Schlesselman-Tarango Gina

This is a very strong collection of essays that work to name, complexify, and map whiteness as it impacts the library and information science (LIS) professions. Starting with the idea that one of the privileges of whiteness is its perceived neutrality, these authors work to help us see whiteness in the profession, recognize its impact, and work towards a goal of racial justice that will improve the information professions for both patrons and workers. The pieces include historical explorations, theory-focused discussions, personal counternarratives, and case studies. Throughout the book, the authors use a variety of critical lenses to understand the impact of racism and oppression in our services to the public, the descriptions of our collections, the makeup of our workers, and more. In particular, I was blown away by "A Revisionist History of Andrew Carnegie's Library Grants to Black Colleges," by Shaundra Walker; "Interrogating Whiteness in College and University Archival Spaces at Predominately White Institutions," by Nicole M. Joseph, Katherine M. Crowe, and Janiece Mackey; and "White Feminism and Distributions of Power in Academic Libraries," by Megan Watson. The bibliographies will keep me very busy with further reading. Highly recommended.… (mehr)