Awhile back, an article was published in one of our esteemed library journals examining/commenting on the qualifications of librarians that earn their degrees online. The author, whose name we shall not speak, determined that Distance Educated librarians were feral beings, not having been properly socialized in the classroom with other neophyte librarian-wanna-bees. Well, this feral librarian, (UNT, Minnesota Cohort, 2003), is being s-o-c-i-a-l-i-z-e-d!
Well, the socialization began with Librarian Bootcamp, sponsored by the Mountain Plains Library Association and Syrsi Dynax. Librarian Bootcamp, is/was actually, the MPLA Ghost Ranch Leadership Institute held in the most unbelievably mystical geographic nearAbiquiu, New Mexico. There, 32 newly-to not so newly conferred librarians met to learn, experience, live, breath, sleep, eat the finer elements of leadership. What a fabulous socialization exercise, ’twas, leading to higher plains of thought for librarianship and ultimately the biggy of all biggies………the American Library Association’s Emerging Leaders Program. This Feral Librarian is going to the big time–ALA MidWinter (Denver) and ALA Annual (Chicago).
Thanks to all my colleagues in my institution and my libraryland, my socialization has been far from lacking. (Although, my office and collection are in the basement, fondly known as the “Batty Cave”). Obviously, even the distance educated can and do make a difference in this wonderful world of libraries.
So, the next time someone calls me feral, I am going to howl…with uproarous laughter. Despite the disadvantages we distance educated librarians faced, we are a force and asset to the profession. Socialize away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
