16th chat, October 7 2014: labor solidarity within and across the library

moderated by @ibeilin
Storify (pdf, html) by @catladylib

Readings:

• Rory Litwin, “The Library Paraprofessional Movement and the Deprofessionalization of Librarianship.” Originally published in Progressive Librarian no. 33 (Summer/Fall 2009): 43-60. Revised version: http://www.libraryjuicepress.com/docs/deprofessionalization.pdf
• Ben Webster, “Notes of a Library Worker.” Viewpoint Magazine, September 25, 2013. http://viewpointmag.com/2013/09/25/notes-of-a-library-worker/

Discussion questions:

• Q1. What can librarians do to create greater solidarity with other workers in the library without weakening their already precarious positions vis-à-vis administrators, politicians, and other (potentially) hostile forces?
• Q2. How can the status and working conditions of non-MLS library workers be improved without aiding and abetting neoliberal interests?
• Q3. Does it matter if non-MLS workers perform tasks such as reference, cataloging and instruction that are traditionally the ‘jurisdiction’ of MLS-holding librarians
• Q4. Given that professional credentials are one of the most common and obvious means used to reinforce and reproduce class, race and gender oppression, is it possible to defend them for librarians and at the same time fight oppression?
• Q5. In what other ways do issues of gender, race and class affect labor relations in the library, and how can these issues be faced pro-actively and productively?