kctipton writes “I found ‘A Librarian at Every Table’ today while doing a little editing at dmoz.org. It’s an interesting concept (meaning, I’ve never seen it done): librarians as local community builders and activists. It’s a site by Kathleen de la Peña McCook who got her Ph.D. from UW-Madison. She’s apparently given ALA (and other) presentations, so some of you may have heard her speak.
I’d love to hear from those of you who have done this sort of thing or have seen it done. Sure librarians can occasionally organize and get the attention of the national press… but what else?”
A librarian at every table
I have heard Dr. Kathleen McCook speak about the subject of her book, A Librarian at Every Table, on several occasions and always find her inspiring. She has truly embraced the role of librarians as community builders and teaches this role to her students as well. The last time I heard her speak, at this years Texas Library Association conference, she opened the floor for discussion and several others shared their experiences with community building, which ranged from serving on city councils and attending city planning meetings to helping the homeless (who often utilize the libraries in large cities).
I find it very exciting to think of the many ways that librarians can help people in so many ways. I highly recommend reading Dr. McCook’s book, A Librarian at Every Table, it will really motivate you to go out and serve your community! Also, if you ever get a chance to hear her speak, don’t miss her!