Maginot Line refers to an ineffective line of defense or fortification which is heavily relied upon with not a little undue confidence. A Maginot Line fosters a false sense of impregnability and reliance.
The story goes that Andre' Maginot (1877-1932) was a French Minister of War who proposed a line of defense along France's border with Germany. Although it was believed to be impregnable, the barrier proved to be of little use when Germans actually attacked France through Belgium in 1940. Those who adapt and attempt to utilize this line of defense often find themselves prisoners of history: victims of a repeated chosen path of dependency unable to deliver the needed outcome.
So how does Maginot's Line apply to rural libraries today?
Libraries are traditionally institutions. Institutions operate in an environment consisting of other institutions. Every institution is influenced by the broader environment through what is known as "institutional peer pressure." The main goal for institutions is survival and legitimacy. And although institutions clearly have the capacity to grow and adapt, they also possess the habit of being prisoners of their own institutionalized history whether calamitous or otherwise.
When dealing with an institution, history matters. Paths - or lines of defense and fortification - are chosen or designed early on in the existence of that institution. That path inevitably gets followed throughout the institution's development giving it an inherent agenda based on the pattern of development: you know, "That's the way we do things around here."
Truth is, the historical track of a given institution, or even policy's of the institution, will result in almost inevitable consequences and occurrences: an actual self-perpetuating cycle. Because actions of one type beget further actions of the same.
So how are libraries institutionalized?
Through "Vocabulary:" Not affiliating the library as a business in the business of people.
Through "Commitment:" Lacking a commitment to the energy, resources and time required for successful quality results.
Through "Process:" Being impatient with the process and eager for the resolution or "quick fix."
Through "Professionalism:" Relying on traditions, institutional standards and congregational respected bodies of knowledge instead of focusing on customers.
So what's the answer to institutionalized librarianship?
It's a simple and easy win! Be an independent quality service provider with a head for business. There are three paths to success you can painlessly utilize by having a
Positive Focus with a balanced perspective and an optimistic approach; and by
Embracing Change as both inevitable and desirable, and through
Building Vision by extending the librarian's domain, utilizing the customer's point of view, and embracing a broader concept of information services.
Don't let your dependence on institutional librarianship and hierarchical library organizations be your Maginot Line. The move toward independence in the library environment is not unnatural. An institution is a house of books; a Free Agent Librarian is a quality service manager with a community focus leading to customized services which accentuate customer value.
It's about Independence, not Institutionalization.
Is your library technically considered a Rural Library? And what exactly is Free Agent Librarianship?
According to the United States Census Bureau, rural areas comprise open country and settlements with fewer than 2,500 residents. Areas designated as rural can have population densities as high as 999 per square mile or as low as 1 person per square mile. On the other hand, according to the ALA/APA Rural Libraries Survey, rural librarians define rural differently: to some a library is rural if it is isolated; to another, a library is rural if the main patrons are in agriculture or commute long distances to larger metropolitan areas for work; and yet another defines rural as a population of less than 5000 with more deer per square mile than people!
Regardless of how you define your demographic, Free Agent Librarianship can be a reality in your library and in your life. A librarian who is a Free Agent is not subject to external constraints through organizational structures, influential and politically motivated library associations, and is not bound by traditional teachings, hierarchies or stereotypes. Free Agent Librarianship promotes a library professional who is set at liberty to create, organize and advance an eclectic librarianship for the purpose of providing highly customized services and inventive possibilities for community information centers focusing on the community at large.
Free Agent Librarianship is ALL about entrepreneurship and making your library the center of your community. So be one!!
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