For the next two weeks, I’ll be in Italy with the Syracuse
Library Science program. On this blog, I’ll be writing about the course, and
reflecting on international librarianship (at my food blog I’ll write about my
culinary adventures).
As part of our course readings, we looked at Peter Lor’s “Critical
Reflections On International Librarianship” (2008). After examining the
existing literature, Lor explicates a number of possible motivations for
pursuing research in international librarianship. He unequivocally (perhaps too
unequivocally) assigns value to certain motivations. Among the highest valued
are “advancing knowledge” (using international comparisons to broaden the
travellers network of intellectual and professional information sources) and
“self-understanding” (using international comparisons to answer the big
questions about librarianship “who uses libraries, how and why, and what
barriers inhibit their use” (Lor, 2008)). This sounds great, right? But maybe a
bit intimidating. We’re in Florence for two weeks (and I’ll be in Helsinki for
one week) and, so far, I feel more like a tourist than a scholar.
Lor categorises the motivations of the tourist (“curiosity
about how things are done in foreign countries, a love of travel and adventure,
and the prestige that comes from having been where others have not” (Lor,
2008)) as “exoticism”, which he writes off as being the motivation with the
lowest value towards the advancement of librarianship.
I’m not sure how I feel about that.
On the one hand, I signed up for this program because I love
travel. Already, I’ve been delighted by the strange and wonderful newness of
Europe. On the AirBerlin flight, the complimentary toothpaste was clove
flavored, not mint. This seemed so emblematic to me of travel, or adventure. Standing
in the Dusseldorf airport bathroom, jetlagged and disgusting, I was absolutely
delighted to taste cloves when the brush hit my teeth. To me, it was a clear
and dramatic signal that my adventures were beginning. And once in Florence,
the little details of otherness have continued to delight – the cobblestone
streets, the red roof tiles, the cast iron window grates, and – oh my God – the
food.
But, on the other hand, this is not a vacation. We’re in
Florence to study international librarianship – for credit, with rigor, and
with the tireless pursuit of knowledge and progress which all librarians should
strive for. While in Europe, we should and must work to advance knowledge and gain self
understanding, and not just through readings and discussions but through immersing
ourselves in the Italian culture of librarianship.
It’s day two in Italy (and day one of the course), so we’re
not exactly immersed yet, but I’ve been trying to reconcile my motivations for
being here. Of course I want to pursue the lofty goals (that’s why I’m getting
my MSLIS) but, right now (if I’m being honest), I’m more excited to be in Italy
than to be visiting Italian libraries. That might change, or it might be OK. A
love of travel and newness (Lor’s “exoticsism”) may have got me on the plane,
I'm still a librarian, and I'm still here, so I intend to make the most of it.
References:
Lor, P J. (2008). Critical reflections on international
librarianship. Mousaion, 26(1), 1-15.
