“I have often thought that nothing would do more extensive good at small expense than the establishment of a small circulating library in every county, to consist of a few well-chosen books, to be lent to the people of the country under regulations as would secure their safe return in due time.”
Thomas Jefferson — Letter to John Wyche (19 May 1809).
Professional Philosophy
Background
Unlike most of the other students in the School of Information, I did not grow up knowing that I wanted to be a librarian. I am grateful to have stumbled across the librarianship profession based on a sudden turn of events in my life. Although I am an American citizen since birth, I was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan. I lived in a Japanese community but commuted to an American school located at a Department of Defense (DOD) US military base called Yokota Air Force Base. Even though I speak both English and Japanese fluently, my education was in English and the courses I took were the same as those taught in the American curriculum.
After graduating from Yokota High School, I moved to the US to attend the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre Arts and became a professional actress in Hollywood for over two decades. I worked extremely hard to accumulate over fifty acting credits from performances on network Television Shows and films, not to mention work on stage, commercials, corporate films, infomercials, and short films.
My life changed dramatically when I went through a divorce twelve years ago. Without going into detail, to say my divorce was hostile and antagonistic is an understatement. In any case, I was in a position to have to start my life all over again. In order to survive, I had to join the workforce which was completely new to me. I thought to myself, “If I have to work just anywhere, I really want to work at the Santa Monica Main Public Library.” I applied online with the City of Santa Monica only to be rejected six times until I finally got my first acceptance letter for an interview at the library. Due to my desperate circumstances, I felt elated when I was hired as a library page. Much to my amazement, my supervisor turned out to be the mother of a good friend that I attended UCLA with. I was so grateful it felt to me like divine intervention.
Soon after I started working at the Santa Monica Main Public Library (SMPL), I wanted to become a librarian. I felt an affinity towards the library, books, patrons, colleagues, and soothing environment. I immediately applied to the San Jose State University’s (SJSU), School of Information. I received the maximum of three “Transitional Scholarships” in the amount of $3,000 each year from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to pursue a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS). I will always be very grateful for the scholarships. I believe the members on the SAG Foundation board understood and empathized with me having to go through a career change after being an actor for so long.
Professional Experience
Now that I am on the way to become an information professional, I believe I have developed the knowledge, skills, and passion necessary for the profession through the MLIS program. In addition, I have been working at the Santa Monica Main Public Library (SMPL) for eight years. I also did an internship for a semester at the Palms-Rancho Park Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) system. I worked with an amazing branch manager named Maggie Johnson. With her extensive experience, expertise, and dynamic presence, Maggie Johnson embodies everything I would like to be as a librarian.
Except for the internship, I have never had to learn and simultaneously execute a job so quickly before in my life. Armed with knowledge from only books, reading assignments, and online instruction, I was suddenly placed at the reference desk at the Palms-Rancho Park Library. Before I had a chance to get nervous, patrons were asking me real-life reference questions while I tried my best to be confident and knowledgeable. In hindsight, the real-life and hands-on experience at the reference desk proved to be invaluable and irreplaceable.
Not only did I learn about answering reference questions, I also learned how to locate various collections, operate the online system at circulation, help people with computers and printing, de-new books, select items from order sheets, count volunteer statistics, set up for library events, create flyers, sift through donated books, collect money from the printer, and count the money in the register at the end of each day.
Over the summer semester, I took on another internship position at the American Film Institute (AFI). Sarah Clothier and her staff in the Catalog Department at the AFI are involved in an ambitious project developing an online database rivaling the renowned Internet Movie Database (IMDb). For posterity, Sarah Clothier and her staff are writing an essay for every single American movie ever made by the deadline in the summer of 2016.
Sarah Clothier instructed me to help them with the research at the Margaret Herrick – Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) Library. At the archival library, my job was to go through original newspaper and magazine clippings related to the movies I was assigned to research. Depending on the box-office success of the movie, there was a significant discrepancy between the amount of media and press coverage about the film. I was required to use my judgment in collecting information about topics such as reviews from trade papers, changes in cast members, replacement of the director, controversy, law suits, unusual incidents, world premiers, and articles about the behind-the-scenes making of the movie—sans rumor and promotional materials.
