The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Librarianship

Terminology plays a critical role in understanding any discipline. The terms data, information, knowledge and wisdom are key terms when working with library and information science, thus how they are defined underpin a librarian’s philosophy, which is manifested in service. This article will look at these four key terms through a rigorous Christian intellectual framework, suggesting that the fear of the Lord provides a foundation upon which library services should be based. After providing this framework, this article will provide some examples of how the fear of the Lord can be applied in library services

M.L.S. or ABC? : A Christian Critique of Professionalism

A dichotomy has developed between professionals and non-professionals. Either you are or you are not. This article argues that this dichotomy is not biblical and offers an alternative that rests on firm theological soil: vocationalism. When librarianship can be viewed as a vocation, its impact shifts form the individual here and now to the kingdom of God, which impacts both the individual and the community; both the here and the there; and both the already and the not yet

Blind Men and Elephants: A Multi-Method Analysis of Periodical Literature

One blind man feels a tree. Another blind man feels something sharp, like a spear; and a third, feels something like a fan. All these men feel the same thing, an elephant, but different parts of it. This article looks at journal content through three separate lenses: faculty perception, citation analysis, and journal use. Each lens perceives journal value differently. Once these pictures are assembled, the challenge begins, attempting to understand what they compose. Like the disagreements these blind men had on what they were feeling, the data produced from these three lenses does not appear to coincide. It did however help in developing a greater appreciation of the collaboration needed between librarians and faculty to understand the elephant

Faith, Librarianship and Technology

Technology is transforming many venues. Some suggest that the transformation is happening much too quickly, others suggest not quickly enough. As Christians, we have a responsibility to observe this technological transformation through the lens of faith and act upon what we learn. As academic librarians, we have a responsibility to use technology to further the spread of resources to our patrons. How does a Christian librarian respond to changes? Is there a measuring rod by which technology should be evaluated? This article argues that relationships are the measuring rod by which technology should be evaluated; relationships meaning not simply a casual acquaintance, but an effort to restore Eden in every interaction that takes place, both online and face to face. When these efforts are made, faith, librarianship, and technology can serve a unified purpose

Christian Academics Need to Increase their Publishing: A Study of CCCU Teaching Faculty and Librarians

This is the second of two articles that explains the results of an in-depth research study of teaching faculty and librarian scholarship within the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU). The first article examined the nature and extent of that scholarship and this article examines its necessity