Comments on: What is an American Library?

By: Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries

Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:59:23 +0000

While the ALA Council works on ways to support the OWS “library,” the Occupy Bangor trespassers encampment has finally been kicked off library property:

http://bangordailynews.com/2011/12/02/news/bangor/occupy-bangor-asked-to-leave-library-property-member-says/

By: Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries

Dan Kleinman of SafeLibraries — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:46:38 +0000

Look what Larry Romans just wrote to the ALA Council distro:

Some ALA members and councilors see the Occupy Wall Street folks as “good guys” and the Cuban “librarians” as “bad guys.” However, I don’t see how ALA can support a resolution decrying what happened to the Occupy “library” if we want to continue to oppose recognizing the Cuban “libraries.”

When is a library a library? If our definition of a library includes the Occupy “library,” how does it not include the Cuban “libraries”? Unless we want to change our views on the Cuban “libraries,” I don’t think we can support the Occupy “library” resolution.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 01:32:53 +0000

democracy
Webster’s New College Dictionary, 4th ed.
A democracy is a form of government in which the people rule, either directly or through elected representatives. (noun). An example of democracy is the type of government in the United States.

The CIA factbook is a political document not a dictionary. With the library information available to you, I’d think you would know that.

By: Spekkio

Spekkio — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:39:36 +0000

According to the CIA World Factbook – a definitive source on this subject – the United States of America is a “Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition.” I would think you would know that, what with all the library information available to you.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html

By: jen

jen — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:37:57 +0000

All the stories that I have read of OWS and the library destruction are blurring together so I’m not able to source it right now, but I know that I read an account of a librarian strapping what were felt to be important documents to her body before assisting some protesters that had been pepper sprayed. So from that account, no, the materials were not just abandoned.
If you are going to Mid-Winter, perhaps you can ask them yourselves…
http://www.alamidwinter.org/whats-happening-midwinter

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:50:47 +0000

Gotta love it when librarians start trying to re-write dictionaries in order to make a political statement.
onelook.com/?w=democracy&ls=a

By: Midwest SciTech Librarian

Midwest SciTech Librarian — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:31:57 +0000

Maybe the ALA is upset because they just lost a potential dues paying member.

By: Allison

Allison — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:00:49 +0000

I think the “irreplaceable materials” were zines and such – so yes, they really can’t be replaced. On the other hand, I agree: why didn’t the library take steps to protect the few irreplaceable materials?

By: spencer

spencer — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:55:06 +0000

Tyranny of the majority is what leads to institutionalized racism, sexism, and discrimination against any group that is small enough to be marginalized by the will of the 51%. Smokers, drinker, drug users, the tattooed, the obese, the gingers, the single mothers, the readers, etc. Whatever the minority is ruled by the mob in direct democracy.

By: D

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:51:28 +0000

You sure wouldn’t want to allow tyranny by the majority – that ruins the perfectly good plutocracy we’ve going in the U. S. now.