The Selfless Servant

A colleague recently shared a book with me entitled: The Public Library: A Photographic Essay by Robert Dawson. It had a very interesting article by Dorothy Lazard called, “Practicing Seva” (from the Sikh notion of selfless service). She talks about the increased role libraries are having in providing service to the homeless and untreated ill, especially as large psychiatric hospitals have continued to close over the years.

Lazard says, “We library workers are, in practical terms, surrogates for shuttered schools, parks, hospitals, and homes. And we know we are hopelessly unqualified to treat what ails many of the people who pass through our doors.” What librarians do, even with this influx of complicated patronage, is to carry on selfless service. “We are acting,” according to Lazard, “as the last outposts of community space.”

Librarians are trained to be polite, patient, and helpful, no matter who stands across from the reference desk. The most important thing is that we look them in the eye and take them seriously…And if our work calms someone’s demons or teaches someone else how to treat the mentally ill with respect, then I am proud to be a part of the process.

While this article did not encourage me much about the future of society in general, it did remind me that librarians can still be examples to others in how to deal with all members of our community. There may be times when a situation requires intervention from authorities, because someone has gone off their meds or added too much alcohol to their system, but in general, we are able to provide that safe space even for those who are living in another reality.

Knowing our patrons by name is a first step to building a comfortable environment for all, as we treat each person with respect as a fellow human being. It’s a challenge on some days, but is part of what makes the library such an important part of every community. I’m glad to be a part of that, and I hope you are too.