Although they may not have always been explicitly stated, library work has always had normative goals. Until recently, such goals have largely been abstract; they are things like knowledge creation, education, forwarding science, preserving history, supporting democracy, and safeguarding civilization. The modern spirit of social and cultural critique, however, has focused our attention on the concrete, material relationships that determine human potentiality and opportunity, and library workers are increasingly seeing the institution of the library, as well as library work, as embedded in a web of relations that extends beyond the library's traditional sphere of influence. In light of this critical consciousness, more and more library and information science professionals are coming to see themselves as change agents and front-line advocates of social justice issues. This book will serve as a guide for those library workers and related information professionals that disregard traditional ideas of "library neutrality" and static, idealized conceptions of Western culture. The book will work as an entry point for those just forming a consciousness oriented towards social justice work and will be also be of value to more experienced "transformative library workers" as an up-to-date supplement to their praxis.

Justifies the use of a variety of theoretical and practical resources for effecting positive change Explores the role of the librarian as change agents

Although they may not have always been explicitly stated, library work has always had normative goals. Until recently, such goals have largely been abstract; they are things like knowledge creation, education, forwarding science, preserving history, supporting democracy, and safeguarding civilization. The modern spirit of social and cultural critique, however, has focused our attention on the concrete, material relationships that determine human potentiality and opportunity, and library workers are increasingly seeing the institution of the library, as well as library work, as embedded in a web of relations that extends beyond the library''s traditional sphere of influence. In light of this critical consciousness, more and more library and information science professionals are coming to see themselves as change agents and front-line advocates of social justice issues. This book will serve as a guide for those library workers and related information professionals that disregard traditional ideas of "library neutrality" and static, idealized conceptions of Western culture. The book will work as an entry point for those just forming a consciousness oriented towards social justice work and will be also be of value to more experienced "transformative library workers" as an up-to-date supplement to their praxis.- Justifies the use of a variety of theoretical and practical resources for effecting positive change- Explores the role of the librarian as change agents

Intended to be an accessible guide to transformational information work, the book collects approximately thirty brief case studies of information related organizations, initiatives, and/or projects that focus on social justice related activities. Each case is a short narrative account of its particular subject's history, objectives, accomplishments, and challenges faced. It also describes the material realities involved in the subjects' day-to-day operation. Furthermore, cases include pertinent excerpts from interviews conducted with individuals directly involved with the information organization and will conclude with three-to-five bulleted takeaway points for information workers to consider when developing their own praxis Present useful guidance on transformative library and information science Gathers real-world case studies of library and information practice relating to social justice Gives takeaway points for readers to quickly apply in their own situation Provides inspiration for the development of progressive library and information practice Considers radical library and information science at a high level, offering recommendations for the future

Intended to be an accessible guide to transformational information work, the book collects approximately thirty brief case studies of information related organizations, initiatives, and/or projects that focus on social justice related activities. Each case is a short narrative account of its particular subject''s history, objectives, accomplishments, and challenges faced. It also describes the material realities involved in the subjects'' day-to-day operation. Furthermore, cases include pertinent excerpts from interviews conducted with individuals directly involved with the information organization and will conclude with three-to-five bulleted takeaway points for information workers to consider when developing their own praxis- Present useful guidance on transformative library and information science- Gathers real-world case studies of library and information practice relating to social justice- Gives takeaway points for readers to quickly apply in their own situation- Provides inspiration for the development of progressive library and information practice- Considers radical library and information science at a high level, offering recommendations for the future

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects’ professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals’ voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers’ transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects’ professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals’ voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers’ transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects' professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals' voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers' transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects' professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals' voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers' transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

In sixteen thoroughly engaging essays, naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales ventures far and wide among the richly diverse flora and fauna of his native Tennessee Valley. Whether describing the nocturnal habits of the elusive whip-poor-will, the pivotal role the hedge plant Osage orange played in a key Civil War battle, or the political firestorm that attended the discovery of a tiny fish dubbed the snail darter, Bales illuminates in surprising ways the complicated and often vexed relationships between humans and their neighbors in the natural world.Accompanied by the author's striking line drawings, each chapter in Natural Histories showcases a particular animal or plant and each narrative begins or ends in, or passes through the Tennessee Valley. Along the way, historical episodes both familiar and obscure-the de Soto explorations, the saga of the Lost State of Franklin, the devastation of the Trail of Tears, and the planting of a “Moon Tree” at Sycamore Shoals in Elizabethton-are brought vividly to life. Bales also highlights the work of present-day environmentalists and scientists such as the dedicated staffers of the Tennessee-based American Eagle Foundation, whose efforts have helped save the endangered raptors and reintroduce them to the wild.Arranged according to the seasonal cycles of the valley, Bales's essays reveal the balance that nature has achieved over millions of years, contrasting it with the messier business of human endeavor, especially the desire to turn nature into a commodity, something to be subdued and harvested. Filled with delightful twists and turns, Natural Histories is also a book brimming with important lessons for us all.Stephen Lyn Bales is a naturalist at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has been writing the “Neighborhood Naturalist” for the farragutpress since 1999 and is a regular columnist for the Hellbender Press.

Although they may not have always been explicitly stated, library work has always had normative goals. Until recently, such goals have largely been abstract; they are things like knowledge creation, education, forwarding science, preserving history, supporting democracy, and safeguarding civilization. The modern spirit of social and cultural critique, however, has focused our attention on the concrete, material relationships that determine human potentiality and opportunity, and library workers are increasingly seeing the institution of the library, as well as library work, as embedded in a web of relations that extends beyond the library's traditional sphere of influence. In light of this critical consciousness, more and more library and information science professionals are coming to see themselves as change agents and front-line advocates of social justice issues. This book will serve as a guide for those library workers and related information professionals that disregard traditional ideas of "library neutrality" and static, idealized conceptions of Western culture. The book will work as an entry point for those just forming a consciousness oriented towards social justice work and will be also be of value to more experienced "transformative library workers" as an up-to-date supplement to their praxis.

