����������� As a librarian there are many values I wish to uphold to that drive me to be a better professional. The one thing that drew me to libraries, both as a patron, and now as a future employee, is the whole concept that the library is the holding place of they culture or society�s collective knowledge. And the idea that the librarian is the keeper and the guide to that information really appeals to me. I want to help others find the information they seek. Since I wish to go into the academic library, where some of the collection�s size can be very large this makes it all that more important. I know from talking to fellow students when I was in college and from people today that after using the Dewey decimal system in their local or school library, using the LC system can be confusing. I would like to help these people find the information they are seeking. ����������� Another value I�d like to emphasize is the promotion of the library.�� Many people don�t know about all the resources that the library has to offer. They think it just has books, and don�t know about the various reference materials available, job resources, and the programs the library has to offer. I know when I was in college I would go sometimes just to read the newspaper from back home, I think many people don�t even know that is available. I would like to do something to get the word out about the various things the library has to offer. At this point I�m not really sure what�s the best way, if it�s some type of advertising campaign, holding open houses, or holding some other type of event. That�s something I�d guess many libraries struggle with today. The library has helped me find so many interesting and helpful things, and I think that it could do the same for others, that I would want to do my best to let them know what�s out there. ����������� I also have a library related issue that I would like to promote, that while maybe not necessarily tied to the library facility itself, does deal with issue of reading and literature. It�s pretty easy to see that there are lots of people who go through their adult life without ever reading any type of recreational literature, whether that is novels and stories, or say books on history or biographies they may find interesting. My dad is that type of person and I�ve known plenty of other people who are like that. It�s always puzzled me because I�ve gotten so much enjoyment out of books and reading (though I don�t read as much as I�d like). I went to a sci-fi/fantasy literature convention a few years ago and on one panel with several award winning authors, a discussion with the authors and the audience took place where this issue was discussed. Some of the things that were said pertain more to younger people, but also to older adults. One was that schools put such an emphasis on reading �classics� and the �greats� that they don�t allow the student to explore things they want to read. There are some classics which I love, but there are some things I just can�t stand, and I can understand that when I was being made to read one thing after another I disliked, the whole ideal of reading for personal enjoyment could be lost. They also talked about how books like the Harry Potter series and others have kids and their parents reading huge books when they weren�t readers before. I�ve also noticed how people who haven�t read a book in years, after watching the Lord of the Rings movies, went and read that series and that�s not exactly light reading. So I know it can be done, it�s just a matter of persuading people to do it. I would try to do more tie-ins with movies, where if a movie was based on a book, put it out in a prominent place. Or if a movie about feudal Japan came out, then I would pull the books about Japanese history, and Japanese stories from that time, to get people to see there is more out there past what they saw on the screen. I would also do my best to help people find something that they would enjoy, even if it wasn�t the classic or authority on an area. ����������� When I get my MLIS I do want it to be my profession rather than just a job. I know that I will probably make less in many library positions than I would if I did a standard software engineering job. I wanted to change because many of the software positions may pay well, but they make you work terrible hours, there�s high pressure to meet deadlines, and personally, I don�t feel that strong desire to write software. I do have that desire for the library, for helping people and getting information out to them. I would much rather take the pay cut to do something I will feel proud about doing and I will enjoy. ����������� Overall, my philosophy is to help people find the information they want and need. There is a lot of information (and disinformation) and with the high use of the internet for finding information people need help finding exactly what they want or need. My computer skills can help a lot in that area but my real love is in the books and periodicals. I also want to inform people of the other things that are out there, from novels to nonfiction and all the resources that the library has to offer.