What is an Amish Librarian?

Ok, so I'm not really Amish.

Maybe I chose the title because "Amish" sounds catchy. Or maybe I chose the title because I have Amish roots and Amish theological leanings. I'm actually a Mennonite. Mennonites have close ties to the Amish, in terms of kinship, history, and theology. My grandparents on both sides of the family left the Old Order Amish to become Conservative Mennonite. Consciously, they made the shift because they were drawn to the Mennonites' more evangelical Christian piety. Perhaps unconsciously, they wanted cars and tractors (at least that's how our Amish relatives tell the story). Two generations later, I'm uncomfortable with both the "mission outreach" focus of our Mennonite church and the way we've allowed ourselves to adopt all the trappings of secular modernity. But the so-called "Anabaptist escalator" only runs one way, and I can't rejoin the Amish.

But I am really a librarian (at least almost).

I'm working on my Master of Library Science (MLS) degree at Indiana University, Indianapolis campus. I hope to finish at the end of the upcoming summer. Unlike my Amish relatives, librarians are madly embracing new technologies, such as this thing called blogging. So there is an inherent contradiction in this blog. Philosophically, I see problems with introducing new technologies. Yet librarians, in our race to stay relevant, need to keep up with emerging trends in technology. So I embrace technology, if not with my heart, at least with my mind.

Thankfully, we librarians also have some affinity for the past. We try to preserve old books and cultural traditions. We maintain historical collections. We are considerate of the needs of our patrons in transitions to new technology. Like the Amish, even, librarians mostly embrace new technology when it has worthwhile uses. We don't like to get all technological just because it's sexy and new. I like that. Maybe that's why I became a librarian.

In addition to being a student, I'm employed as a librarian at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. I enjoy helping folks find things and being surrounded by books on Anabaptist/Mennonite theology. Our library is also a new "sustainable design" building, which means it has fantastic natural light, native cherry woodwork, and great views of our rain gardens and prairie plantings. It's an amazingly beautiful place to work.

When I'm not working or studying, I get to spend time with my family. My wife and I have a one-year-old son, Silas, who is crawling, climbing, playing, and eating books up (literally, and figuratively). We live in an unassuming green bungalow with our two fluffy white cats and a compost pile in the backyard. We enjoy spending time outdoors, even in the winter. Last week, we went to the park so Silas could have his first sled ride. God has surely been good to me.

I hope you'll enjoy my random postings, both related and unrelated to what it means to be an "Amish" librarian.

Wishing you God's peace, Karl