Alternative Perspectives in Library and Information Science: Issues of Race

Peterson, Lorna

doi:10.2307/40324271

Cited by 27 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…I am not original in suggesting that multiculturalism, as it exists today, falls short of critically examining the role that race, and whiteness specifically, plays in shaping our discipline, practices, and institutions (Honma, 2005;Pawley, 2006;Peterson, 1996). Indeed, the unrelenting fixation on the Other that is prevalent in multicultural education models does the work of keeping invisible white supremacy (Harper & Cavanagh, 1994).…”

Section: Bidding the Lady Farewellmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Legacy of Lady Bountiful: White Women in the Library

Schlesselman-Tarango¹

2016

Library Trends

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White supremacy and patriarchy have acted upon and through the white female body, which has implications for library and information science (LIS), a white-and female-dominated field. Insisting that we investigate librarianship through a lens that does not consider gender alone, this paper draws on whiteness, critical race, and feminist theories to explore the formation and persistence of a particular mode of whiteness in LIS. Calling on the "Lady Bountiful" archetype, the paper interrogates the ways in which patriarchy, white supremacy, and notions of ideal femininity have worked together to craft a subject fit to perform the work of colonialism in its variegated and feminized forms. By exploring how the white woman was deemed an appropriate agent for the racial, missionary, and "civilizing" projects of early libraries, one can better locate her legacy in contemporary pedagogies, practices, and representations. The paper concludes with suggestions for addressing this undertheorized yet prevalent archetype in both LIS scholarship and teaching.

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Section: Bidding the Lady Farewellmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Legacy of Lady Bountiful: White Women in the Library

Schlesselman-Tarango¹

2016

Library Trends

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“…The process of answering questions and interacting with the Reference by Mail letters acts as an avenue of recognizing the humanity of patrons in jails and prisons, giving LIS students the opportunity to become more critical of the carceral State and to overcome separations Critical theoretical positions form the pedagogical foundations for a project that surpasses the walls of the jail or prison and the distances perpetuated by neoliberal turns within online education in LIS. Alongside the claims to and for increased equity and diversity in library services, numerous scholars in the field have argued the necessity of addressing library histories of colonialism, nationalism, whiteness, and resource guarding (Honma, 2005;Peterson, 1996;Schlessleman-Tarango, 2016;Velez and Villa-Nicholas, 2017;Weigand, 2000). Despite a variety of diversity initiatives in LIS education that have been implemented, at times as a response to student's direct demands (Cooke, Noble, & Sweeney, 2016), the profession remains largely culturally and physically composed through whiteness (American Library Association, 2018).…”

Section: Pedagogical Precedentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Information Provision and the Carceral State: Race and Reference beyond the Idea of the “Underserved”

Austin

Villa-Nicholas

2019

The Reference Librarian

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This article addresses an approach to library services for people who are incarcerated that meets the situated information needs and desires of people within jails and prisons. By creating a flow of information between LIS students and individuals who are incarcerated through a Reference by Mail program, resources available to incarcerated people are increased while students engage in a humanizing and self-reflexive project, with the understanding that the regulation of information within jails and prisons has lasting effects for the life chances of incarcerated people.

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“…Even with the steady graduation rate at Hampton, it would take years before a large enough group of educated and experienced black librarians would be available to take leadership roles in libraries, even at institutions that served blacks exclusively. A 1930 study showed the overwhelming majority of libraries (45 out of 50) on black college campuses were still headed by white librarians (Peterson 1996). A decade later, most degreed black librarians were choosing to work in academia and were gaining the experience necessary for future consideration of leadership positions.…”

Section: African Americans In Lis Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Race and Leadership in Library and Information Science Education: A Study of African American Administrators

Wheeler¹,

Smith²

2018

Library Trends

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The recent US presidential campaigns and the subsequent election have laid bare many highly charged political and social issues that historically remained unresolved but have over the years slipped into a sphere of topics avoided in polite and civil conversation. Among the many discussions and topics that took hold as a result of Hilary Clinton's campaign for US president was that of the glass ceiling. The reemergence of the discussion of racial and gender barriers in politics and professional life in America provides an opportunity to revisit the history of racial barriers in the library profession, particularly in library education. This essay provides a framework for understanding the racial and social dynamics that led to the development of a separate but unequal system for educating African American librarians in America. And, of equal or perhaps greater significance at this stage in our profession's evolution, it highlights the significant contributions of African American leaders in library education who also overcame tremendous obstacles and systemic barriers, and ultimately changed the profession regarding who it invites in, and who and how it seeks to serve.

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Alternative Perspectives in Library and Information Science: Issues of Race

Cited by 27 publications

References 5 publications

The Legacy of Lady Bountiful: White Women in the Library

The Legacy of Lady Bountiful: White Women in the Library

Information Provision and the Carceral State: Race and Reference beyond the Idea of the “Underserved”

Race and Leadership in Library and Information Science Education: A Study of African American Administrators

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