In Mindy Klasky's novel Girls' Guide to Witchcraft, a librarian named Jane Madison has it pretty rough. Not only does she have to wear Colonial garb in an effort to promote her library's special collections, she has to serve as a barista, too. Jane Madison may be fictional, but her problems—making lattes in a mobcap while wishing she could be a reference librarian again—are all too familiar for many. Klasky, meanwhile, is a real librarian—and a shrewd one at that. In her novel, she raises a major question for the next generation of librarians: Who are we, really, and what are we doing?

Stretched out?

It's clear that society's expectations are changing as more and more people become accustomed to getting what they want when and where they want it. In an effort to be more like our competitors, libraries have stretched their definitions and areas of service. Many of these changes have been positive: self-service holds, self-checkout, roving reference, retail shelving. These changes create a friendlier, more convenient atmosphere for our patrons. But is that enough? In a standing-room-only session at the Ohio Library Council's (OLC) 2007 conference provocatively titled “You Offer Me Nothing,” panelists addressed serving NextGen patrons. Some patrons, they observed, wished libraries would sell books; some felt the shelving was too high, the atmosphere unwelcoming. Many were virtual users and wanted items delivered to their home or online to their PCs. Some felt libraries the way they are now were obsolete. “Free is not enough,” Emily Clasper observed on the Library Revolution blog. The question is why should the public choose to come to libraries when we can't give them what they've come to expect from Borders or Blockbuster? For a new graduate, fresh out of library school, that thought can make for a depressing environment. I wonder what would happen if instead we acknowledged that we're not like our commercial competitors—no, we aren't as convenient; no, we can't always have that latest book or video in our patrons' hands the same day.

Do what you do

“The public doesn't compare libraries to Borders, Starbucks, or Blockbuster; why do we?” asked Rebecca McFarland during the OLC's “Marketing Minute.” The aforementioned OLC panel, however, suggested otherwise: we are new librarians, serving a new public, they posited, and we must find a mix of services both virtual and physical to stay relevant. True enough, but McFarland has an excellent point. We must remember that our institutions are, and always will be, libraries. Sure, we can and should make changes to our services when possible. But we must focus on and retain the kinds of services and the identity we have historically offered as a community center and a place of education.

Growth vs. change

At its heart, librarianship is a service profession, and one with a long history. Regardless of the services we offer, or how we offer them, that principle is not going to change. Sure, libraries must grow and evolve. Rather than try to compete with commercial services, however, why not focus on better marketing the services we offer that are unique and different? The Twinsburg Public Library, OH, where I work, is on the cutting edge in this regard. We offer a range of value-added services, from résumé help to writing groups, from in-depth research assistance to customized reading lists. One of my proudest accomplishments as a young librarian is helping to establish a popular podcast, “The ABC Book Reviews: A Beth and Cari Production,” available on our library web site (www.twinsburglibrary.org). The key for us is to use the technology not for technology's sake but to produce a fun treat for our library customers. Our podcast brings users both to our web site and into our building.

Alas, Jane Madison

For new librarians who may feel a little out of step with their consumer cousins, I can offer a few directives when considering changes. First, ask yourself if those changes will truly enhance your service. If there's a coffee shop across the street from your library, for example, maybe installing a competing coffee bar isn't the greatest idea. In Klasky's novel, Jane Madison, our hapless barista/librarian, ultimately offers a partnership to her friend Melissa, who runs a bakery. It's a win-win: the library makes some money through the bakery, the bakery cross-markets with the library. Maybe, in her next adventure, Jane will get to answer some reference questions! Most importantly, think about the reasons you went to library school or chose to work in a library in the first place. Chances are one of those reasons is because you want to make a difference in someone's life.

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Cari Dubiel is a Reference Librarian at Twinsburg Public Library, OH.