A rotary classification talk presentation given on 9/8/15 for Bloomfield, Indiana's Rotary Club.

1. TITLEClassification TalkClassification Talk
Presented by Austin Stroud
September 8, 2015

2. Introduction
Name: Austin Stroud
Hometown: Mitchell, Indiana
Current Town: Bedford, Indiana
Classification: Librarian
Current Employers: Bloomfield-Eastern Greene County Public
Library (5/14 – Present) &
Ivy Tech Community College (8/11 – Present)
Current Job Titles: Library Director & Adjunct Faculty
Education: BS – Labor Studies (Indiana University)
MS – Education/Instructional Systems Tech
(Indiana University)
MLS – Library Science (IUPUI)
Areas of Interest: Library Technology, Instructional Design,
Distance Education
Other Organizations: American Library Association, Career Success
Coalition, Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the
Library, Greene County Alliance, Indiana
Library Federation, Literacy Coalition

3. Why did I become a librarian?
• Early experience
• Positive mentors
• Educating/training others (Digital Divide)
• Challenges (why I’m a director)
• Changes in the field (especially technology)
• Community impact

4. Rewarding & Difficult Parts of the Job
Rewarding:
•Educating others
•Community involvement
•Colleagues
•Variety
Difficult:
•Funding
•Perceptions of libraries
•Underserved populations

5. Career Forecast/Advice for Future Librarians
From the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Thinking about becoming a librarian?
•Get volunteer or library work experience (Reading books isn’t enough!)
•Keep up with new technologies/trends
•Obtain a second graduate degree for more opportunities
•Be flexible and open to relocation or working in related fields
•Adapt and accept change as a major part of keeping libraries relevant

6. Technology/Government/Environmental Impacts on Libraries
Technology:
•Maintaining relevancy
•Continuous learning
•Improved efficiency
•Increased availability
•Collection
•Online resources
Government Regulations:
•Decreases in funding (property tax caps and income tax reductions) = budget shortfalls
•Unserved townships
Environmental:
•Education
•Responsible recycling and use of materials

7. Ethical Issues in Libraries
• Censoring/intellectual freedom
• Confidentiality
• Served versus unserved patrons
• Quality of information
• Conflict of interest
• Neutrality
There are others – these are some big ones
that come to mind.

8. Contact Me
Austin Stroud
astroud@bloomfield.lib.in.us
812-384-4125
Thank You!