John Driscoll

LIS 701 02
Core Value Article: Professionalism
Crowley, Bill. Defending Professionalism: A Resource for Librarians, Information
Specialists, Knowledge Managers, and Archivists, Chapter 1: Why Are We Trashing the
Professionalism of Librarians, Information Specialists, Knowledge Managers, and
Archivists? Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2012. Print.

Bill Crowleys Defending Professionalism demonstrates how failure to promote

the value of library professionalism (the provision of library services by professionally
educated personnel) has led to a decline in the perceived value and necessity of that
professional education. As an example, Crowley cites an anecdote shared with him in
2010, in which a library director proposed to her board of trustees that the title of
librarian no longer be limited to holders of American Library Association (ALA)accredited degrees, and the board overwhelmingly approved the proposal. The directors
reasoning was that the public thought all library personnel were librarians, and it was
not worth maintaining the distinction.
Crowley lists five groups that have helped create, define, and support or
undermine the professional status of librarians. He then explains how those five
groups: professional associations such as the ALA, universities that offer MLIS
programs, professionals and aspiring professionals, employers, and finally library users,
patrons, and funders, have contributed to the current status of professionalism, how they
can undermine that value, and how they can help to promote and defend it.

John Driscoll

While Crowley commends the ALA for accrediting library and information
studies programs, he contends that their support for professionalism extends no further
than the masters degree itself. For example, the ALA does not provide the resources for
professionals to promote the value of its own graduates, nor does it insist that all
professional librarians hold an ALA-accredited degree. One reason for this is that ALA
membership is not restricted to those who hold a professional degree. However, as the
oldest and premier national library association, the ALAs inability to fully advocate
professionalism undermines the efforts of other organizations that attempt to do so.
Crowley also places part of the blame on universities that offer library education,
and on professionals themselves, for failure to properly market the need for
professionalism. Few MLIS programs require students to take a course teaching them to
effectively market and advocate for themselves. Also, since library professionals are often
introverted, many are ineffective at communicating the need for their professional
education. Crowley once had a theater student in his class who explained that even the
most introverted actor could develop an extroverted persona with proper training and
experience, and Crowleys own personal experience is that introverted librarians can put
on an extroverted face for dealing with patrons. He argues that introversion, therefore, is
no excuse to avoid marketing and advocating for professionalism.
In addition, many library personnel cherish good government, meaning
nonpartisan support of services based on their objective value to communities. Crowley
argues that expecting governments to work this way leads to ineffective marketing of
library services to government and other sources of funding, which is why mayors are
quick to cut library funding in tough times. Crowley places the least blame on library

John Driscoll

funders and patrons, attributing their lack of understanding and support mostly to a
failure of libraries and library professionals to sufficiently market library services and
demonstrate the need for professional education in library personnel.
Bill Crowley, who has been a faculty member at Dominican University since
1996, also worked for 23 years in various capacities from part-time library clerk to
deputy state librarian. In addition to editing and contributing to Defending
Professionalism, he has written over 40 articles and two books on library science,
information science, and higher education. Although he has been removed from the
public library sphere for many years, I believe his knowledge of the subject remains up to
date based on the stories told and other works and studies cited, the majority of which are
recent.
By placing responsibility for this crisis of professionalism on professional
organizations, universities, libraries and librarians rather than outside sources like
politicians and library patrons, Crowley puts the issue in a context that can be solved by
library and information professionals. This chapter succinctly outlines not only how and
why library professionalism is undervalued, but also explains how the problem can be
addressed. Universities can require marketing courses and advocacy workshops to help
students present themselves to employers and funding sources. Libraries can do a better
job of working with elected officials and other sources of funding to understand their
goals and motivations, and also to better promote the value of library professionals.
Crowley ends the chapter with a quotation by American humorist and commentator Will
Rogers that sums up the problem quite well: If you find yourself in a hole, stop
digging.

John Driscoll