I'm Not Just A Librarian

The LIBRARIAN's DIARY | QUESTIONING THE ROLE OF LIBRARIANS IN DRIVING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Sun, 13 April 2025 – One of the biggest challenges librarians face is changing the perception of senior leadership in educational institutions, where the profession is often labeled as "second-class." This undermines the critical contributions librarians make to their institutions.

✅ I’ve come across this issue abroad, but a recent conversation with a fellow librarian confirmed it’s happening in our own backyard.

✅ Regardless, we must maintain goodwill toward leadership. Yet, it’s our duty to uphold our responsibilities while asking, "How can our profession, services, and delivery become more visible and impactful—especially to local communities and senior management, particularly in private academic institutions?"

✅ This is the question we, as librarians, must answer. Simply put, "What value do we bring to our community and society?"

✅ In the public sector, this perception may be less pronounced, but in private institutions, it persists—whether overtly or subtly—through their actions toward libraries.

✅ Whatever the case, we must communicate our contributions and ROI (Return on Investment). Avoid siloing the library, instead, integrate it into institutional goals.

✅ I often advise peers to leverage all available resources, think creatively, work together and ensure every initiative has measurable community impact. Collaborate directly with stakeholders—students, faculty, leadership—and involve them in our planning.

💐 Every effort must be shared and amplified. Use every accessible platform to highlight your/ unit or departmental work.

💐 With persistence, our role will be seen and valued. InshaAllah...

*Illustration gimmick generated by ChatGPT—no real persons depicted!

Source: LinkedIn Zairul Nizam Zainol, Senior Manager, Library, Herriot-Watt University Malaysia