My time in 7010 has opened my eyes to how wide and varied the LIS profession is, and it has solidified my desire to work in this field. While I had an abstract understanding of what it would be like to be a librarian through my time as a Circulation Desk Assistant, I now understand what it would be like to work as one. Through our readings and discussions, I have a better understanding of the challenges the field faces today and what my journey to getting my degree will look like. 

 

The discussions that held the most significance for me were our discussions on censorship. Censorship is not a new concept, and unfortunately, it is one that continues to persist today. Though I have always had a passion for talking about the issues surrounding censorship, our class discussions reaffirmed that I was in the field I was meant to be in. For our book challenge, I read and discussed the graphic novel Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. Fun Home had been challenged due to having content related to "homosexuality, graphic images, and nudity" (ALA, 2015). After reading Fun Home, I couldn't believe the blatant homophobic rationale behind these charges. The many challenges Fun Home has faced are primarily because this novel is Alison Bechdel's, a woman who identifies as a lesbian, life story. While I would agree that this is not a book for children, the more controversial themes that the book contains (pedophilia, suicide, and statutory rape) are not addressed in any of the challenges I could find. The hinge for the banning of Fun Home was the fact that this book was about a lesbian. Numerous readings regarding censorship lit a fire in me to the point where I spent long hours at home exclaiming to my roommates the issues that we continue to see today regarding censorship. I have often found that personal biases fuel the control of information, and controlling information is the first step in controlling the people. Censorship and information control remain big topics that are at the forefront of my focus, and 7010 was able to show me that my desire to address these issues is welcome and encouraged in my future profession. 

 

As I move forward, the challenges I face include finding a job in youth services and getting more involved in the field itself. I'm an introvert, and I have a hard time putting myself out there and getting involved in groups, but I'm excited to push myself and become an active member of the LIS community. 

 

Through reflecting in the class and my continuing strides to be actively anti-racist, I have made commitments to act in the face of discrimination and racism. It's vital to live with the philosophy of being anti-racist and actively work to continuously acknowledge and unlearn systemic biases that I have been raised with while living in a society with systemic racism. To do this, I am actively working on furthering my education on race issues and striving to be an ally. 

 

Moving forward, I would like to continue learning about the LIS profession's social justice aspects and gain the skills necessary to help me serve my community. As a future librarian, I am committed to a life of service for the people in my community, and I will continue to strive to be an advocate for the people I work with.

​

References

​

American Library Association. (2015). 2015 Book Challenges. https://oif.ala.org/oif/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/InfographicTopTen2015.long_.png 

 

Bechdel, A. (2006). Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.