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Flow of Ideas: articles - Librarianship and Human Rights

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Librarianship and Human RightsLibrarianship and Human Rights
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Marketisation of the Schools System in EnglandMarketisation of the Schools System in England
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Miss Allison and Novel WritingMiss Allison and Novel Writing
Moneythought in Higher EducationMoneythought in Higher Education
Mrs Thatcher and Holes in the Kitchen FloorMrs Thatcher and Holes in the Kitchen Floor
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My Tony BlairMy Tony Blair
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New Ideas in Ruth Rikowski[a]s Book - Part 2New Ideas in Ruth Rikowski's Book - Part 2
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Nietzsche[a]s SchoolNietzsche's School
Nihilism and Educational ValuesNihilism and Educational Values
No Learner Left UnhassledNo Learner Left Unhassled
Notes on the Confessions of John DenhamNotes on the Confessions of John Denham
On Education for Its Own SakeOn Education for Its Own Sake
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Peter Wilby on School PrivatisationPeter Wilby on School Privatisation
Planet of the CapitorgPlanet of the Capitorg
PlatoPlato
Playgound Risks and Handcuffed KidsPlaygound Risks and Handcuffed Kids
Poems by Gregory RikowskiPoems by Gregory Rikowski
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Post-Fordism and SchoolsPost-Fordism and Schools
Post-Fordism in Primary SchoolsPost-Fordism in Primary Schools
Postmodern Dereliction in the Face of Neoliberal Education PolicyPostmodern Dereliction in the Face of Neoliberal Education Policy
PowerPointlessness in Higher EducationPowerPointlessness in Higher Education
Private Schools as CharitiesPrivate Schools as Charities
Privatisation of Schools in EnglandPrivatisation of Schools in England
Privatisation of Student DebtPrivatisation of Student Debt
Races in the Imperial WarRaces in the Imperial War
Readings for Teaching CourseReadings for Teaching Course
Recruitment and Labour PowerRecruitment and Labour Power
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Robotic EthicsRobotic Ethics
Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)Ruth Rikowski Updates (Archives)
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School Fees and the 1944 Education ActSchool Fees and the 1944 Education Act
Schools: Building for BusinessSchools: Building for Business
Science Fiction Films and HorrorScience Fiction Films and Horror
Second Time as FarceSecond Time as Farce
Snowballs and Risk in SchoolsSnowballs and Risk in Schools
Social Contract Theory and Political ObligationsSocial Contract Theory and Political Obligations
Socialism is not DeadSocialism is not Dead
Speed of Life - Part OneSpeed of Life - Part One
Speed of Life - Part TwoSpeed of Life - Part Two
Stroppy Individuals and Oppositional Cultures in SchoolsStroppy Individuals and Oppositional Cultures in Schools
Sustainability Policy at London South Bank UniversitySustainability Policy at London South Bank University
Ten Points on Marx, Class and EducationTen Points on Marx, Class and Education
The Business of Becoming a Business for AcademiesThe Business of Becoming a Business for Academies
The Capitalisation of Schools - Federations and AcademiesThe Capitalisation of Schools - Federations and Academies
The CBI and the Business Takeover of SchoolsThe CBI and the Business Takeover of Schools
The Commodification of EducationThe Commodification of Education
The Education White Paper and the Marketisation of SchoolsThe Education White Paper and the Marketisation of Schools
The Evolution of Federations of SchoolsThe Evolution of Federations of Schools
The Last Parents EveningThe Last Parents Evening
The New Japanisation of SchoolsThe New Japanisation of Schools
The Profit Virus - The Business Takeover of SchoolsThe Profit Virus - The Business Takeover of Schools
The Standards Language-game for Schools in EnglandThe Standards Language-game for Schools in England
The Which Blair ProjectThe Which Blair Project
Three Types of Apprenticeship - Three Forms of MasteryThree Types of Apprenticeship - Three Forms of Mastery
Tony and Caroline BennTony and Caroline Benn
Tony Benn: Letters to GrandchildrenTony Benn: Letters to Grandchildren
TransportTransport
Turney[a]s and PPUTurney's and PPU
Uninspiring TowersUninspiring Towers
Universe of Capital and My SpaceUniverse of Capital and My Space
Universities in a Neoliberal WorldUniversities in a Neoliberal World
Utopia and EducationUtopia and Education
What Can Nietzsche Teach YaWhat Can Nietzsche Teach Ya
When Bullies Roam the SchoolWhen Bullies Roam the School
When the Bowers BreakWhen the Bowers Break
Why Employers Can[a]t Ever Get What They WantWhy Employers Can't Ever Get What They Want
Will Hutton and His E-FossWill Hutton and His E-Foss
Wolf on Marx Without SparksWolf on Marx Without Sparks
Women in World WarsWomen in World Wars






Chandos Book Publishing 		Review of
'Librarianship and Human Rights:
a twenty-first century guide'
by Toni Samek, Chandos Publishing: Oxford, 2007, 200pp
ISBN 978 1 84334 146 8 (pbk), 978 184334 198 7 (hdbk)
Foreword by Edgardo Civallero, with contributions by Kenneth D. Gariepy
Librarianship and Human Rights


This is a very important book for all those library and information workers who care about, and want to do something about, human rights issues, and, indeed, to the state of the world in general.

