Which of the values from the E.H. Little Library and the Library the Bill of Rights resonate most with you? Why?
The values from the E.H. Little Library and the Library Bill of Rights that resonates with me most is the belief in inclusion. The Library Bill of Rights states that a person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. I agree with this because the library should be a safe space for all people, regardless of their beliefs and backgrounds. I believe that this belief is at the core of every rule stated in the Bill of Rights and in the values from the E.H. Little Library. It also helps insure that libraries do not censor books about different beliefs.
Libraries are in the news due to how these professional values intersect with politics. Find a news article that mentions libraries with a certain professional value associated with libraries (e.g. privacy, (anti)-censorship, meeting space). Share the link of the article and give a quick summary of the example you found.
This article discusses the battle of censorship in Louisiana libraries as conservatives take over the library boards. The article specifically focuses on Lafayette and how religion has played a role in the censorship of books. The article also discusses how local citizens are creating movements and organizations to stop the censorship because libraries need to provide differing views. By censoring books, the libraries are violating the believe that everyone is welcome. It also provides a certain bias, which also violates to the foundation of all libraries.
Inclusion is a very important value and something we have a big focus of here at Davidson, especially in our outreach efforts. One thing we've been trying to do more of is not just make different backgrounds and experiences visible but make more room for people of diverse backgrounds to help shape the library--like our capsule collections which are often curated in collaboration with student groups.
Censorship of books, like the situation in Louisiana (among other states), has been distressing to hear about. It runs counter to several values of librarianship, including inclusion like you mention. This week is banned book week, which is meant to celebrate the freedom to read and highlight how book bans are restricting that freedom. Make sure to check out our display on Capsule Collection 1 that features books that have been banned across various libraries recently.
Censorship of books, like the situation in Louisiana (among other states), has been distressing to hear about. It runs counter to several values of librarianship, including inclusion like you mention. This week is banned book week, which is meant to celebrate the freedom to read and highlight how book bans are restricting that freedom. Make sure to check out our display on Capsule Collection 1 that features books that have been banned across various libraries recently.