Historically, libraries have been the gatekeepers of information so we haven’t been too concerned with justifying our value to the public. “We have the information. If you want the information, come get it.” Well, we had it, anyway. In his article “So You Think You Want to Be a Librarian?” Brian Kenney addresses the issue of change, both in the demeanor of libraries towards the public and the use of technology by libraries. He asserts that in order to thrive, libraries must shift their historical position from focusing on library holdings to focusing on their relationship with library users. We cannot expect users to do the legwork to connect with the library. It’s our job to design the library, both in its physical and virtual states, to be appealing, engaging and easy to use. Libraries must be responsive to the needs of their users and must seek the input of our users to create what Kenney calls “one of the best experiences of the day."
