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When we think of librarians "giving back to the profession," we generally think of how we can assist or further educate our fellow librarians. Research and publishing, for example, certainly fall into the "giving back" category, as do organizing professional development events or doing committee work. It is important, however, to remember two groups that could truly benefit from the wisdom of experienced librarians: library school students and potential recruits. As a member of the former group (and an academic library intern), I have mainly been affected by my coworkers' efforts outside the traditional methods of "contributing."

Contributing in Non-traditional Ways

Here is a short list of some of the ways in which librarians' contributions have helped me, along with some suggestions for how experienced librarians can get involved outside of traditional methods:

• Post to e-mail lists. Many, if not most, library school students are lurkers on one or more lists. For those not currently working in a library, this may be the only regular contact we have with librarians "on the front lines." From the librarian action figure to the complexities of the MARC format, we take great interest in learning about the current trends, controversies, and happenings in the library world.

• Share your experiences. This is closely related to posting on lists, but applies, not just there, but to one-on-one contact, journal and web publishing, teaching...anywhere librarians interact with students. PLEASE give us your stories and your advice. And never be afraid to be brutally honest. Even now, in the face of budget cuts and library closings, too much of the library literature is devoted to professional cheerleading. We want to hear the dark side, too. How do you deal with difficult customers, bankrupt vendors, or demanding supervisors? What do you do when the public demands filters or rejects vital tax initiatives? What have you done to increase librarian salaries or supplement your own income? Many of us entered library school hearing about the calamitous dearth of librarians, only to find a steep decline in job postings. We're disenchanted. Be honest with us.

• Don't limit this sharing of your knowledge to library students. Do your friends know what you do? Does your family? Mine certainly don't. ("So, you shelve books all day, right?") When I tell people I'll soon be a librarian, there's always a long pause, followed by something like: "You must really like reading, huh?" Let's face it, unless we tell people what we do, we can't expect them to know - making recruitment of good people needlessly difficult.

• Create a librarian web site or blog (or, you have a piercing where?). Like so many of my younger classmates, people often say to me, "You're going to be a librarian?" Enough articles have already been written on the public image of librarians, so I won't beat this long-expired equine. I will say, though, that it's heartening to look online and see that librarians are just like everyone else. Sites like "The Modified Librarian," "The Ska Librarian," "The Renegade Librarian," and countless others may not be to everyone's taste, but they really help to put a human face on the profession for potential librarians. And this movement need not be just for the "alternative" among us! Where is "The White-water Rafting Librarian," "The Ex-Marine Librarian," or "The Volunteer Firefighter Librarian"? Everyone's stories and opinions are equally welcome and equally worthwhile. Let's hear them!

• Share the professional literature. Every month, one of the librarians where I work gathers all his journals and newsletters together in a folder and passes them around the department. He also forwards online library publications, like Shelflife, First Monday, and the illustrious Info Career Trends. This has been a great boon for me, since tracking down all this material would be time-consuming, and no grad student I know could possibly afford to subscribe to any print journals beyond American Libraries. Share your subscriptions, or put a shelf for current literature in the break room - it will be appreciated, I promise.

• Request student volunteers for your library. Library school students can always use more experience, and some library schools offer practicum credit for work on outside library-related projects. I imagine most web-savvy students would jump at the chance to help put together an online exhibit or redesign a department's web page. In fact, as I write this, many of my classmates who aren't currently employed at a library are worried about how they'll fulfill their practicum requirement (while most libraries, I would guess, would LOVE more volunteers!). Post volunteer opportunities at your local library school, and you may be surprised how many students want to help.

  But wait! What's that you say? There is no library school near you? That is the beauty of the web! As more schools put classes and entire programs online, library students are now everywhere. I have classmates in Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, California, Texas, Arizona, Minnesota, Mozambique, and probably other places that I am not even aware of. Wherever you are, there are likely students nearby in need of experience.

• Get involved in Career Days. For every great person who chooses librarianship as a profession, there are hundreds who have never considered it. This is an unfortunate marketing failure of both our representative organizations and our library schools. Participating in high school (and earlier!) career days is a great way to introduce young minds to the profession, and becoming involved with college/university career-planning centers could open a whole new world of opportunities, both for librarian recruitment and for eager graduates in search of a rewarding career.

Whether for professional fulfillment or just plain old resume fodder, if you're looking for opportunities to give back to the profession, don't forget the next generation of librarians!

Michael Yunkin is currently working toward his MLIS from the University of North Texas, and is the Technical Services Intern at UNLV Libraries in fabulous Las Vegas.