The Loneliness of a Conservative Librarian

[skooooo]

A few excerpts from an article that appears in the September 30th edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education. Can't provide a link, it's a pay site. I think copyright allows for the posting of a few passages.

Librarianship - the radical profession!


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by DAVID DURANT
head of government documents and microforms at East Carolina University

<snip>

"When David Brooks did some research into political donations by profession for his September 11, 2004, column in The New York Times, he found that for librarians "the ratio of Kerry to Bush donations was a whopping 223 to 1." By contrast, the corresponding ratio for academics was 11 to 1. As one of those rarest of beasts, a conservative librarian, I can attest firsthand to the stifling left-wing orthodoxy of modern American librarianship."

<snip>

"Why do I not agree with most of my colleagues that the USA Patriot Act is a grave threat to privacy? Because my fundamental worldview differs so starkly from theirs. I believe that the primary threats to our freedom are named bin Laden and Zarqawi, not Ashcroft and Gonzales. My main worry is not FBI agents with subpoenas but the supporters of a totalitarian ideology of death that represents the antithesis of everything our profession is supposed to stand for."

<snip>

"Ironically, I rarely write about library issues per se, but blogging has provided me with a welcome forum for laying out my own beliefs. Some might ask what right I have to complain about politicization when I talk mostly about political issues on my blog. My response is that that's exactly why I started the blog: It's a personal site where I claim to speak for no one but myself. I can voice my views in a venue that is separate from my professional responsibilities. That is an approach other librarians might want to consider. Besides, when I look at groups like Radical Reference or Librarians Against Bush, I feel more than justified in blogging not just as a conservative, but as a conservative librarian."

[ret5hd]

1. well, there's at least ONE librarian...

without an interest in history books...or a true interest in current events for that matter.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. I wonder just when in her education

they inserted the broomstick up her ass?

[skooooo]

3. it's a "he"

hee heee

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. Okay, then...same question!

[skooooo]

6. I dunno...but here's my favorite part

"...he found that for librarians "the ratio of Kerry to Bush donations was a whopping 223 to 1." By contrast, the corresponding ratio for academics was 11 to 1."

223 to 1


Damn! I'm so proud to be one of the many.

[Doctor_J]

5. I think that publication is a RW rag

they're always running articles about how tough it is to be a winger on campus. Mostly written by chicken hawks.

[ComerPerro]

15. It helps fuel the presecution complex

They only way that the GOP can motivate their base is to constantly remind them that they are a struggling minority, under attack from the world around them.

Of course, its bullshit, since they control Congress, The Supreme Court, and the White House.

But somehow, it still works.

"Conservatives are under attack"

"Liberals control everything, what are we to do?"

[msongs]

7. then why does it keep referring to ITSELF as a librarian??? nt

[skooooo]

9. I guess for the same reason Laura Bush feels so compelled.

What kind of librarian would mary something like Shrub???!!!

:shrug:

[blondeatlast]

10. I don't know about Texas, but in many states, MLS isn't required

for school librarianship.

Usually requires close to the same education as teachers--eventually a Master's, but not necessarily in library science.

[trotsky]

8. Can anyone explain to me how bin Laden is a threat to our freedom?

9/11 was about the worst he could do. And it certainly hurt us, and killed many innocent people.

But did his attack itself threaten our freedom?

No, it did not. And I daresay bin Laden, Zarqawi, and all the rest of those fucked up fundamentalists couldn't touch our freedoms in their dreams.

It was Bushco's response, by instituting the PATRIOT Act and locking up citizens without charging them and ordering libraries to turn over patrons' records, that infringed upon our freedom.

This conservative librarian is a moron just like every other * supporter.

[chaska]

11. Mini-rant: why the hell do the con books in my library so outnumber...

the dem books?

Pisses me off.

[murielm99]

12. Because the dem books are checked out all the time?

[skooooo]

13. It all depends on....

...who decided what to buy. Talk to them, alot of times librarians will buy what people request.

[blondeatlast]

16. I work in the collection development department of a public library.

We are the ones who make purchasing decisions, so I speak with some authority, Hang in there--this can get complicated. But it's worth it.

First of all, skooo is right--most are simply checked out most of the time.

Second: the RW has it's own publishers. I don't mean mainstream publishers with a RW slant--I mean publishers DIRECTLY linked to the Heritage Foundation and other think tanks; Regnery the most obvious one, Thomas J. Nelson another less obvious one. Both are major presses. They know how to market like crazy. They are the ones famous for "padding" NYT bestseller lists (the "starred" books). They also pay (yes, this is a common practicce at Amazon) to have their books put into Amazon's "bestseller" lists. Amazon's "bestsellers" are a CROCK--don't believe them (and buy from Powell's online).

Third: The above have their worker bees contact libraries to get the books on the shelves. They've been known to pretty much harass Collection Develoopment librarians, although this tactic fails miserably (the Scientologists are noted for this practice too, I might add). You DO NOT want to piss off the Collection Development department--trust me on this one. Word (from listserves) gets around FAST.

The RW publishers are adept at pre-pub marketing; the LW presses don't have the money or the savvy. If you hear of a legitimate LW slanted publication, POLITELY request it from your Collection Development department at your public library--ususally you can do it anonymously (if you wish) online. Chances are very good they will at least buy one copy. If it takes off, they frequently buy more.

And use the "place a hold" offered at your public library. Many libraries monitor these closely and buying decisions are done by demand shown through this service--that' is almost 70% of my job right now! It works.

Here's the BIGGIE--LWingers tend to BUY books, RWingers are more like to borrow them, at least in my experience. They may bitch and moan about paying for public services such as the library, but they don't hesitate to use them...

[Stockholm]

14. Are you sure it is not about a Libertarian? n/t