Librarians on the same page for public information & service

 

By Katherine Eissler

 

“Supporting the library is supporting America ,” said reference librarian Robert Brown of the Laredo Public Library. His succinct statement has nothing to do with patriotism or loyalty; it's more of a representation of what America is about -- freedom and access to information that is rightfully the citizens'.

The librarians at the Laredo Public Library understand the concept of freedom of information perhaps better than anyone. They are the keepers of the city's archives, curators of information, and calibrators of resources -- information specialists who lead by example to do all possible to establish an educated and well-informed community.

The main branch of the Laredo Public Library, the Calton Road facility, is staffed by nine librarians who are themselves resources for Laredoans seeking access to information that enriches their daily lives or just makes life easier.

Library director Janice Weber says the library acts as a community center and is not just about books; rather it is about people and serving their needs. “The library is for a lot of people the only source of accessing information, electronic or written,” said Weber. “The library can have an economic as well as social impact on people's lives.”

As director Weber oversees her staff's ability to provide this information to its patrons. Her job description also includes budgeting, planning, public relations, and personnel management.

She brings 30 years library experience to the job, 15 served in Laredo . Weber holds a master's of Library Information Science from Texas Women's University and is skilled in reading diagnostics. She said a public library addresses quality of life issues through its resources.

Librarian Joe Moreno, who has been with the library since 1980, is in charge of Special Collections, a department that helps Laredoans, visitors, and researchers appreciate the city's culture and history. Special Collections ensures that materials of historical relevance are available for generations to come. According to Moreno , his section of the library is one of the few places in the city where this type of information is accessible.

Moreno holds a master's in Business Administration, specifically international trade, from Texas A&M International University, which he says aids him in providing the answers to sometimes very difficult questions. He said the only other places in Laredo where you can meet with friends as well as access information and enjoy literature is at one of the two higher education institutions, Laredo Community College or TAMIU.

Moreno 's 24 years of experience as an archivist and a public servant make him one of the most valuable resources at the Laredo Public Library.

Technical services manager Malia Watson oversees a department of four para-professionals and one librarian who catalog and process all new materials and maintain the library's database. “The library is one of the leading cultural and educational institutions available to everyone for free,” said Watson, who holds a bachelor's degree in French from Grinnell University in Iowa and a master's in Library Information Science from the University of Texas at Austin .

Newcomer Hilary Frazier, a reference librarian, is one of the many Laredo Public Library staff members who collect and update reference materials as well as assist patrons in connecting them with the materials they need. She helps those who have little experience with computers and other electronic media to search for the information they seek. Frazier earned a bachelor's in Biology from the University of New Mexico , pursued a juris doctorate at the University of Oregon Law School, and earned a master's in Library Information Science from UT in Austin .

“I see the library as a central learning center; a lot of people wouldn't have access to these services otherwise,” said Frazier. “It's a convenience for everyone else -- we are just the facilitators between the customer and the information.”

Robert Brown is just such a facilitator of reference materials. He said his number one responsibility is public service, but his interest in the hard sciences and world history have helped him to develop that collection of books.

“Libraries are important anywhere; they are what distinguish a free society from a totalitarian society,” he said. “Everything is free to anyone who comes in.” According to Brown, libraries are critical components of a city like Laredo . Brown earned a BA in English and Geology from Ohio State University and a master's in Library Information Science from Kent State .

Public service manager Rena Ren balances the needs of patrons with what the library can offer. She said she is able to answer 99.5 percent of patron questions with the library's high quality reference

services. Her goal as a librarian is to let the community know that these services are available, and she encourages their use to improve and nourish lives. Her master's in Library Information Science from the University of North Texas enables her to meet the public's demands for information.

As assistant director of the Laredo Public Library, María G. Soliz does a good bit of everything, including duties relative to administration, management, operations, and public service. She said the library provides services for those who are in need of information but who may not have the resources to access it. Part of her job, she said, is community outreach to make Laredoans aware of all the library's services. Soliz, who holds a BBA in Management and a BA in Psychology, also earned a master's in Library Science from the University of North Texas .

Technical services librarian Anne Seddelmeyer believes the library is a caretaker of records. “Beyond that,” she said, “what a library offers to children in a community is extremely important. Schools often don't have the time or resources that the children deserve. The library supplements that need.”

Seddelmeyer earned a bachelor's degree in English from Duke University and a master's in Library Information Science from the University of North Texas .

Homer Vazquez-García runs the Non-Profit Management & Volunteer Center, a division that is often left out of library planning, but a division that is nonetheless very important in the promotion of local non-profit organizations that depend on grant awards to exist. With an online database of approximately 350,000 sources for grants, the non-profit center offers a valuable tool. The library's Collaborative Collection with the Foundation Center in New York provides a core set of reference materials for non-profit organizations.

Timothy Walker, the newest member to the library staff, adheres to the same values for information and resources that have made the Laredo Public Library successful. A lifetime of experience as a minister and experience working with senior citizens enables him to provide excellent adult services to patrons. Some of his ideas for expanding the number of patrons served by the adult program have already come to fruition. He hopes to provide patrons with easily accessible information that fills their needs and improves their quality of life. One of his goals, he said, is to change the stigma of libraries from cold, forbidding places to warm, welcoming places of abundant help.