Towards an Ethics of Unity: An Ecological Approach to Overcoming Dispossession in Academic Libraries

Crisis narratives are stories meant to persuade that one exists in a state of emergency. Under extractive capitalism, crisis narratives frame the scope of ethical behaviour in response to crisis. Once set, these crisis ethics promote conformity in labour practices to avoid catastrophe. Surrendering the means to self-define priorities, values, and identity of the academic library profession creates a more pliable work force. This essay uses critical and philosophical methods to apply lessons learned from landscapes ruined by extractive capitalism to professional library practice fractured by alienation, diremption, and dispossession. A critique of the exploitation of ethics of fear and hope is offered, along with a method for identifying these as they appear in crisis narratives. The essay concludes with a recommendation to pursue an ethics of unity, predicated on promoting flourishing through professional mutualism, dedication to direct action, and a focus on sustainability.

Comics in the Practical Activity of Ukraine Libraries

The amount increasing of produced information raises the issue of its effective perception and assimilation and increases attention to graphic information products as effective communication tools, including, in particular, comic books, and library practices built around comics. The article is devoted to the disclosure of modern domestic library experience in activities related to the comics use, outlining the system of service formed around comics in the libraries of Ukraine. Based on the study of funds and official websites of domestic libraries, professional publications, media materials, and the use of a set of research methods – especially bibliographic and heuristic search methods, analysis of content – it was found out that comic books are presented in the funds of domestic libraries of different levels and types: from large national-level institutions to small district book collections. The beginning of the comics history in the libraries of Ukraine dates back to the 20-the 30s of the twentieth century and today we can already talk about the formation of a comprehensive innovative library service around comics as an information product, the main components of which are the organization of educational events dedicated to comics, informing about the receipt of comics in the library, organizing exhibitions of comics, compiling lists and preparing bibliographic indexes and organization of meetings with authors and publishers of comics, workshops, and competitions. It has been found that comics as an information product is not only the subject of work of domestic librarians but also an effective tool for solving educational, social, and internal narrow professional tasks to promote the library profession and library business by them.

Critical Perspectives on Diversity and Equality in U.S. LIS Practice: Four HBCU-affiliated Leaders Weigh in

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have trained Black librarians and strengthened the library profession since 1927 when the first HBCU-based library school was founded at Hampton University. However, HBCU professors, library directors, and alumni are often overlooked in conversations on librarian professionalization. In this article, four distinguished HBCU-affiliated library leaders provide critical perspectives on LIS practice. Their collective insight illustrates the value of HBCUs in LIS and demonstrates opportunities for new directions.

Canadian Librarianship and the Politics of Recognition

Recent controversies in Canadian librarianship—the Toronto Public Library room rental to a "gender-critical feminist" group and the institution of “airport-style” security at the Winnipeg Public Library—have exposed divisions within the profession. This article attempts to untangle the relationship of Canadian libraries to state power and explores hegemonic leadership within the library profession. It also investigates the part played by a politics of recognition, both in the reinforcement of professional discipline and in the maintenance of the social, political, and economic status quo regarding the rights and democratic participation of marginalized communities. The paper begins with a brief account of recent controversies, looks at intellectual freedom, and then analyzes the ways in which politics of recognition play out in libraries and settler-colonial societies. Based on Taylor’s theory of recognition and its critique by Coulthard and Fraser, this article argues that, within the context of a needed refoundation of social relations, recognition must be combined with real redistribution of rights and participation.

Get to Know . . . Laura Baker

Change, often said, is inevitable, while growth is optional. Originating in Government Documents, Laura Baker, User Experience and Assessment Librarian, has witnessed considerable change in her career and in the library profession. After more than twenty years at Abilene Christian University (ACU) Library, her position has grown to embrace assessment, promote library technology, and support accessibility of government documents through digitization.

PELUANG DAN TANTANGAN PROFESI PUSTAKAWAN YANG MELEK INFORMASI DI ERA DISRUPSI

The purpose of this study is to find out how the opportunities and challenges of the librarian profession of information literacy in the era of disruption. This type of research is qualitative with a source of literature review. While this literature review is carried out with four stages consisting of: (a) focus on the discussion to be discussed; (b) linking literature with agree; (c) approve the research and (d) analyze and evaluate the critical literature reviewed based on the research discussion. For research results, in order for the librarian profession to continue to exist and survive and have opportunities in the era of disruption, it can be done in several stages: first, librarians must have competence or expertise in information literacy, second, librarians are required to always develop their potential, one of which is one of them is information literacy skills, third, librarians have the opportunity to become consultants in libraries by having several competencies or abilities such as, skills, knowledge, experience, work attitudes and public trust in the librarian. As for the challenges of the library profession, first, the challenges of adopting attitudes and learning behaviors for life. This is considered a challenge because information literacy implicitly requires an individual to be able to follow new advances in this field (information literacy), secondly, risks arising from failure to understand the concept of relationships related to information literacy, third, the magnitude of the burden and costs involved. high to build and maintain social networks that have been built.

Web 2.0 Technology in Libraries

Progress in information communication technology (ICT) has become the backbone for every branch of knowledge in academic arena and library, and information centers are not apart from it. Social networking is playing a significant role in serving to the library users. The chapter examines libraries and their importance in accepting the Web 2.0 phenomenon of social networking sites like Facebook Twitter, YouTube, and a number of social networking tools to enable libraries to engage with students in the virtual environment to promote library event and services, teaching and learning, and humanizing the concept of library and librarians. This chapter also focuses on the importance of social networking sites, which improve the professional relationships within the library profession and across the boundaries of particular national library education systems across the world, which is increasingly sharing information that ensures libraries are the head of changes in demands and needs of their users.

Reinventing ourselves: new and emerging roles of academic librarians in Canadian research-intensive universities

The academic library profession is being redefined by the shifting research and scholarly landscape, the transformation in higher education, and advances in technology.A survey of librarians working in Canada’s research-intensive universities was conducted to explore new and emerging roles. This study focuses on librarians’ activities in: Research Support, Teaching and Learning, Digital Scholarship, User Experience, and Scholarly Communication. It addresses the scope and nature of the new roles, the skills required to provide new services, and the confidence librarians have in their abilities to perform the new roles. It also reports on librarians’ job satisfaction and their perceived impact on the academic enterprise.