WEBVTT NOTE Created by CaptionSync from Automatic Sync Technologies www.automaticsync.com 00:00:00.386 --> 00:00:03.906 align:middle >> Thank you, Dr. Hirsh for your kind words and generous introduction. 00:00:04.206 --> 00:00:09.136 align:middle It has truly been a pleasure to get to know you and work with you over these past several years. 00:00:09.276 --> 00:00:13.706 align:middle I would like to express my gratitude for your dedication to the school as well 00:00:13.706 --> 00:00:16.336 align:middle as the programs and students it serves. 00:00:17.326 --> 00:00:22.136 align:middle I would also like to extend a special thank you to all of the members of the administration, 00:00:22.136 --> 00:00:25.736 align:middle faculty, and staff who have each contributed to getting us here. 00:00:26.086 --> 00:00:27.356 align:middle We could not have done it without you. 00:00:28.736 --> 00:00:32.266 align:middle To be awarded the 2019 Ken Haycock Award 00:00:32.266 --> 00:00:35.326 align:middle for Exceptional Professional Promise is an incredible honor 00:00:35.326 --> 00:00:36.856 align:middle that I will be forever grateful for. 00:00:37.036 --> 00:00:41.366 align:middle This would not be possible without the generous contributions of Dr. Haycock himself, 00:00:41.446 --> 00:00:44.986 align:middle who I would like to personally thank for his deduction to the profession 00:00:44.986 --> 00:00:48.946 align:middle and advancing future generations within it. 00:00:48.946 --> 00:00:53.206 align:middle Each of us here today was in one form or another, inspired, 00:00:53.206 --> 00:00:55.416 align:middle supported, and believed in by someone. 00:00:55.586 --> 00:01:00.706 align:middle To all those people, I thank you on behalf of the 2019 graduating class. 00:01:01.806 --> 00:01:05.366 align:middle To my extended family, friends, peers, colleagues, 00:01:05.366 --> 00:01:09.666 align:middle and mentors who have supported me all these years, I can say nothing more 00:01:09.666 --> 00:01:11.666 align:middle than thank you from the bottom of my heart. 00:01:13.056 --> 00:01:17.616 align:middle Personally, I cannot express in words how grateful I am to my best friend 00:01:17.616 --> 00:01:19.816 align:middle and greatest champion, my husband Gavin. 00:01:20.166 --> 00:01:24.686 align:middle Your unwavering support throughout this adventure has made it all possible. 00:01:24.686 --> 00:01:27.186 align:middle I look forward to the next great chapter of our life together. 00:01:29.116 --> 00:01:35.106 align:middle Today I want to ask each of you to think about information within a somewhat different context 00:01:35.106 --> 00:01:39.916 align:middle from our usual theories and practices of organization, access, and so on. 00:01:40.216 --> 00:01:46.296 align:middle Instead, I would like you to think about information and the power that it possesses. 00:01:46.296 --> 00:01:51.106 align:middle I think we would all agree there's no singular definition for the term, information. 00:01:51.106 --> 00:01:55.886 align:middle If you don't believe me, just ask my group of information professional colleagues who broke 00:01:55.886 --> 00:02:00.616 align:middle into roaring laughter this past week when I asked them all for their favorite definitions. 00:02:01.316 --> 00:02:02.576 align:middle It was almost a bloodbath. 00:02:03.356 --> 00:02:10.226 align:middle However, I being you all to indulge me in one definition of many, that I believe is relevant 00:02:10.226 --> 00:02:12.296 align:middle and accurate for the context of my words today. 00:02:13.076 --> 00:02:19.806 align:middle Personally, I believe information can be defined as any tangible or intangible object 00:02:19.806 --> 00:02:24.016 align:middle that has the ability to communicate something when experienced. 00:02:24.016 --> 00:02:26.476 align:middle Broad, I know, but I think it works. 