Justifies the use of a variety of theoretical and practical resources for effecting positive change Explores the role of the librarian as change agents

Although they may not have always been explicitly stated, library work has always had normative goals. Until recently, such goals have largely been abstract; they are things like knowledge creation, education, forwarding science, preserving history, supporting democracy, and safeguarding civilization. The modern spirit of social and cultural critique, however, has focused our attention on the concrete, material relationships that determine human potentiality and opportunity, and library workers are increasingly seeing the institution of the library, as well as library work, as embedded in a web of relations that extends beyond the library''s traditional sphere of influence. In light of this critical consciousness, more and more library and information science professionals are coming to see themselves as change agents and front-line advocates of social justice issues. This book will serve as a guide for those library workers and related information professionals that disregard traditional ideas of "library neutrality" and static, idealized conceptions of Western culture. The book will work as an entry point for those just forming a consciousness oriented towards social justice work and will be also be of value to more experienced "transformative library workers" as an up-to-date supplement to their praxis.- Justifies the use of a variety of theoretical and practical resources for effecting positive change- Explores the role of the librarian as change agents

Intended to be an accessible guide to transformational information work, the book collects approximately thirty brief case studies of information related organizations, initiatives, and/or projects that focus on social justice related activities. Each case is a short narrative account of its particular subject's history, objectives, accomplishments, and challenges faced. It also describes the material realities involved in the subjects' day-to-day operation. Furthermore, cases include pertinent excerpts from interviews conducted with individuals directly involved with the information organization and will conclude with three-to-five bulleted takeaway points for information workers to consider when developing their own praxis Present useful guidance on transformative library and information science Gathers real-world case studies of library and information practice relating to social justice Gives takeaway points for readers to quickly apply in their own situation Provides inspiration for the development of progressive library and information practice Considers radical library and information science at a high level, offering recommendations for the future

Intended to be an accessible guide to transformational information work, the book collects approximately thirty brief case studies of information related organizations, initiatives, and/or projects that focus on social justice related activities. Each case is a short narrative account of its particular subject''s history, objectives, accomplishments, and challenges faced. It also describes the material realities involved in the subjects'' day-to-day operation. Furthermore, cases include pertinent excerpts from interviews conducted with individuals directly involved with the information organization and will conclude with three-to-five bulleted takeaway points for information workers to consider when developing their own praxis- Present useful guidance on transformative library and information science- Gathers real-world case studies of library and information practice relating to social justice- Gives takeaway points for readers to quickly apply in their own situation- Provides inspiration for the development of progressive library and information practice- Considers radical library and information science at a high level, offering recommendations for the future

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects’ professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals’ voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers’ transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects’ professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals’ voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers’ transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects' professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals' voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers' transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents 25 profiles of notable, transformational library and information science (LIS) workers in the United States, Canada, and the UK, all of whom are involved in progressive library and information work projects or research endeavors.Discussing a piece of literature, art, or music that helped direct their path into socially conscious library work and that continues to inspire them, interviewees provide insights into their work and the current state of critical librarianship. They also reflect upon the current state of institutions, including academic, public, and school libraries, as well as special libraries. The authors of the book present these conversations in a narrative form that situates their subjects' professional work within their broader historical and cultural milieu, while carefully supplementing the conversations with real-world information and context. The resulting collection gives insight into what grounds and inspires influential LIS professionals and highlights the diversity found in critical librarianship as one of its greatest strengths. Together, the professionals' voices provide the reader with a better understanding of what drives their peers' transformational LIS work.Critical Voices in Library and Information Work presents the voices of professionals who hail from traditional and non-traditional information environments and who have varying levels of experience. The book will appeal to practicing library workers and information professionals, as well as students and academics engaged in the study of LIS.

In sixteen thoroughly engaging essays, naturalist Stephen Lyn Bales ventures far and wide among the richly diverse flora and fauna of his native Tennessee Valley. Whether describing the nocturnal habits of the elusive whip-poor-will, the pivotal role the hedge plant Osage orange played in a key Civil War battle, or the political firestorm that attended the discovery of a tiny fish dubbed the snail darter, Bales illuminates in surprising ways the complicated and often vexed relationships between humans and their neighbors in the natural world.Accompanied by the author's striking line drawings, each chapter in Natural Histories showcases a particular animal or plant and each narrative begins or ends in, or passes through the Tennessee Valley. Along the way, historical episodes both familiar and obscure-the de Soto explorations, the saga of the Lost State of Franklin, the devastation of the Trail of Tears, and the planting of a “Moon Tree” at Sycamore Shoals in Elizabethton-are brought vividly to life. Bales also highlights the work of present-day environmentalists and scientists such as the dedicated staffers of the Tennessee-based American Eagle Foundation, whose efforts have helped save the endangered raptors and reintroduce them to the wild.Arranged according to the seasonal cycles of the valley, Bales's essays reveal the balance that nature has achieved over millions of years, contrasting it with the messier business of human endeavor, especially the desire to turn nature into a commodity, something to be subdued and harvested. Filled with delightful twists and turns, Natural Histories is also a book brimming with important lessons for us all.Stephen Lyn Bales is a naturalist at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. He has been writing the “Neighborhood Naturalist” for the farragutpress since 1999 and is a regular columnist for the Hellbender Press.