Relevant Texts
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Critical Library Instruction
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ISBN: 9781936117017A collection of articles about various ways of applying of critical pedagogy and related educational theories to library instruction. -
Critical Library Pedagogy Handbook
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ISBN: 9780838988466This volume provides teaching librarians detailed, ready-to-use, and easily adaptable lesson ideas to help students understand and be transformed by information literacy threshold concepts -
The Politics of Theory and the Practice of Critical Librarianship
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ISBN: 1634000307This book features original research, reflective essays, and dialogues that consider the relationships between theory, practice, and critical librarianship. -
Critical Librarianship
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ISBN: 9781839094842In this exciting exploration of critical librarianship, expert authors from different walks of life investigate a variety of areas of librarianship in regards to critical theory.
Critical Library Instruction
Critical library instruction can break down barriers to learning because it requires self-reflection on pedagogical theory, teaching practices, and assessment. It places emphasis on process rather than product, and considers the historical, cultural, social, economic, and political forces that interact with information in order to foster criticism, disruption, and interrogation of these forces.
Approaching the library classroom through a critical lens disrupts the traditional power dynamic between teacher and student, and can open up spaces for students to develop their own understanding of the oppressive structures upholding a non-neutral information system (e.g. publisher paywalls, biased algorithms, and hegemonic controlled vocabularies) (TriCollege Libraries).
Helpful Resources
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Critical Librarianship LibGuideThis LibGuide provides library and information science students and professionals an accessible introduction to general resources and a selection of topics related to critical librarianship (Critical Cataloging, Critical Information Literacy & Instruction), as well as a brief overview of two key theories undergirding critical approaches to library work: critical pedagogy and critical race theory.
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critlibCritlib is short for “critical librarianship,” a movement of library workers dedicated to bringing social justice principles into our work in libraries.The primary discussions have taken place on Twitter (using the hashtag #critlib), but also include chats and archived discussions.
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Doherty, J. (2007). No Shhing: Giving Voice to the Silenced: An Essay in Support of Critical Information Literacy. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-Journal)Doherty’s article takes Elmborg’s ideas one step further from theory to application and is a bit more accessible, although he still approaches it from a theoretical perpective. He challenges the reader to take action towards critical information literacy and suggests that libraries can be “content creators, rather than content hoarders”.
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Drabinski, E. (2019). What is Critical About Critical Librarianship? Art Libraries Journal, 44(2), 49-57. doi:10.1017/alj.2019.3Emily Drabinski opens this compelling essay by examining the relationship between knowledge organization and structures of power as one point of access into critical librarianship. She then outlines what she considers to be the foundational principles of critical librarianship and concludes the essay with a brief exploration of the issues that critical librarianship must address.
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Elmborg, J. (2006). Critical Information Literacy: Implications for Instructional Practice. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 32(2), 192–199.This article uses critical literacy theory to define information literacy. It argues that to be educators, librarians must focus less on information transfer and more on developing critical consciousness in students.
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"Keeping Up With... Critical Librarianship", American Library Association, June 19, 2015. http://www.ala.org/acrl/publications/keeping_up_with/critlibA helpful overview of critical librarianship with a list of recommended resources and readings, published in ACRL's "Keeping Up With..." series.
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Tewell, E. (2015). A Decade of Critical Information Literacy: A Review of the Literature. Communications in Information Literacy, 9 (1), 24-43. https://doi.org/10.15760/comminfolit.2015.9.1.174This review explores the research into critical information literacy, including critical pedagogy and critiques of information literacy, in order to provide an entry point for this emerging and challenging approach to information literacy.
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Tewell, E. (2016, October 12). Putting critical information literacy into context: How and why librarians adopt critical practices in their teaching. In the Library with a Lead Pipe. http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2016/putting-critical-informaTewell interviewed 13 academic librarians about how and why they incorporate critical information literacy in their teaching practices. The article examines the methods these librarians use, the obstacles they face, and what "keeps them going."
Journals with a Critical Focus
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Journal of Critical Library and Information StudiesThe Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies (JCLIS), launched in 2017. Showcases innovative research that queries and critiques current and prevailing paradigms in library and information studies (LIS), in theory and practice through critical approaches and perspectives. Published quarterly. Open access.
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In the Library with the Lead PipeIn the Library with a Lead Pipe began as a peer-reviewed blog and repositioned itself as an open peer-reviewed online journal in 2012, featuring professional literature by librarians, administrators, library support staff, technologists, educators, and community members. Published continually. Open access.
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Journal of Radical LibrarianshipThe JRL is a peer-reviewed online journal publishing research, reports, commentary, and reviews about critical library and information theory and practice. Published on a continual basis. Open access.
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Progressive Librarian: A Journal for Critical Studies and Progressive Politics in LibrarianshipPL is the journal for the Progressive Librarians Guild, historically published twice a year. Open access.
