Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to discuss issues, at times sensitive, relevant to the evolving values of various library organizations and librarians. In the process historical issues will be highly relevant. At one moment, as it is intended, there may be a discussion of conflicting attitudes regarding freedom of information and privacy as it relates to the new "security values" that have arisen with the "war on terror." At another moment I will step further back to discuss longer standing issues of library values in history, beginning with the elitist values of ancient libraries and moving forward towards more inclusive priorities.

An Incomplete (But nevertheless exciting) Unannotated Bibliography of Library History Bloggers and Other Sites

http://www.libraryhistorybuff.com/

http://www.loc.gov/blog/

http://filipinolibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/02/history-of-libraries-in-philippines.html

http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu/blogs/?cat=14&paged=2

http://brighamcitylibrary.blogspot.com/2008/01/history-of-our-library-pt-1.html

And thats about all folks!

Those Radicals at the ALA! From the Not so Distant Past

This is a button created by some folks over at the ALA after the U.S. Patriot Act vs. Librarians affair back in '06. The language on the pin is inspired by the internal FBI e-mails obtained throught the Freedom of Information Act where one agent complains about "radical, militant librarians."




Source:
ALA (2006-01-17). "ALA Introduces "Radical, Militant Librarian" Button". Retrieved on 2008-01-24

Here is a link to the ALA concerning the issue:
http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=pressreleases&template=/contentmanagement/contentdisplay.cfm&ContentID=113573

To be sunk in a Bog or stuck in a Blog?

My great great grandfather, Finigus Smertyby was thrown in a bog just outside of Derby, where he subsequently drowned, in 1743. But to be stuck in a blog, I can think of nothing worse.

Nevertheless, I will soon be "blogging" as they say about Library History. Sometimes I will discuss shifting values in Libary History for shift they have. Won't you join me dear friends.