In the current political climate, providing accurate and uncensored materials about the painful parts of history has become a danger to library staff nationwide. America’s factual history has become a battleground for comfort. As I debate if this is a field I can imagine myself in, I have to consider the obstacles that may inhibit my ability to provide resources in an objective manner, especially to the youth.
For example, if a teenager came into the library asking about resources covering the civil rights movement and the election of President Barack Obama, it would not be a clean cut conversation. If certain parties had their way, some (if not most) of the resources will be found in the trash or with its spine removed for AI training and processing (looking right at you Anthropic). The attack on DEI is simply an attack on history.
Nonetheless, censorship and book bans notwithstanding, I would explain to the teen how the various departments of the library can be of use and what happens when they do not work.
Circulation: I would first bring the student to the circulation desk to ensure they have a library account and card. From there, we would search for the civil rights movement and President Barack Obama to check for available resources in the general public area. If the circulation desk is understaffed or not working as intended, people will not be able to use the library or resources may be lost.
Reference: Next, we would move over to the reference section to pinpoint titles specific to the student’s needs. This would be a good opportunity to provide resources to highlight communities in support of and in opposition to the civil rights movement. I could also direct the student to resources regarding elections, accusations of election fraud, and propaganda as the Obama presidency faced this type of scrutiny. If the reference department is understaffed or not operating, people will have to find items by themselves. This can lead to overlooking needed resources or struggling with the Dewey Decimal System.
Reserves: I would explain to the teen that the reserves may have additional rare resources for them to consider. Unlike what is generally available, these resources may be limited print or rare, which requires them to be borrowed with special rules. If the reserves area is understaffed or not operational, items will not be well-preserved. Limited prints or rare items may be damaged or deteriorated.
Acquisition: The acquisition department is essential for making sure books are ordered, labeled, and accounted for. If the department does not perform this work in an ethical, objective manner then certain books will not reach the visitors or may not be easy to keep track of.
Collection Development: I would explain how collection development shapes what resources are available. For example, in my city, Los Angeles, the library would have a wide range of titles because of larger funding and the city culture. I would advise them that other libraries may not take the same approach to collection development such as their school library or even public libraries in more repressive areas.
Archives: In archives, the student could access first hand accounts like letters, newspaper articles, photos, and flyers to see the firsthand account of organizing efforts during the civil rights movement (and the counter-organizing against it). If archives are not preserved well, they will not last.
Interlibrary Loan: If there were titles not available in the particular location, we could check if the library has a relationship with another branch or system to find additional available resources. If the staff does not know how to search for interlibrary resources, visitors will be limited to what is within their system.
Lastly, I would bring the teen back to the circulation desk to check out their materials and send them on their way.
It’s important for the library staff and visitors to understand how these areas of the library work so that they may advocate for the resources (like funding) that is needed to keep libraries alive and thriving. When staff understand the work in other areas, they are also able to cover the gaps. However, libraries provide so much more to different populations in the library.