I went to the Margaret Herrick Library in Beverly Hills every Tuesday and Thursday for four months during the summer until this ePortfolio course started in the Fall semester of 2015. I believe it was very good experience for me to gain exposure to an archival library and observe the way the library staff handled the original physical artifacts.
I was impressed with the high level of security to enter and use the archival library. The policy required every patron to provide their ID and write their name and address with their signature in exchange for the requested archival materials. I had to store my belongings in a locker and was not allowed to bring anything into the library. Since there is a limit to the number of sheets that can be copied and printed by the library staff, I was able to conduct research on the average of ten documentaries or five feature films during each visit.
Professional Philosophy
In the course LIBR 200—Information and Society, I came across and adopted the term “Agent of Change” in relation to being an information professional. In regards to my professional philosophy, I am glad it is in alignment with the American Library Association’s (ALA) Code of Ethics (2008).
For example, providing the highest level of service is nothing new to me coming from Japan. Customers are automatically treated with the utmost care, kindness, and respect there. In addition, due to the fact that I have personally gone through some destitute times, I am able to empathize with the plight of people from all circumstances and walks of life. I welcome everyone who walks through the library walls and will be sure to treat everyone equitably, as well as reach out to non-users in the community. Since being courteous is second-nature to me, I intend to focus on being accurate and unbiased to all information requests.
In order to uphold the principles of intellectual freedom, I will not hesitate to provide library materials from all perspectives about the subject, whether it agrees with my own personal values and beliefs or not. In addition, I will do my utmost to oppose any effort to censor any of the library materials. Once information professionals give in to censorship based on a single special interest group, the librarianship profession will be vulnerable and susceptible to other possible efforts to censor library materials in the future. As an information professional, I advocate for democratic ideals and my goal is to become an intellectual freedom fighter.
In addition, I will not allow my personal convictions or beliefs to interfere with my professional duties as a librarian. I will provide all the information available about the subject from a variety of perspectives. As a result, the patron has the freedom to make up their own mind and uphold the perspective that makes sense to them. In addition, I will continue to grow and improve my skills and knowledge as an information professional as well as a person. In the same way, I will help and encourage colleagues and others interested in joining the librarianship profession.
As much as possible, I intend to use my background and knowledge of being in the entertainment business for several decades. I possess extensive knowledge about the history of Theatre from the ancient Greek Tragedies to modern plays, and I would like to share and contribute my knowledge about film, television shows, and entertainment as a discipline.
Another goal I have is to work in the Public Services Department at a public library to maximize the abilities I acquired from my previous profession. For example, I can speak in public and I am comfortable on the stage. As a result, I have the ability to introduce featured authors, host library events, lead book club discussions, teach computer workshops, read stories at story time, and create promotional lobby posters.
As far as personality and demeanor, I intend to be an approachable, positive, and friendly librarian, and one that patrons feel comfortable approaching at the reference desk. I also believe that a proper reference interview is a necessary part of the transaction to pin-point the patron’s exact information needs. I will listen carefully to the patron before I respond, and then I will ask appropriate questions to guide them to the best source of information.
In addition, I believe continual evaluation of the community demographics is crucial in providing the specific information needs of the community. Lifelong learning is also a philosophy I uphold and honor for myself and others. As a result, I intend to stay relevant and one step ahead of the trend—as far as the physical and virtual library collections, services, and programs are concerned.
In conclusion, the combination of the six years in the SJSU MLIS program, my eight-year work experience at the SMPL, and my internship positions at the Palms-Rancho Park Library (LAPL) and the AFI have prepared me extremely well for a professional position. In addition, creating this ePortfolio was a wonderful review process of the multiple aspects of librarianship. Overall, from ethics to evaluation, the ePortfolio was an excellent way to assemble, review, and articulate the fourteen competencies of librarianship.