The theme “Libraries in the political process: Benefits and risks of political visibility” reflects the global theme of the IFLA 2014 Congress, “Libraries, Citizens, Societies: Confluence for Knowledge”, in many respects. Librarians often complain that libraries are overlooked or taken for granted. But when libraries appear in the headlines, it may be a mixed blessing.

This LTR program will focus on the contemporary roles of libraries and librarians in turbulent political environments: including cases where libraries are damaged or burned in violent protests, and at the other extreme, cases where the public mobilizes in response to the closing of a library. In these times of financial crisis, identity crisis, democracy crisis, managerial crisis…these questions challenge us to rethink our roles in relation to the public we serve.

Our Session will look in a scholarly way at these phenomena, not limiting the session to descriptions of the incidents or the defense of libraries, but at the profession’s responses and at what it says about the way the profession is conceptualising its role in society. Papers exploring research on political roles of libraries will be invited. Indeed, this question includes sociological, professional, educational, philosophical and historical issues, all of which have the potential to contribute to the confluence for knowledge.

More information (in English, in Spanish and soon in French) : click here

Deadline : 15th February 2014