provides the student with the tools necessary to reach his or her goals. The library provides everything from books on numerous topics, to journals and articles, videos, audio tapes, computers, printers, scanners, and nearly everything else that a student may need. A library can also function as a meeting place or simply a quiet place to study or read. Students may be able to access online databases so that if they are unable to go to the library itself they can still get the materials that they require.

However, libraries would not function without librarians. The librarians are essential to any library and especially academic libraries. The librarians are there to help the students find the information they are looking for. The librarians can also teach students the study and research skills that they need. They may help the students in their assignments by guiding them on a better research path. A librarian’s skills in research and information retrieval are pivotal in academic library settings.

3.I believe that organizational structure is important in any setting, even in libraries. Without structure the system would simply collapse on itself. Organization and structure gives a foundation to the library and allows everyone to know his or her role within that structure. Organizational structures furthermore means better work flow and in turn a better working atmosphere. In addition, it means that an employee will always know who to go to if he or she has a question or concern.

Because I have not truly entered the library science field yet, I have not developed a preference for any particular organizational structure or decision making process.