- The question of "what materials are appropriate for kids?" is incredibly thorny. Some folks were comfortable applying the free speech/don't limit materials at all approach to youth collections, while others wanted to introduce some guidance via grouping and shelving of materials, and yet others believed in a kind of civic and developmental responsibility to ensure youth weren't encountering materials that others had agreed were toxic, full of misinformation, espousing the ideology of hate groups, etc. These approaches and issues challenge the idea that a commitment to freedom of speech is in itself enough - as we discussed, that may also be a specifically American ethic that other countries are much more comfortable contesting in practice. I guess the theme I take away from this particular thorniness is that, yes, we do have to be mindful of the choices we make, which may very well be inescapably imperfect, and try to make sense of them in the context of other values that guide us.
- We can think of public libraries as neutral spaces, or democratic spaces, or communal spaces, or healing/dialogue-facilitating spaces. While there is significant overlap between each of these approaches, they also suggest very different functions that public libraries might play within communities -- is the library the place you go for refuge? Is it a place where you should expect to feel safe regardless of your identity, and/or a space where librarians will specifically facilitate a safe space that is intolerant of hate towards you? Where does the ethical foundation of libraries spring from? I personally believe in libraries as spaces of direct democracy and one of the most beautiful expressions of who we are as a country. As Maya Angelou said:
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| "I always felt, if I can get to a library, I'll be OK." |
I don't think there's an easy way to distill our conversation down into answers and conclusions and I'm comfortable with that. One thing I really like about this class is that it makes me more aware of my own ideas - which I sometimes experience more as a conviction or value than as a rational argument, for better or worse - while also helping me understand how that idea coexists with many others, and how we all belong to a community of thinkers on things like this. It's really neat and humbling thing to experience. :)
This class certainly asked a lot of difficult question for which no easy answers could be found. The first question you dissected, the library's role in selecting resources for kids, was an interesting conversation. It really made me wonder how the conversation might be different if more (any?) of our classmates had children. It is one thing to talk about about this as a hypothetical, but I suspect we would have heard some different opinions if parents had been in the room.
ReplyDelete"Today, we need targeted efforts that speak to where people’s passions and aspirations lie." This sounds like the language around the Harwood Institute. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that Maya Angelou quote. And I love the idea of libraries as a refuge; I think there's a lot of people that feel the same way. That a public library serves as a physical refuge space - where you feel safe, warm, unbothered and can be still. And also as an intellectual refuge where you are free to explore and learn unfettered by rules. I think your post and our discussion hit on the one of the most challenges aspects of public librarianship - navigating the tensions between democratic access/freedom of speech and maintaining a safe space for everyone. I think that's super tough! But also a beautiful challenge to undertake as a library and as a professional.
ReplyDeleteI remember writing about the library as a place of refuge for my personal statement while applying to UMSI. It really made me reflect on why, as a kid, I had to rely so much on libraries as a safe space and it made me think of all the other kids who rely on their libraries as their safe space. To me, refuge meant being in a place where I could follow my individual interests without fear while also feeling like a part of the community. I think librarians need to pay particular attention to their patrons who are systematically excluded so that refuge can be possible for anyone regardless of background.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Russell about the library being a place of refuge and when I think back on my childhood, it definitely played that role for me. I also like your quote from Maya! This is an interesting topic that I hope to explore and discuss more extensively in my time at UMSI.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I agree with you as well when you speak about this class making you think of your own ideas more. I get the same way in class, but especially when reading through our group's blog posts.