History of Library Values

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Introduction

• History of Library Values
• Competing and Comparative Values Internationally
• Propagation of Library Values Should We, and if
  so How?
• Discussion

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History of Library Values (or, just how long
have we been navel-gazers?)

• Definition A value is an enduring belief that
  a specific mode of conduct or end-state of
  existence is personally or professionally
  preferable to an opposite or converse mode of
  conduct or end-state of existence.
• Values in other professions
• The value of values, or why do we care?
• Why is this a recent discussion?

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Enlightenment and the Pursuit of Rationality

• The enlightenment a key period in the library
  values debate?

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Early Value Discussions

• ALA Library Bill of Rights
• Ranganathans Five Laws
• Books are for use
• Every book its reader
• Every reader his book
• Save the time of the reader
• The library is a growing organism

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Early Value Discussions (cont.)

• Rothstein (1968)
• Values (Beliefs/Goals)
• Special Abilities
• Issues (Tensions, Dilemmas)

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Early Value Discussions (cont.)

• Finks (1989)
• Professional Values
• General Values
• Personal Values
• Rival Values

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Gormans Library Values

• Values are not fixed, they are often in conflict,
  or are derived from conflict
• A value is a preference

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Gormans Library Values

• Values
• Library as place
• Stewardship
• Service
• Rationalism
• Literacy and learning
• Equity of access to information
• Privacy
• Democracy

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Competing and Comparative Values Internationally
An historical example The Cold War

• Western vs. Soviet library values

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Competing and Comparative Values Internationally
Library values in Africa

• Many of the same issues under discussion
• Some see a need to focus on other value sets
• Oral traditions and the Griot

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Competing and Comparative Values Internationally
Library values in China

• Internet filtering

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Competing and Comparative Values Internationally
Library values in Europe

• State of librarianship
• Case study - Sweden

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Propagation of Library Values
Why do we care?

• Growing universality of librarianship
• Political changes worldwide provide opportunities
• Impact of the global marketplace
• Expanding boundaries of scientific and technical
  research

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Propagation of Library Values
Cultural relativism and the arrogance of values

• Degrees of relativism continuum
• Radical cultural relativism
• Strong cultural relativism
• Weak cultural relativism
• Radical universalism
• Case study The Satanic Verses

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Propagation of Library Values
My view

• Some library values are inherent. Cultural
  variation may allow for some legitimate
  variation, but at a certain point librarians must
  push back. If librarians are operating in a
  system where they need help, what can we do?

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Propagation of Library Values
Who can we target?

• Libraries
• Librarians
• Library educators
• Governments (foreign and ours)
• Public/Patrons
• (Put our money where our mouths are)

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Propagation of Library Values
Methodology Consortia and Groups

• IFLA
• COC/ICOLC
• OCLC
• ALA International Relations Round Table
• CLA World Libraries Interest Group

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Propagation of Library Values
Methodology Library education

• International students
• Library systems

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Propagation of Library Values
Methodology Individual contacts

• Job share programs
• International volunteer opportunities

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Propagation of Library Values
Methodology Pressure on Governments and
international agencies

• Lobbying by national library associations and
  international groups.

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Conclusion and discussion

• Gormans Values which can be relative, and by
  how much?
• Library as place
• Stewardship
• Service
• Rationalism
• Literacy and learning
• Equity of access to information
• Privacy
• Democracy