00:02:26.476 --> 00:02:32.456 align:middle For the definition of power, I look to the ideas of the French historian, anthropologist, 00:02:32.456 --> 00:02:36.046 align:middle and philosopher, Michel Foucault, who argued that, 00:02:36.326 --> 00:02:40.426 align:middle "Power is everywhere and comes from everywhere." 00:02:40.916 --> 00:02:47.666 align:middle He argued that power is without its own agency or ability to act and instead is manipulated 00:02:47.666 --> 00:02:50.466 align:middle for both good and bad by those with agency. 00:02:50.846 --> 00:02:55.506 align:middle For him, knowledge is the key to guiding power in a manner that allows for it 00:02:55.506 --> 00:02:57.576 align:middle to exert influence within a society. 00:02:58.136 --> 00:03:00.246 align:middle So what does that mean for us? 00:03:00.246 --> 00:03:06.396 align:middle For me, applying these two definitions for information and power equate to a world 00:03:06.396 --> 00:03:08.926 align:middle where information is all around us. 00:03:09.026 --> 00:03:13.186 align:middle Like power, information is in everything we experience and engage with. 00:03:13.846 --> 00:03:19.926 align:middle Information is the delivery system for imparting knowledge that allows agents of power 00:03:19.926 --> 00:03:22.206 align:middle to exert influence within society. 00:03:23.186 --> 00:03:27.816 align:middle In other words, information leads to knowledge, and knowledge leads to power. 00:03:28.246 --> 00:03:35.206 align:middle Think about it this way; consider everything you know, even the seemingly smallest of things, 00:03:35.376 --> 00:03:39.466 align:middle now think about how your life would be different without that knowledge. 00:03:40.206 --> 00:03:45.156 align:middle In turn, consider everything you don't know and how different your life would be if you did. 00:03:45.416 --> 00:03:50.206 align:middle Think about how even the small-- even the seemingly smallest of things for most, 00:03:50.206 --> 00:03:55.256 align:middle like being able to read, has a profound influence on your abilities in life. 00:03:55.336 --> 00:03:57.916 align:middle Think about the freedom that that knowledge gives you 00:03:57.916 --> 00:04:00.406 align:middle over your own life and even the lives of others. 00:04:01.436 --> 00:04:04.156 align:middle Personally, I have seen this in my work helping 00:04:04.156 --> 00:04:07.976 align:middle to found the iSchool's first generation student group with Dr. Anthony Bernier. 00:04:08.266 --> 00:04:12.186 align:middle I have seen and experienced firsthand the challenges that come 00:04:12.186 --> 00:04:16.966 align:middle from not having the information and knowledge to navigate unfamiliar worlds. 00:04:17.426 --> 00:04:21.566 align:middle I have also seen how helping others gain the knowledge 00:04:21.566 --> 00:04:25.806 align:middle and information I lacked has empowered all involved toward a better future. 00:04:25.806 --> 00:04:28.906 align:middle For me, this is the power of information. 00:04:30.316 --> 00:04:32.096 align:middle But why does this matter here and now? 00:04:32.636 --> 00:04:38.056 align:middle Today we celebrate our official entrance into the field of information professionalism. 00:04:38.316 --> 00:04:43.406 align:middle We are declaring that we are exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable about the systems 00:04:43.406 --> 00:04:49.106 align:middle and mechanisms for creating, identifying, preserving, and disseminating information. 00:04:49.636 --> 00:04:54.506 align:middle This also declares that we have a more direct connection than others to one 00:04:54.506 --> 00:04:56.756 align:middle of the most significant sources of power. 00:04:57.726 --> 00:05:02.796 align:middle To me, this comes with the responsibility to act and to act in a way that provides 00:05:02.796 --> 00:05:04.306 align:middle for the betterment of our society. 00:05:04.746 --> 00:05:07.836 align:middle Most importantly though, I think this responsibility comes 00:05:07.836 --> 00:05:10.416 align:middle with something even greater, which is opportunity. 