public libraries and #critlib

Twitter chat
Cat in a sailor hat
From Supplementary reading for primary schools / by Francis W. Parker, Louis H. Marvel (1881)

32nd chat, May 19 2015: public libraries and #critlib

moderated by @hamtron5000
Storify (pdf, html) by @InfAgit

Discussion questions:

  • Q1: What does #critlib look like in the public library/how do publib employees use critical lenses to inform their work?
  • Q2: Pub libs as a “neutral” space; how does that stereotype inform our work (ref interviews, material requests, etc)?
  • Q3: As agents of “authority” (county, city, district, etc), how can we “speak our truth” to those in positions of power who are often our employers?
  • Q4: As one of the “last free spaces” in the public sphere, what unique critical responsibilities do we have to our patrons?
  • Q5: What resources (print, online, etc) would you recommend for a public library staff to increase their #critlib knowledge?