the seven deadly sins of librarianship
TRANSCRIPT
The seven deadly sins of librarianship
Jo Webb
By Pieter Brueghel (http://gnozis.info/?q=node/2792) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
1. Lust
• The pleasures of the flesh, including:– A desire for money and
power.– Living only in the present
• A focus on meeting our own needs and wants, not those of our users.
• Lack of planningBy The original uploader was Grammaticus VII at English Wikipedia (Original text: Anonymous) (13th century manuscript) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
2. Gluttony
• Over-indulgence and over-consumption to the point of waste.
• In LIS:– too much information– no prioritising
• In policy and in teaching
Sebastian Brant [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
3. Avarice
• Rapacious desire for and pursuit of material possessions
• For librarianship:– Our sense of value and
status– Doing everything– Collections without
access– Refusal to collaborate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carving_on_exterior_of_Lincoln_Cathedral_%281%29.JPG
4. Sloth
• Spiritual or emotional apathy, wasting due to lack of use– Lack of action– Lack of expertise
• Failure to learn and develop
• Failure to act
Hieronymus Wierix [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
5. Wrath
• Love of justice perverted to revenge and spite
• Excessive adherence to rules
• Inflexibility• No tolerance of
ambiguity and uncertainty
By Peter Paul Rubens ([1]) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
6. Envy
• ‘A sad or resentful covetousness towards the traits or possessions of someone else.’
• Jealousy of other professions and their perceived status
Giotto [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
7. Pride
• Being better or more important than others
• False professionalism• ‘I can do anything’
https://www.flickr.com/photos/kellymcpherson/27115230165
1. ‘Castitas’ and plan for the future
• ‘Purity, knowledge and wisdom’
• Learn and question your practice
• Focus on values• Build your evidence base• Big-picture and strategic
thinking• Avoid faddishness
Giotto [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
2. ‘Temperance’ – set priorities
• Link plans to priorities• Be aware of your
environment• Manage the present• Consider the needs of
your stakeholders• Take action
Piero del Pollaiolo [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
3. ‘Caritas’ - service• Ranganathan:
1. Books are for use.2. Every reader his / her book.3. Every book its reader.4. Save the time of the reader.5. The library is a growing organism.
• What is your mission? And vision? And do you follow this?
• Understand your organization and how it operates:
• What and where are costs?• Do we create barriers to meeting
our purpose? What are they?
Lucas Cranach the Elder [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
4. Countering sloth through diligence
• ‘Persistence, fortitude, effort and ethics’
• Challenge yourself, your practice and your organization
• CPD learning and change• Reflective/reflexive practice• Engage with academic
literature• Professional engagement
By Jan Saenredam after Hendrik Goltzius (British Museum) [Public domain], <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AThree_virtues_Diligentia.jpg">via Wikimedia Commons</a>
5. Patience• ‘Showing forgiveness and
being merciful’ • Focus on laws/principles
rather than rules• Question• Understand user experience• Recognizing ambiguity and
uncertainty• Flexibility to create positive
outcomes and constructive relationships
Andreas F. Borchert [CC BY-SA 3.0 de (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en), CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
6. Combat envy with kindness• Michael Gorman, Our enduring
values:– Stewardship– Service– Intellectual Freedom – Privacy– Rationalism – Commitment to literacy and
learning– Equity of access– Democracy
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=628151
7. The end of false pride
• What is a profession?• Celebrate our
distinctiveness and our strengths
• Collaborate• Boundaries can limit but
also define in a positive way.
By Kathleen de la Peña McCook [CC BY 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Jo Webb FCLIP FRSA FHEANational Teaching Fellow
Visiting Fellow, University of East London@jwebbery
Domenico di Michelino [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons