Critical Theory in Librarianship

Lauren SmithResearcher, University of Strathclyde

@walkyouhome

Today’s session

• What is critical librarianship?

• Where does critical theory come in?

• What are the aims of critical librarianship?

• How are people doing being critical?

• What if I want to apply critical approaches?

What is critical librarianship?

Social justice: “a normative concept concerning the ways in which 190 resources and power should be

shared across society”. (Ross and Rosati 2006, p.437)

“The ethos of critical librarianship is inextricably linked to the ethos of intellectual freedom, and by

extension then the concept of human rights.” (Samek 2007)

Values Freedom of inquiryEquality

Freedom of

expressionEquity

PrivacyDemocracy

The public good

Social justice

DiversityPolitical agency

“LIS is…very interested in the betterment of society, from the development of national information policies, to the provision of user-friendly and equitable access to information, the inclusion of diverse and /or marginalized clienteles, the support of citizen lifelong learning, the nurturing of the library in the community, and many other proactive areas of research and practice.” (Leckie et al. 2010, p.xiii)

Aims

• Understanding systems of power and control

• Challenging assumptions about library neutrality

• Acknowledging political nature of libraries

• Changing what we do and/or how we do it

Benefits of critical theory in LIS

“Our discourse… tends to favo[u]r technical and managerial

language use, which in turn prevents librarians from critically

examining and evaluating information resources and systems”

(Leckie et al. 2010, p.xi)

• Engaging with the ‘rudiments and theory’ behind values and aims

• Supporting our arguments

• Getting listened to (?)

Limitations of critical theory

Image via librarianbyday on Tumblr

#critlibTwitter chats are an opportunity for synchronous

bursts of conversation on current topics. We started the #critlib chat to build a conversation about issues of critical pedagogy in academic libraries, but topics have grown to include library assessment, gender in RDA, and library responses to social justice actions in our communities. Publicly exploring our assumptions

about our profession is sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes fiery, and always an opportunity for

growth and action. (Pho et al. 2015)

In 2013, a group of library workers acted on their feelings of estrangement from the majority of professional discourse

and created alternative spaces to discuss professional issues. It was through these

concerns that RLC emerged…

Radical Librarians Collective

Under the loose umbrella of RLC, moves began to create a public space in which people could build a

network of support and solidarity, offering an alternative to the dominant discourse.

Radical Librarians Collective

• http://rlc.radicallibrarianship.org/• Twitter: @RadicalLibs• National gatherings: #radlib15• Regional meetings: @RadLibsOx @RLC_SE• Online discussion: #radlibs• First ever #radlibchat! Tonight, 8pm – Althusser’s

concept of ISAs• Journal of Radical Librarianship

History of critical librarianship

• Progressive Librarians Guild

• Library Juice Press

• Radical Reference

• Individuals getting on with stuff!

What kinds of critical theory?

• Critical pedagogy

• Feminist theory

• Queer theory

• Critical race theory

• Post-colonialism

• Marxian theory

• Popular culture studies

• Practice theory

• Critical realism

• Psychoanalysis

How can critical theory be used?Critically evaluating:

• Education systems• Librarianships’ position in education systems• Library spaces• What libraries do• What librarians do• How information is organised• How information is shared• How authority is established

Banking theory of education

• The media inform and the audience is being informed.• The media know everything and the audience knows

nothing. • The media talk and the audience listens - meekly. • The media choose and enforce their choice and the

audience complies. • The media act and the audience has the illusion of acting

through the action of the media. • The media choose content and the audience adapts to it. • The media are the subject of the informational process,

while the audience is merely its object.

PraxisCombining "reflection and action directed at the structures to be transformed" (Freire 2005, p.126)

Changing how we think about our work, not always changing how we do it (Drabinski 2015)

Liberatory Syllabuses“It is easy for academic subjects to become abstract and meaningless to students. I resent this practice and so I

strive to share with you a practical and personally meaningful education. At the same time, I am responsible for balancing the desires of the University, the influences of economic forces, and the mandates of the government

with my personal teaching style. This is not easy. Each collective member of the classroom must advocate for his

or her own needs. With your help, I hope to never lose track of what’s truly important: our mutual learning.”

(Heidebrink-Bruno 2014)

Exercise: Elmborg (2006)Uses critical literacy theory to explore information literacy

In groups, consider:• Do you consider librarians to be ‘educators’, or

‘teachers’?• What do you think might be the implications of this?• What do you think about the Evolving Definitions of

Literacy? (p.195)

Exercise: Critical information literacy

• How do you provide information literacy instruction?

• In what ways do ‘traditional’ approaches to IL reproduce

ideas about information as a commodity, problematic ways

of establishing the authority of sources etc?

• In what ways does the classroom set-up reinforce

hierarchical relationships between learner and librarian?

• How might you approach things differently?

If there’s time…• How do you feel about referring to people using

library services as “customers”?• What aspects of cataloguing and classification do

you think could be challenged from critical perspectives?• How do you think library spaces could be improved

through critical approaches? • How do you think the discourses of

‘professionalism’ may be problematic from a critical perspective?

Recommended Reading

ReferencesAlvesson, M., & Spicer, a. (2012). Critical leadership studies: The case for critical performativity. Human Relations, 65(3), 367–390. doi:10.1177/0018726711430555 Drabinski, E. (2015). ACRL Instruction Section Ilene F. Rockman Publication of the Year Award – Emily Drabinski. http://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/librarians/features/ala_awards2015.htm?part=3#sthash.QMZUWDBt.dpuf Freire, P. (2005). Pedagogy of the Oppressed (3rd ed.). London: Continuum.Heidebrink-Bruno, A. (2014). Syllabus as Manifesto: A Critical Approach to Classroom Culture. Hybrid Pedagogy. http://www.hybridpedagogy.com/journal/syllabus-manifesto-critical-approach-classroom-culture/ Pho, A., Drabinski, E., Ettarh, F., McElroy, K., Pagowsky, N. (2015). "But We're Neutral!" And Other Librarian Fictions Confronted by #critlib, ALA San Francisco. http://alaac15.ala.org/node/28722Samek, T. (2007). Critical Librarianship: an interview with Toni Samek. BCLA Intellectual Freedom Committee blog. https://bclaifc.wordpress.com/2007/11/13/critical-librarianship-an-interview-with-toni-samek/ Schroeder, R., & Hollister, C. V. (2014). Librarians’ Views on Critical Theories and Critical Practices. Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 33(2), 91–119. doi:10.1080/01639269.2014.912104

Thank you@walkyouhome

lauren.n.smith@strath.ac.ukwww.about.me/walkyouhome

www.laurensmith.wordpress.com

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Background image CC Ellen van Deelen on Flickr