The book begins with a Foreword by Edgardo Civallero (which has also been translated into Spanish). Civallero makes the points that:

The librarian has not always been conscious of all the power resting in his/her hands, nor of the huge responsibility for making fair use of it…The librarian should pursue the laudable aim of keeping power from the hands of the minority. (p. xii)

He says that Toni Samek’s book should “...blow open locked doors…” (p.xiii)

In the Preface Toni Samek outlines her 3-step agenda for the book. Firstly, to encourage library and information workers to adopt a position in the debate about what constitutes library work; secondly, to encourage library and information workers to take a professional interest in topics such as sustainable development, poverty, destruction of cultural resources and government intimidation. Thirdly, the book “conceives the library as a point of resistance.” (p. xxv). Toni Samek, throughout her book, also seeks to encourage library and information workers to work towards the “amelioration of social problems.” (p. xxv) and she is enthusiastic about the advancement of library and information studies programmes worldwide in this regard. Furthermore, she emphasises the need to place human rights’ ideals and abstractions in actual realities.

The book is divided into 2 parts: Part One: ‘The Rhetoric’, and Part Two: ‘The Reality’. Thus, Part 1 provides the background, Toni’s perspective and the overall aims of the book, whilst Part 2 comprises the actual guide. Early on, in Part 1, Toni emphasises how the book supports ‘critical librarianship’ and that it is:

…conceived as a direct challenge to the notion of library neutrality, especially in the present context of war revolution, social change and global market fundamentalism. (p. 7)

Within this context, she refers to the work and thinking of various critical library and information workers, such as Christine Pawley, Sanford Berman, Edgardo Civallero and Shiraz Durrani. Also, to the value and work of various organisations that endeavour to promote human rights, such as the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), FAITH (Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression) and UNESCO (United Nations Educational and Cultural Organisation) – e.g. UNESCO’s Statement on Human Rights Research.

In Part 2, Toni Samek organises and lists various Actions, alphabetically, that can and do help with the advancement of human rights and librarianship issues. Furthermore, Samek aims to “…provide clear and practical examples of each action item on the list” (p. 67), although as she also emphasises these are not exhaustive or mutually exclusive Various examples of groups, organisations and sources that are all playing some part (no matter how large or small) to librarianship and human rights and within this, to areas such as intellectual freedom specifically, are then given for each of the categories. So, this is very much a practical guide. The author’s extensive knowledge is invaluable here, and Samek brings all this together in a very unique way. Chapter 4 outlines ‘Prevalent manifestations of social action applied to library and information work’, whilst Chapter 5 outlines ‘Specific forms of social action used in library and information work for social change.

Action categories listed in Chapter 4 include: ‘Campaigns’, ‘Infiltration’, ‘Mass Direct Action’, ‘Mobilisation’ and ‘Organisation’. ‘Campaign for the World’s Libraries’ is an example of a ‘Campaign’, which is a public education campaign for IFLA and the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries around the world, to speak out loudly about the value and role of libraries and librarians in the twenty-first century (p. 49). Whilst ‘Librarians Without Borders’ is an example of an ‘Organisation’, founded at the University of Western Ontario, which strives to “…improve access to information resources…by forming partnerships with community organizations in developing regions…[it envisages] a global society where all people have equal access to information resources.” (p. 59).

Meanwhile, Chapter 5 “…showcases creative social action strategies used by library and information workers worldwide…[which includes]…political and transformative acts of resistance to ideological domination in the present realities of war, revolution, social change and global market fundamentalism.” (p. 67) Action categories listed include: ‘Accessibility’, ‘Activism’, ’Blogs and Blogging’, ‘Conference guides and sessions’, ‘Critical Dialogue’, ‘Intellectual Freedom’, ‘Petitions’ and ‘Resource Sharing’. The ‘Progressive Librarians Guild’ is given as an example of ‘Critical Dialogue’, - PLG is committed to “providing a forum for the open exchange of radical views on library issues”. Edgardo Civallero’s blog ‘The Log of a Librarian: the diary of an Argentinian librarian’ is given as an example of ‘Blogs and Blogging’.

Samek concludes by saying that:

…this book is humbly conceived to support library and information workers’ political and transformative struggle in a fragile world. (p. 181)

I would highly recommend this book, particularly to all those that want to make some practical input on this important topic.

There is an index and an appendix at the end of the book and there are also notes at the end of the chapters.


Reviewed by Ruth Rikowski
30th April 2007


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