At the end of my Getting Started with Facebook class this morning, one of the participants commented on how much more comfortable she felt using the site because of what she learned. This was the second part of a two session class, and today’s focus was primarily on account and privacy settings. All of the people who came to the class had already had Facebook accounts, but I could tell that most of the information I presented today was new to them.

I’ve posted before about teaching classes on Facebook, but it’s comments like the one the patron made today that cause me to further reflect on the value of the service we provide not just through computer classes, but through the free access to information in all the forms the library presents.

The patron left class with with a better understanding of the site, which will allow her to connect and communicate with her friends and family more easily. Armed with the tools to protect her privacy, she now feels less hesitant in those interactions and is able to enjoy the site as it was meant to be enjoyed. Transformations like these make being a librarian so rewarding.

Whether it’s a shy young patron who opens up when asked about his or her favorite book or someone researching overcoming addictions finding the resources that will help them or the patron eagerly anticipating the release of the next Sookie Stackhouse novel but satisfied with a read alike, librarians have the power to change peoples’ lives. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it over and over again – this is what I love about my job.