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“There is no failure except
in no longer trying.
On entering the University of the West Indies (UWI) over four years ago, I was very apprehensive about the rigors and demand of achieving success in this noble institution. Therefore on many occasions, I had to say Hubbard’s words to myself and draw from them the motivation to succeed. Words so profound can only leave an indelible mark on one’s life and propel one toward his goal. In fact, the first hurdle to overcome at UWI was an essay of 2,500 words. In high school, the longest essay I had ever written was 500 - 800 words. The task at hand was frightening! However, with courage drawn from Hubbard’s words and tenacity, I managed to accomplish this gargantuan feat and received an “A” for my troubles. Such was the beginning of my tenure in the Department of Library and Information Studies (DLIS). Many persons do not understand what it means to be a student in this Department. Often times one would have to validate his existence, by answering questions from his colleagues, as to why he had chosen this field, as they often assumed that all one learned to do was charge and discharge books along with shelving. It was in giving responses and in defending my choice of major that I recognized that it was possibly the best decision I have made to date. To be a great Librarian is both an art and a science. One acquires certain skills, but there are also some innate attributes that are necessary in order to interface with patrons. One such is a wide knowledge and the skill to access additional information. Knowledge is power and anyone holding this valuable resource has the ability to move mountains, build bridges and break barriers. We were never short of this resource, as we were trained to be information detectives, locating it in whatever format it is stored. We then had to learn how to be good managers, capable of holding an organization together, while revolutionizing the field of librarianship. In keeping with current trends in the information society to which we are now a part, we had to learn essential information technology skills which were fundamental for survival as information professional. In partial fulfillment of the requirements for my degree, I had to undertake a Caribbean study which proved invaluable as it gave an insight on the nature of librarianship and the difficult tasks faced. Arising from the findings was the fact that users’ needs were only being partially satisfied in most rural areas. I discovered that users in these areas were indeed trying to become a part of the information society, as there was an emergent need for information in electronic formats. This novelty coupled with a rising interest in information and communications technologies has revolutionized the delivery of information services to these areas. It has forced many librarians to implement new and exciting innovations to pull more users to their doors. This study has given me a platform to build on, to learn new ways to match the correct services with my users needs. During my tenure at the university, I managed to maintain a standard of excellence and I am extremely grateful to LIAJA for playing a role in my endeavours. Having receiv ed the LIAJA scholarship for the academic year 2004/2005, I am happy to report that I have now graduated from the university with a First Class Honours Degree in Library and Information Studies and a minor in Education. It is associations such as LIAJA that facilitate access to the knowledge that is craved by many and that all would agree has the power to change ones life instantaneously. My new role is to use this new found knowledge to ensure that the Jamaica Library Service stands on par with other library networks all over the world. It is my intention to have a long lasting impact on the field of librarianship and by extension the Jamaica Library Service. The Department of Library and Information Studies has equipped me with the necessary tools to be information professional and these skills, along with my penchant for providing quality service to users, will undoubtedly prepare me to be a neo-librarian in the twenty- first century.
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