Who watches the watchmen?

The Roman satirist Juvenal first wrote "Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes?", which translates to "Who watches the watchmen?" It's a fascinating phrase that seems applicable to the authority figures of any era throughout history: politicians, government agencies, the police, the military. To keep authority figures honest and safely in check, people need to be aware of their rights and ready to stand up for them. They must be willing to ask the hard questions and direct public scrutiny onto things that aren't right, to put them right. Thomas Jefferson said that "a democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry." And who makes all this possible?

Our V.I.P.s for the week, the librarians (and future librarians in this class)! Give yourselves a big hand, ladies and gentlemen. We're the watchers of the watchmen, and whether we end up in public, academic, school, or even special libraries, we are guardians of knowledge, and as such, we empower the people to watch out for themselves. Our libraries provide all the information in the world, for free, to anyone who wants it -- that is an honor, and a very powerful thing. And as another very wise man, Stan Lee, once said, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Advocacy is our responsibility. The 2004-2005 American Library Association President Carol Brey-Casiano wrote extensively on the subject of library advocacy in her article from our assigned reading, "Stand Up and Speak Out," and outlined her platform on her website, http://www.carolbrey.com/platform.htm, which I encourage you all to check out (no pun intended, librarians). She encourages everyone to just TALK about libraries to their friends, their family, their neighbors. Make everyone aware of the good that libraries do for communities and individuals, all the great resources available within, and how important they are in general. In Ms Brey-Casiano's own words, "Once you've become comfortable with that process, it is only a small stretch to talk about libraries to your coworkers, board members, city council representatives, county commissioners, and legislators." (Brey-Casiano, 2004).

Everyone needs to know, now more than ever. I don't want to get into politics and ruin a perfectly good party, but in today's political climate, it is more important than ever that libraries continue to operate freely -- free from censorship and intrusions into privacy, free from government intervention, and keeping the free flow of information free for the public. That's a lot of freedom at stake, and you can help.

Speak.

Spread the word.

Tell everyone you know.

Here's one for ya: Join the American Library Association! Do it now, while you're still students. It's cheap -- only $25. That ain't a lot of cabbage, guys and dolls. You'll be supporting a benevolent and powerful organization that looks out for our best interests, not only as librarians, but as citizens who deserve to be free. Check out http://www.ala.org, and while you're enjoying the wealth of information on the website, go through the motions and get your own swanky little ALA Membership Card to laminate for your wallet and impress your friends. And chime in here, grab the microphone and let us know that you did!

Libraries lead to Jefferson's "informed and educated citizenry." That makes us powerful as individuals and as a society. And that power gives us the added responsibility to be the watchers of the watchmen. Are you up for the job?

Let's have an open-mic jam session, cats and kittens. What would YOU say to spread the word about the importance of libraries? Go ahead, take the stage and give us your best sales pitch. Let us know who you'd be talking to -- a friend, a neighbor, a teenager, someone with children of their own, maybe even your own children. You set the scene, take us away, and be an advocate. Dazzle us, educate us, win us over. You're such a great audience, we at the Library Advocacy Lounge know you have it in you!

Good night, folks.

SOURCE: Brey-Casiano, C. (2004). Stand up and speak out. American Libraries 35(7), 5.