Outside the Magic Circle: Library Services & Underserved Users
July 5th, 2006 by Hagar ShirmanAfter recuperating for a week and getting back in the swing of things, here are some of my notes from a session I attended.
(I apologize, I came in late to this session and was unable to get the speakers’ names)
The title came from a statement made by journalist Cynthia Tucker quoted in the Conference program: “it’s easy to forget that there are people too poor to have a car, a credit card or a checking account, people stranded outside the magic circle.” This was said in regards to the Katrina evacuees, but in fact, this is the reality for many who are “too poor, isolated, displaced–people locked outside of circles of privilege.”
The discussion centered around New Orleans statistics and experiences, but could refer to any part of the country. Some interesting points were made.
The role of the library:
- Create access- find ways to engage people; libraries are for those who love books, but those with need are not of the book-loving culture. We must do outreach into the community.
- Technology is important, use it to engage the population, especially the young.
- Library should be used as a combined open space with other social services
- Form strong partnerships and become advocates: what happens when a librarian gets angry?
Other speakers spoke of how no life is completely inside the magic circle; a hard fact they discovered post-Katrina when individuals and institutions of all economic and cultural strata were hard hit. They discussed the lack of communication, the undependable nature of technology in times of natural disaster, and concluded that libraries must have a crisis communication plan for the event of such disaster, so that there is a way to contact everyone.
Tags: ALA2006, conferences, New Orleans, outreach, PLA Blog
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