The Challenges of Middle East Collection Librarianship :: Essays Papers

The Challenges of Middle East Collection Librarianship The life of a Middle East collections librarian is typically one of quiet cataloging balanced with defensive declarations of one's significance to a great many co-workers and fellow university folk who fail to understand the need to collect items in "those squiggly languages." In an effort to share ideas on how to gain greater respect among peers while serving patrons as best as possible, hard-working Middle East librarians across the United States and the world commiserate on listservs and attend the annual Middle East Librarian Association (MELA) conference. They often discuss the new and the continuing obstacles to this specialty reaching its full potential and obtaining its due respect. Censorship is an issue. Books are usually censored upon publishing, but the censors can change their minds†¦ Primary among concerns is money. Also, few things speak so clearly about what the library prizes than does space allocation. Middle East collections are frequently in the inner, dark depths, the highest reaches, or the most backward rooms of the libraries that contain them. Certified librarians regularly receive greater deference and respect within the library organizational structure, particularly those with bureaucratic (role) systems (Handy 185). But professionals cost more, so hiring students is an established practice. But, if finding qualified personnel is a problem at Princeton University, which has an endowment of 3.5 billion dollars, it is almost certainly a problem everywhere (Weinberger). Finally, respect infrequently comes from the lofty positions beyond the library walls. Presidents, Provosts, and Regents often fail to perceive the library as an essential, perpetually developing aspect of campus life. The core of the problem may be that the people making the decisions in libraries and in administrations do not see a need for a library because they do not visit it. This divide might best be bridged by personally inviting these leaders to annual report meetings, presentations, or displays related to your collection. When they do not at first respond--and they likely will not--display a bit of personal power (Handy 131) and continue to invite them. If they regularly receive things in your name, their curiosity may eventually get the better of them. Challenges specific to the Middle East Librarianship include: - Cataloging challenges - Delays of copy cataloging - Student-dependent work - Nothing arriving shelf- - On-line materials - A host of supply problems. Cataloging challenges center around transliteration systems, a marked dependency by more and more institutions on copy cataloging, and a shift from relying on expert catalogers to the growing use of student workers.