Speech to Miami University’s Board of Trustees at their meeting February 23, 2024:
First, I would like to congratulate all of my colleagues whose hard work is recognized by promotion today.
Next Friday I will celebrate my 35th Anniversary as a Humanities/Social Sciences Librarian at Miami. I’m also class of 1983. Miami’s been part of my life for a long time.
In light of recent union negotiations, I come today to address the board about what it means to be an academic librarian, especially an academic librarian at Miami. I speak from the perspective of a public services librarian. There are many types of academic librarians but much of what I will say is true of all of my colleagues.
Teaching and research are central to our ability to serve our students and our research faculty. Librarians teach information literacy skills — one-on one, in a classroom setting working in conjunction with a faculty member, – sometimes we’re even embedded in a course for an entire semester.
“To devalue our scholarship and teaching affects the quality of education we all provide to Miami students.”
There is also a long tradition of Miami Librarians teaching credit-bearing courses. When I came in 1988 the libraries were teaching a graduate summer workshop on database searching. Throughout my years we have continued to teach credit-bearing courses in the former Systems Analysis department, and today in the Integrated Media Studies department. We have also taught courses on research skills in our specific liaison departments.
We wouldn’t be effective librarians if we did not also do research. You have seen the Librarians dossiers and how they have contributed to the greater knowledge not only of Miami Librarians but to Librarians across the US and the world.
Research topics include a study of first-generation college students and Library anxiety and more recently research incorporating artificial intelligence to teach information literacy skills. This last topic was presented at IFLA, an international library conference and that presentation led to an invited presentation to the Library and Information Association of South Africa. Students inform our scholarship and our scholarship informs our teaching of students.
There has been a certain amount of discussion in the union negotiations about the role of teaching and scholarship by librarians. To devalue our scholarship and teaching affects the quality of education we all provide to Miami students.
There has also been discussion concerning the expected number of hours a salaried librarian should work.
We are asking for a work-life balance that still allows us to serve our students.
We desire to work with the University and the Board of Trustees to be able to maintain the teaching and scholarship that benefits our students, within the bounds of a work-life balance. We want friendly, productive discussions and a collegial, efficient, productive work environment.
Read more speeches to the Board.
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