(From Sojo.com, by Cara Evanson)
“Our current world is awash in constantly expanding, shifting information. Librarians are on the front lines of this information explosion. They are positioned to not only help us navigate knowledge and data, but to make ethically informed choices about how to use it.
The core of a librarian’s job involves information — its organization, access, use, preservation, and production. Librarians’ roles have evolved in the digital age, but remaining steady in the face of these transitions is a core value of the American Library Association, who designated the 2017 National Library Week theme, “Libraries Transform.”
Professional librarians champion access, privacy, intellectual freedom, and social responsibility. These values provide an ethical grounding for librarians, in daily application and in creating a long-term vision for the profession.
Librarians Are Community Knowledge Enablers
The sheer quantity of information available today means that the nature of research assistance work has shifted. While finding information is still a core piece of librarianship, the evaluation process is becoming increasingly important, and librarians are expert partners in this endeavor.