Why We Teach

In class on 11/12, we received a handout that outlined the major players and ideas of libraries since 1960s. A dossier on the revolution, so to speak. I wrote some margin notes and ended up with a little theory I'd like to share, though it's not the most radical. I found a strong correlation between what was happening in the libraries and what was happening outside the libraries as well.

In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a lot of struggle for equality between genders, races, etc. In the libraries, patrons were also struggling for equality, and librarians, or the leaders from a library's point of view, were fighting to give their patrons equal rights. How cool is that? Libraries are a microcosm for the outside culture.

In the 1980s, libraries focused on the individual, and how to best suit everyone's needs. Well, its called the "Me Generation," isn't it? I bet librarians and patrons both donned large shoulder pads, as patrons learned how to teach themselves to best use library resources.

By the 1990s, Generation X took over. They were skeptical, critical, and cynical. Libraries took a more positive take on this, focusing on evaluation, and teaching patrons to be more critical of their sources, both in print and online.

When the 2000s rolled around, library anxiety and affective needs were hot-button issues in libraries. This makes sense with our current culture of "talking about feelings," discussion of the possible mental health crises, etc.