Why Volunteer; or, What's in it for Me?

LIRT can be just another organizational acronym, or it can be a wonderful and meaningful experience.  Yes, we hear about mission statements and goals of the organization: all noble and worthwhile, but what about me?  Should I fit into the picture somewhere?  Is there an opportunity for personal enrichment for me?

Our mission statement makes us unique in that it calls for representation for all types of librarians--school, public, and special, in addition to academic--on committees, in officer elections, and throughout our ALA Round Table organization.  We have a mandate to consider all types of librarians in our many deliberations and activities.  Yet, at conference when we ask for a show of hands to see who we are, the librarians from school, public, and special libraries are greatly under-represented.  Is it a lack of proper funding that keeps us away?  Is it insufficient institutional support to enable us to get away from our workplace?  Or have the rest of us been complacent and just not made that personal contact with colleagues from those under-represented libraries.  As individuals, we could each make that concerted effort and each one bring one.   For those who are already members of ALA, membership in LIRT is one of the best bargains in ALA.

But what about me?  There are many activities that make up LIRT: programs, lunch and dinner get-togethers that we call BITES WITH LIRT, discussion forums, the LIRT Booth in exhibits, committees and task forces, and officer positions.  Each of these is an opportunity for individual involvement and personal growth.  In addition, participating in LIRT at ALA Conferences is a chance to directly interact with other individuals who are also passionate about library instruction, and it is a chance to replenish oneself.  For those who cannot get away to conference, LIRT has other opportunities for individual involvement.  There is a place on LIRT committees for virtual participation - those important tasks that need to be completed between conferences, yet do not require continual conference attendance.  This can be an avenue of involvement for those of us who can only participate in one conference each year, or only in an occasional conference every few years.

I first got my start in this business assisting in my local high school library.  In the following years I worked a marvelous variety of positions in a large public library that had eleven branches, also working in one of those branches.  After a move across the country, I worked in a community college library for a number of years.  A later opportunity to focus on my interest in library instruction landed me in a large university library.  Today, I am in an architecture library removed from the central library's day-to-day operations and serving a unique clientele with an entirely different information usage pattern and set of needs.  I wish I had discovered LIRT many years earlier.  I could have benefited immensely from earlier involvement in this organization and interaction with LIRT colleagues during all those different jobs.

Becoming active in LIRT is easy and can come in stages to fit your personal situation.  My involvement in LIRT first started with the LIRT BITES - casual, friendly gatherings at good and reasonably priced restaurants during ALA conferences.  I did not know the city, where to eat, or what to do while there.  The camaraderie was wonderful, and I also came away with a few tips that I could immediately use back at work.  From there I was drawn into helping staff the LIRT booth in exhibits, later working on committees and task forces, and eventually chairing committees and being asked to run for various offices.

When considering how to participate, it is not just what you have done, your accomplishments and skills, but what you would like to do.  It is the opportunity to attempt new things of interest.  We are not just looking for experts - although those talents will be appreciated.  We are looking for the desire to be involved, a desire to make a difference.  Are you asking yourself, "what about me? "  Then tug one of us on the sleeve and say, "I want in."  There is even a committee volunteer form in our newsletter.  If you want details, suggestions, or just want to ask about LIRT, send an officer or committee chair an e-mail message.  They have seen the inside of your organization.  Getting in is not that difficult, and you can follow those who have walked these steps before us.  Who knows, some day you may find yourself running this thing, too.

Mitch Stepanovich works in the Architecture & Fine Arts Library at the University of Texas at Arlington.  He is also LIRT Vice President/President-Elect.