Librarians as Dietitians

The best teachers have always known that their role in school is not simply to share content, but no matter the age of the student, to share the lessons that produce productive members of society. Each year of school adds more to the student toolchest - beyond 'play well with others', there is 'organize', 'prioritize', 'analyze', and this does not even begin to cover algebra or Latin declensions!

The truest librarians are aware that their role in school is not simply to share books or information, but to share those lessons that produce citizens who can navigate today's world. And in today’s world, one does not have to seek out information, but rather information is put in front of you, and not always in expected situations.

One could liken today's librarians to dietitians. While dietitians may start out preparing a menu for their clients, they also teach along the way, about balanced nutrition, moderation, and how to put together a daily menu and a lifelong diet that includes all the necessary nutrients that make for a healthy existence. Eventually, clients compile their own menus, and can choose wisely, whether in the supermarket, at a restaurant, or encounter an unexpected food struck.

The delivery of today's news is “designed by people with an advertising background... it gets people excited.. to the point they want to share..." (Gungor & McHargue, 2017). As school librarians, we have to be aware of this and temper our own reactions as well as educate our patrons on how to filter through the "ads". News may be presented like a dessert or the latest supplement, sure to solve all your ills- we have to teach our patrons to digest in moderation, and to consider the ingredients before ingesting.

“There is no such thing as unbiased media… even as they report facts.. they choose which facts to report and how to present them.” (Gungor & McHargue, 2017) As librarians, we must be aware of this and design our own media and digital diet with variety in mind - we need to consider the sources we might not be prone to personally and present a well-rounded diet to our patrons, so that they, too, will develop a well-rounded diet.

Gungor, M., & McHargue, M. (2017, March 7). Fake News & Media Literacy [Audio blog post]. Retrieved September 4, 2018, from http://www.theliturgists.com/podcast/2017/3/7/fake-news-media-literacy