Revisit Assumptions/Assertions about LIS

That knowledge of internet navigation will/has become increasingly important.  I still agree with this statement.  Library catalogs are now online.  No longer are libraries simply houses for books.  Over the course of this semester it has come to my attention that there are even some libraries that do not house print books at all.  In my own line of work, in a hospital library, we deal mostly in electronic journals and sometimes e-books. 

I assert that the vast wealth of information available only makes librarians more important.  This one is difficult to prove.  While I believe it is so, the problem is that many libraries are being closed.  Librarians of the future will need to be proactive in promoting their services.  They need to let the patrons know what services they can provide and make sure they know how invaluable librarians, public or otherwise, are to them.  It often takes a special skill set to glean the reputable sources from the numerous “hits” patrons retrieve while doing their own online searches.  

The role of all libraries is changing.  This fact has been reiterated frequently throughout the semester.  I have learned about libraries that offer health checkups, exercise programs and some that even assist the homeless in finding shelter and/or jobs.  I know from personal experience that the library is the place where the physicians come to ask questions about technology.  Just yesterday we had a physician ask for our assistance with PowerPoint.  We suggested he could contact our IT help desk but he explained that we are more helpful and knowledgeable than they are.   Public libraries offer internet computers for communities to use.  This makes them a place where patrons can come and send messages to anywhere around the world.  When I worked in a public library, we often assisted an elderly gentleman with speaking to his son in China through his Facebook account.  This is not the typical task you would associate with a librarian.  

After researching the LIS degree I have made the pleasant discovery that it is more marketable than people suggest. While I am aiming my LIS degree towards the health and e-science field, I desire greatly to take some of the technology classes.  Personally I feel that the field of healthcare is a growing industry.  If I combine my research skills with technology skills, my MLIS degree will increase in marketability.  During the course of the semester I have received many job postings through my email.  There are library science jobs available if you are open to new experiences.