Statement of Competency
Introduction
Information professionals work within systems that are becoming increasingly interconnected across countries, communities, cultures, and technologies. Cultivating and maintaining an understanding of how global perspectives influence our provision of and access to knowledge and information is essential to equitable and ethical information practice.
International Standards and Practices
Library associations play a vital role in helping libraries remain current and continually improve their services. On a global scale, these associations can strengthen the shared mission of libraries and information professionals by collaborating across borders to promote access, innovation, and advocacy (Dowling, 2017). However, many library associations face ongoing financial challenges, which can lead to organizational instability and threaten long-term sustainability (Dowling, 2017). The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), founded in Scotland in 1927, exemplifies the importance of such collaboration. As “the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users” (Dowling, 2017, p. 694), IFLA provides a platform for librarians worldwide to work collectively on issues of education, leadership, and policy. These organizations foster global dialogue and professional growth, encouraging members to think beyond their immediate professional sphere of influence. To support this vision, Barbara Ford (2018) identifies eleven best practices for information professionals engaged in international and global librarianship:
Celebrate diversity;
Expand and diversify the library’s collection of multicultural and multilingual materials;
Develop an international dimension to library services;
Use the internet to connect to other cultures;
Promote public awareness of global resources at your library;
Learn more about global information issues and how they impact libraries around the world;
Connect with libraries in other countries;
Leave home;
Financially support libraries overseas;
Increase your own global awareness; and
Consider yourself a global ambassador for libraries when traveling internationally.
Information Equity
Information equity means looking closely at how power, history, and language shape who has or doesn’t have access to knowledge. Hudson (2012) calls for “a (more) critical approach to questions of global dispossession and struggles for justice” (p. 70), reminding us that issues of access are tied to larger systems of inequality. Even the language we use matters. Drawing on photographer and activist Shahidul Alam, Hudson (2012) uses the terms majority world and minority world instead of “third world” and “first world.” This shift encourages us to think differently about global relationships and to move away from Western-centered perspectives. In the same way, critical development studies challenges traditional, Western frameworks and the assumptions that often accompany them (Hudson, 2012). When we discuss information inequality, we can’t just focus on closing the digital divide, we also have to understand the historical and cultural roots of global dispossession that created those divides in the first place. Hirsh (2022) expands on this idea by showing how information and communication technologies can connect communities around the world, noting that organizations like the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) have worked with the United Nations to define information goals for its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Cultural Humility
Cultural humility “involves the ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other oriented in relation to aspects of cultural identity that are most important to the other person, the ability to recognize the context in which interactions occur, and a commitment to redress power imbalances and other structural issues to benefit all parties” (Hurley et al., 2019, p. 549). Hurley and colleagues (2019) emphasize that cultural humility is not a single achievement but an ongoing personal and professional practice. It requires continuous reflection on one’s own biases and an openness to learning from the experiences of others. Central to this practice is acknowledging the intersectionality of identities and experiences, which shape how people interact with information systems and institutions. For information professionals, approaching cultural humility with curiosity and openness allows for more authentic engagement with diverse communities. By doing so, librarians and information professionals can build trust, foster inclusion, and contribute to more equitable global access to knowledge.
Evidence
INFO 200: International Implications Blog Post
My first piece of evidence is a blog report from INFO 200: Information Communities with Dr. Kevin Bontenbal (Fall 2023). In this blog report, I examine my information community of Parents of Children with Congenital Heart Defects (PCCHD) within the context of the global stage. I touch on topics such as access to technology which both aids in finding salient medical information, but also points parents to physical resources and locations that can assist them in navigating care for their child. I include global statistics that reference the inequities in medical care options and locations for persons from low to middle income countries, and how access to information could address such disparities. Because my information community also seeks information and support of a social nature, I touch on how online communities can help meet this need in global applications, and call for the format of such online resources to be presented in a way that is understandable to parents in terms of language and baseline reading comprehension levels.
This evidence supports Competency O by exploring how global information inequities affect access to care. I show that this information community exists globally, and therefore information resources should be made to be accessible and understandable to all. Economically speaking, I highlight how fertility rates, resource availability, and structural inequalities influence both care and information access, acknowledging the cultural and economic contexts that shape global health information systems.
INFO 244: Global Response to AI
My second piece of evidence is an online search exercise from INFO 244: Online Searching with Vicki Steiner. This assignment required us to use the database Dialog (a Clarivate product) to locate a recent article that would help us summarize the global regulatory efforts of several countries in response to artificial intelligence (AI). I also showed proof of how I formulated my search strategy, with terms and search strings, to elicit the most germane results.
This work supports Competency O by demonstrating my ability to research and compare international policies related to emerging technologies. Understanding how AI and other technologies are used and regulated across different countries highlights the social and economic implications of global information practices and reveals how varying standards shape their use.
INFO 285: Annotated Bibliography: Little & Murray
My third piece of evidence is one of the four annotated bibliographies I contributed to our group research proposal: ‘Determining Unmet Needs for Improved Public Library Services to Latinx Communities in Fresno County During Times of Crisis’ for INFO 285: Action Research with Dr. Renee Jefferson. This annotated bibliography includes a summary, analysis, and application of the article ‘The multilingual children’s library as physical and metaphorical ‘space’ within the community: Practical and emotional considerations’ by Little & Murray (2024). Their research paper emphasizes how multilingual libraries as both physical and metaphorical entities function as inclusive spaces that reflect global diversity, and how information professionals could act as “cultural brokers” in linguistic environments and programming efforts.
This supports Competency O by highlighting the need for inclusive, multilingual spaces, which demonstrates my ability to think critically about how libraries can reflect, include, and support cultural identities. My critique of the study’s limitations (e.g., lack of comparative analysis) shows that I can critically evaluate research to strengthen its global impact in information contexts. By uncovering these gaps in Little & Murray’s research, I show that additional global research in this area can contribute to equitable access to knowledge for international communities.
Conclusion
Understanding global perspectives on information practices calls for openness, empathy, and reflection. When librarians engage across cultures with humility and a commitment to equity, they help strengthen the cultural, educational, and social well-being of communities worldwide. I will carry these ideals forward in my own personal and professional practice by becoming a member of the IFLA and committing to a continual practice of addressing my own internal biases and limitations.
References
Dowling, M. (2018). Global library associations. In I. Abdullahi (Ed.), Global library and information science (pp. 689-705). De Gruyter Saur. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110413120-034
Ford, B. J. (2008). LIS professionals in a global society. In K. Haycock & B. E. Sheldon (Eds.), The Portable MLIS: Insights from the experts (pp. 195-203). Libraries Unlimited.
Hirsh, S. (2022). What it means to be an information professional today. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 1-14). Rowman & Littlefield.
Hudson, D. (2012). Unpacking “Information Inequality”: Toward a Critical Discourse of Global Justice in Library and Information Science / Pour exposer la question de « l’inégalité de l’information » : Vers un discours critique de la justice mondiale en sciences de l’information et bibliothéconomie. Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science, 36(3), 69–87. https://doi.org/10.1353/ils.2012.0010
Hurley, D. A., Kostelecky, S. R., & Townsend, L. (2019). Cultural humility in libraries. Reference Services Review, 47(4), 544–555. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-06-2019-0042