In late March, a few librarians met to articulate the purpose and value of libraries. They published the The Darien Statements on the Library and Librarians on April 3rd. Here are snippets from the comments on purpose:
The purpose of the Library is to preserve the integrity of civilization.
> Commenter Steve Lawson writes: “Libraries are our cultural memory and help ensure a continuity of our culture and civilization. If libraries disappeared overnight, it would take a while to feel it, but it would set our civilization back centuries.”
> Dorothea Salo adds: “The said integrity is not only threatened by accidental information loss. It is ALSO threatened by censorship of all stripes, differential access, and intentional destruction of information. Librarians defend against those as well.”
> Statement author John Blyberg replies to Dorothea’s comment: “Add to that list: illiteracy, misinformation, unemployment, apathy, preoccupation, etc. As mentioned in the statements, we best address these corrosive elements by making service to the user our most valuable directive.”
> Statement author Kathryn Greenhill shares insights about the statement: “[John's] argument [at the Darian summit] was that libraries are integral to civilisation and good governance by creating a large, well-educated group of people exposed to a multiplicity of points of view.”
Bravo!
