Transcript Librarianship and Legitimacy: the Ideology of the Public Library Inquiry

Librarianship and
Legitimacy:
the Ideology of the Public
Library Inquiry
By Douglas Raber
Presenters: Huy Chu, Tom Methans, Takeo Sugihara
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Warm Up Questions

Do you currently use or have you ever
used your public library?

Why do you use your public library?
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The Author: Douglas Raber
Info Science Professor at University of
Tennessee, Knoxville since 1997.
 Experience as Reference Librarian,
Political Science Instructor, Library
Director.
 26 publishing credits, including 2 books.
 Advanced Degrees in both Library & Info.
Science and Political Science

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Why did Raber Write this Book?

Ongoing evaluation of Librarianship.

Reminder of important issues in
Librarianship.

How do librarians achieve status as an
integral part of modern society.
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Understanding the Inquiry
ALA prompts for the Assessment of Public
Libraries.
 Post War America
 New Attitudes – Optimism & Reality
 Unmasked Social Divisions
 New Technologies
 Public Library Wages & Support
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Getting Started
Librarians look inward
 The ALA - Milam
 The Carnegie Corporation
 Social Science Research Center – Robert
D. Leigh
 An Objective Study
 Purpose of the Inquiry

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The Public Library Inquiry
Composed of seven monographs
1. Bernard Berelson, The Library’s Public (New York: Columbia University
Press, 1949).
2. Alice I. Bryan, The Public Librarian (New York: Columbia University
Press, 1952).
3. Oliver Garceau, The Public Library in the Political Process (New York:
Columbia University Press, 1949).
4. Robert D. Leigh, The Public Library in the United States: The General
Report of the Public Library Inquiry (New York: Columbia University
Press, 1950).
5. James L. McCamy, Government Publications for the Citizen (New York:
Columbia University Press, 1949).
6. William Miller, The Book Industry (New York: Columbia University Press,
1949).
7. Gloria Waldren, The Information Film (New York: Columbia University
Press, 1949).
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The Library Faith

Reading is in itself good
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Reading of books is useful and moral
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Free access to information enhances individual
progress toward “life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness” and democratic process

Preserves and organizes world’s recorded
knowledge
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Survival of Librarianship

“that in a political culture whose
legitimating principles have been
compromised by the reality of power
relations, librarianship has little choice but
to be prepared to sacrifice a portion of its
soul in order to participate successfully in
and benefit from that culture.”[1]
[1] Raber, Douglas. Librarianship and Legitimacy: The Ideology of the Public
Library Inquiry. Greenwood Press, Westport, CT. 1997. 134.
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Reviews of the Book

Pros: Engaging and raises questions that
are still applicable today

Cons: Focus on the Public Library Inquiry
- the Inquiry ignores social context
- the tone of the Inquiry is elitist
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How does Librarianship &
Legitimacy relate to the Course?

Re-evaluation of librarians’ roles.

How do we establish librarians’ viability in
society?

Librarians’ role in democracy.
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
What if you had to pay to use the library?
How would you feel about that? What
would happen to those people who
couldn’t pay?

How would you get information if there
was no public library? Would internet
access solve the problem?
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