Ethics & Values Statement
In my third year at Carleton University, I took many Indigenous literature and culture courses and learned about the heinous acts Canada has committed against Indigenous nations through settler colonialism. I knew after taking those courses that I needed my career to change our culture of settler colonialism and support reconciliation. Public libraries are an institution that offers aid such as this but can still make more progress. I feel that working as a librarian at a public library will allow me to help Indigenous communities in Ottawa as well as other marginalized populations who have been disadvantaged by the racism, bigotry, and misogyny that has plagued our world and society. Becoming acquainted with the extent of my own privilege in comparison to the racism and bigotry others face, I have been passionate about putting in work to change these inequalities through my profession, my politics, and my behaviour. I suffer from mental health issues such as intergenerational trauma, and this has made me particularly empathetic to the obstacles facing other marginalized communities. I also hope to push the public library system further in its role of accepting everyone as well as make it more active in its responsibility towards reconciliation as per the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Diversity, Equality, Rights & Justice
As I noted above, I am quite passionate about people and groups from diverse backgrounds having equality. I feel the injustice of people of different races, religions, and sexual orientations not having the same rights that I enjoy as a white, middle class, heterosexual woman very deeply. The public library is a place specifically dedicated to diversity and helping all patrons regardless of race, religion, or orientation as per the American Library Association (ALA) principles. As well, within Canadian society, programs and services that work to achieve affirmative action for under served populations is a key part of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (section 15[2], subsection 1). I believe that services, programs, and the library collection should reflect the diversity of our world as well as be on track to social equality and justice.
Democracy
One of the American Library Association (ALA) principles of libraries is democracy. It is the duty of librarians to uphold democracy by providing the public with accurate, factual information. Without an informed citizenry, democracy falls apart. In this time of extreme misinformation and fake news, I feel the responsibility of supporting democracy through informing citizens very strongly. As a public librarian I hope to be of assistance to patrons in this regard, and provide them with the most authoritative and accurate information the library has, or, should the library not have the necessary information, show them where else they can look for it. In this way, I will hopefully help patrons in becoming more information literate.
Learning In Libraries
As I have mentioned in previous pages on this site, I have always been passionate about how stories can help make people more understanding, empathetic, and, overall, more cognizant about the world around them and its many cultures. Books, films, and games can all help to achieve this; however, I am also dedicated to how public library services beyond the collection can promote learning for patrons. Public library services and programs are designed to assist patrons in a number of ways. For example, most libraries offer programs for new mothers and babies; there are also services for helping patrons find jobs, a service that can be instrumental in fighting homelessness. As a public librarian, my goal would be to keep on top of these services and programs, researching where they can be expanded, and periodically evaluating their effectiveness with patrons.