Libraries and World Events

The world is moving.

It is being shaken by protests and people crying out and voicing their needs/wants/demands for betterment and acknowledgement of their rights. We all watched in awe as, day after day, the people in Egypt went to the streets and demanded change in their country, change to make their lives better. I was amazed at the dedication and responsibility that the protestors exhibited. Far from being a mindless mass, these people had a purpose and took steps towards reaching their goal. They remained mindful of the situation, creating checkpoints to deter those with violent intentions, because nothing causes more havoc in a crowd than an armed assailant shooting at anyone nearby. They impressed me, these people that showed an uncanny sense of duty to their fellow citizens. Things there could have been so much worse than they were. And in the end, the people got what they wanted: their president is president no more. (A perspective of the protests from Bibliotheca Alexandrina Director can be seen here.) Now the people in the neighboring countries are looking at this model of human achievement and thinking that maybe things could be different for them too.

An earthquake has razed the town of Christchurch in New Zealand. For this, the earth has literally moved. Buildings are down, people are dead or still missing, and the town has suffered billions of dollars in damage. Growing up where I did, earthquakes are a fact of life; but that doesn't lessen the impact that this natural disaster has on the community where it occurs. It's always a trajedy. It is in Christchurch; it was in Haiti and Chile too.

Even here in the US, there is unrest. Wisconsin especially is a current mover and shaker. The governor is trying to ban collective bargaining rights. This situation is troubling at best; mostly it has me scratching my head wondering "is that even legal?" What I find remarkable is the overwhelming support the opposers of this bill have received, from every thinkable source. Fire fighters, police, university students, teachers, nurses, electrical engineers, sheet metal workers, iron workers--public sector, private sector, people from all walks of life are joining together to show Governor Walker that he needs to re-think his bill. (One article on the protests can be found here.)

I'm sure you're thinking "what does this have to do with the topic of your blog?" Most people wouldn't think that these three world events have a common thread, but they do: libraries.

Remember those protests in Egypt? Well, Cairo is the city where the Alexandria Library (Bibliotheca Alexandrina) is located. There are thousands of items in there that, if destroyed, would be a great loss. Not only are those items still safe even through the protests, but many of the protestors themselves were barring the way with a human chain around the library. Throughout this time of unrest, the library sustained not one fingernail's worth of damage (for more, you can read this article). A library by its very nature is a symbol of democracy; the information it holds is available to any who want it. The Alexandria Library embodies democracy both in this way and its symbolic role in the protests.

Unfortunately, not all libraries in Egypt were so well protected. An article in American Libraries Magazine highlights the damage two libraries sustained in Egypt during the protests. Books, computer equipment, and even furniture were stolen from one library before it was set on fire. Over 19,000 books were lost. The day after this attack, locals helped to save 13,000 books by moving them into their homes. The other library was also looted and lost 1,200 books and some equipment. Luckily, police, local residents, and security officers were able to prevent the building from being burned.

As for Christchurch, there are several libraries in the city that have sustained damage along with the rest of the buildings. This article looks at the damage sustained and people's experiences in buildings across the city, including the library. The Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa posted a blog entry about the effects of the earthquake to the various libraries in Christchurch. As with damage to any library that houses not only contemporary books and sources but also historic items, these libraries and the cultures of this community have felt a great loss.

The Wisconsin protests also have connections to libraries. The most obvious reason is because many librarians are union workers. While I fully admit that unions do have some flaws, I do not think that eliminating bargaining rights is the answer. The whole purpose behind bargaining rights is to attain fair wages and working conditions for workers. The ALA headquarters is in Chicago, only a hop, skip, and a jump away from where this legislation is being proposed. ALA President Roberta Stevens issued a statement regarding the issue stating that "the ALA supports library employees in seeking equitable compensation and recognizes the principle of collective bargaining as an important element of successful labor-management relations. We affirm the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively with their employers, without fear of reprisal. These are basic workers' rights that we defend for thousands of academic, public and school library professionals." A post on the Union Librarian blog says that employees from the Library of Congress have joined a rally in Washington DC--it seems that union rallies are popping up all over the country to address this issue and protest Governor Walker's proposed legislation (here's a list of nation-wide locations of rallies).

Whoever thought that libraries merely witness history in the making have gotten the story wrong. When the world moves, the libraries move with it.