00:05:11.336 --> 00:05:16.486 align:middle Whether a children's librarian who works to inspire the young to find their own power 00:05:16.486 --> 00:05:20.946 align:middle and knowledge, or an archivist who preserves the historical record to ensure 00:05:20.946 --> 00:05:24.856 align:middle that the future has great potential than the past, 00:05:24.856 --> 00:05:28.326 align:middle we all have the power to be positive influences. 00:05:28.326 --> 00:05:34.506 align:middle In an information abundant world, we live in a time when misinformation, disinformation, 00:05:34.506 --> 00:05:40.506 align:middle and yes, even lack of information, have resulted in a climate of political, social, 00:05:40.506 --> 00:05:42.496 align:middle and economic hardship for so many. 00:05:43.706 --> 00:05:48.106 align:middle I believe that the information profession is fundamentally one of service, 00:05:48.106 --> 00:05:53.306 align:middle where we strive to fill the needs of others no matter how small or large. 00:05:53.976 --> 00:06:00.516 align:middle Therefore, I want to challenge us all to think about how in our own ways, we can use our power 00:06:00.516 --> 00:06:06.106 align:middle to contribute to making the world better, even if that is just one person at a time. 00:06:06.106 --> 00:06:09.546 align:middle And in doing so, I want us to especially focus on the ways 00:06:09.546 --> 00:06:12.926 align:middle that we have now been empowered to empower others. 00:06:14.216 --> 00:06:18.556 align:middle For those of you who don't know, I have had the incredible opportunity of working 00:06:18.556 --> 00:06:23.076 align:middle for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and for the California Institute 00:06:23.076 --> 00:06:25.386 align:middle of Technology at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 00:06:25.866 --> 00:06:31.506 align:middle It is the honor of a lifetime for which I will always be grateful, for many reasons. 00:06:31.856 --> 00:06:39.816 align:middle However, two stand out above the rest, first, I get to work with an organization who according 00:06:39.816 --> 00:06:43.356 align:middle to the law that established it, has the primary purpose 00:06:43.356 --> 00:06:47.476 align:middle of existing for, "-- the benefit of all mankind." 00:06:47.586 --> 00:06:51.316 align:middle Second, I get to join and work 00:06:51.316 --> 00:06:55.806 align:middle for an organization whose motto is, "Dare mighty things." 00:06:55.866 --> 00:07:01.846 align:middle this motto stems from the words of President Theodore Roosevelt who said, 00:07:01.846 --> 00:07:07.346 align:middle "Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered 00:07:07.346 --> 00:07:13.286 align:middle by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, 00:07:13.286 --> 00:07:17.416 align:middle because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat." 00:07:17.516 --> 00:07:25.716 align:middle For each person, the definitions of mighty and glorious may be subjective, but today, 00:07:25.716 --> 00:07:29.676 align:middle I ask you all to join me in saying congratulations to all of us 00:07:29.676 --> 00:07:34.106 align:middle on our glorious triumph in achieving these mighty accomplishments. 00:07:34.106 --> 00:07:38.706 align:middle So whether your future careers involve mighty acts, like serving those in need, 00:07:38.706 --> 00:07:41.756 align:middle inspiring or assisting people of different generations 00:07:41.756 --> 00:07:46.846 align:middle or backgrounds towards greater knowledge, working to preserve the past or innovating 00:07:46.846 --> 00:07:52.196 align:middle for the future, go forth and do so with your fullest potential. 00:07:52.196 --> 00:07:57.626 align:middle Use the information, knowledge, and skills you have gained throughout your time at the iSchool 00:07:57.626 --> 00:08:02.076 align:middle and beyond, to exert your power in a manner that empowers others 00:08:02.376 --> 00:08:07.046 align:middle and allows you yourself to serve and dare mighty things. 00:08:07.186 --> 00:08:08.226 align:middle Thank you.