Race and Libraries

Unequal Legacies: Race and Multiculturalism in the LIS Curriculum
by Christine Pawley

Wow.  This article answers a lot the questions and concerns that I brought up in my last post.  It also provides context to the content of a summer workshop I attended called "Beyond Diversity".  Both the name of the workshop and the article tell me that stopping at "diversity" or "multiculturalism" is not enough.

The concept of creating a "nonwhite" or "race-neutral" library is an intriguing one.  I will admit that, to me, the library already seems "race-neutral".  However, I am aware that this perception is a product of white privilege.  During the "Beyond Diversity" workshop, we learned that on the backdrop of the dominant white culture, "whiteness" disappears, therefore it can be difficult for a white person steeped in "whiteness" to perceive how her privilege puts others at a disadvantage.  It is useful to reconsider how language and the "us versus them" mentality contribute to institutionalized racism, but I would really benefit from reading more practical suggestions on how to "decenter whiteness" in the library setting.