[Libs-Or] Fw: Library Neutrality

[Rachel Humpert]

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On Jun 3, 2022, at 11:12 AM, Matthew Baiocchi via Libs-Or <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov> wrote:

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A response below. Thank you, Susan!







Matthew Baiocchi
REFERENCE LIBRARIAN
__


City of Lincoln City  |  Driftwood Public Library
801 SW Hwy 101 |  PO Box 50  | Lincoln City, OR
P: 541.996.1261  |  E: mbaiocchi at lincolncity.org
W: Driftwoodlib.org | W: LincolnCity.org

ook


From:
Susan Maret <susan.maret at sjsu.edu>
Sent: Friday, June 3, 2022 10:37 AM
To: Matthew Baiocchi
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Library Neutrality

CAUTION: This email originated from outside your organization. Exercise caution when opening attachments or clicking links, especially from unknown senders.

Hi Matthew,

Saw your message below on the Libs-Or list, which I sub to from a different acct. On my SJSU acct now and can't post to the list, so replying to you directly.

I don't think anyone is thinking about taking away your MLIS, lol. But you identified a semantic prob within LIS as it pertains to neutrality. I don't use the word in my lectures _at all_ and in fact, argue against it as librarianship is anything but "neutral" IMHO. I offer modules in the various courses I teach that center on deconstructing neutrality and how objectivity is perhaps a better concept in that it characterizes the action and engagement that are the foundation of librarianship. You may find historian Thomas Haskell critical to understanding, esp.his Objectivity Is Not Neutrality: Explanatory Schemes in History.

Feel free to forward my comments to the list.

Sincerely, Susan

Susan Maret, Ph.D.
School of Information
San Jose State University
https://slisapps.sjsu.edu/facultypages/view.php?fac=marets
http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/secrecyandsociety/




---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Matthew Baiocchi via Libs-Or <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>
Date: Thu, Jun 2, 2022 at 5:12 PM
Subject: [Libs-Or] Library Neutrality
To: libs-or at omls.oregon.gov <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>


They're probably going to take away my MLIS for not knowing this.



I've been thinking a lot about library neutrality and what it means, and it occurred to me that I've never seen a really good definition of library neutrality. I can't find it "written down anywhere official" as a core tenet of our profession. I've looked all over ALA and OLA. I've looked at library professionals' presentations, statements, and blog posts. I checked Google Scholar and looked at articles I had access to. I haven't checked out books yet but that's because we don't have any in our library system.


Does library neutrality mean political neutrality? Ethical neutrality? Social neutrality? Is it a description of how we ensure intellectual freedom? Does it mean we don't let our own viewpoints cloud service to patrons? Some of these? All? None?


So, anyone have a good definition of library neutrality? Anyone know where this core tenet of our profession originates?


Thank you, as always, for listening. Happy Thursday, all!







Matthew Baiocchi
REFERENCE LIBRARIAN
__


City of Lincoln City  |  Driftwood Public Library
801 SW Hwy 101 |  PO Box 50  | Lincoln City, OR
P: 541.996.1261  |  E: mbaiocchi at lincolncity.org
W: Driftwoodlib.org | W: LincolnCity.org

ook
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