American Public School Librarianship: A History

American Public School Librarianship, by Wayne A. Wiegand, is the first comprehensive history of American public school librarianship, exploring how libraries were transformed by the Great Depression, the civil rights era, and recent legislation. It also clarifies the historical role of the school librarian as an opponent of censorship and defender of intellectual freedom, analyzes the politics of a female-dominated school library profession, and challenges the priorities of librarianship's current agendas.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 12 October 2021
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

The first comprehensive history of American public school librarianship is a fascinating journey through time, shedding light on the evolution of these essential professionals and their impact on education. Over the past 120 years, millions of American K–12 public school students have relied on school librarians to provide them with access to information, resources, and learning opportunities. However, the history of public school libraries is largely unknown, with hundreds of thousands of school librarians working tirelessly to manage these vital institutions.

In his book, American Public School Librarianship, Wayne A. Wiegand recounts the unseen history of both school libraries and their librarians. He explores why school librarianship turned out the way it did, and what its history can tell us about the limitations and opportunities in the coming decades of the twenty-first century. Wiegand addresses issues of race, social class, gender, and sexual orientation, as they affected American public school librarianship throughout its history. He examines how libraries were transformed by the Great Depression, the civil rights era, Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs, and more recent legislation like No Child Left Behind, Common Core, and the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Wiegand also touches on censorship, the impact of school segregation on school libraries, disparities in funding that fall along lines of race and class, the development of school librarianship as a profession, the history of organizations like the American Association for School Librarians, and how emerging technologies affected school librarianship. He clarifies the historical role of the school librarian as an opponent of censorship and defender of intellectual freedom. He also analyzes the politics of a female-dominated school library profession, identifies and evaluates the profession's major players and their battles (often against patriarchy), and challenges the priorities of librarianship.

This comprehensive history provides valuable insights into the past, present, and future of American public school librarianship. It sheds light on the challenges and opportunities faced by these professionals, and highlights the importance of their work in shaping the educational landscape of the United States. By understanding the history of public school libraries, we can better appreciate the contributions of school librarians and work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable education system for all students.

Weight: 688g
Dimension: 161 x 281 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781421441504