DOCSLIB.ORG

Melvil Dewey and the Corporate Ideal

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Melvil Dewey and the Corporate Ideal Melvil Dewey and the Corporate Ideal Francis Miksa (In Melvil Dewey: The Man and the Classification. Ed. by G. Stevenson and J. Kramer-Greene, pp. 49-100. Albany, N.Y.: Forest Press, 1983) Melvil Dewey and the Corporate Ideal by Francis Miksa Introduction Thirteen years ago W. Boyd Rayward noted that much of what had been written about Melvil Dewey was "hot with adulation." It focused .on his genius, his extraordinariness, his indefatigability, his pertinacity, adhis brilliance. This, Rayward asserted, expressed a partis& delight in the sheer fact "that what he did could be done at all." In an act of bravery, Rayward then proposed that Dewey be approached critically by abandoning "simple contemplation of the triumph that anything was done" in order "to consider what was done" [l,p. 2971. The years since have witnessed only the partial success of Rayward's call. Dewey, for the most part, remains the center of the modern library history universe, its progenitor, a modem demi- urge who created modem librarianship from formlessness and emptiness. This conclusion might be expected from Sarah K. Vm's sympathetic biographical sketch: His classification, his innovative ideas on library services, his clearly articulated conception of library education, the work of the graduates of Columbia College and the New York State Library School, and his involvement in associ- ational activities at the national, state, and local levels, remains impressive and influential. [2, p. 521 But one finds the same tone even in Dee Garrison's Apostles of Culture. And Garrison cannot easily be placed in the chorus of applause and adulation: 5 0 Francis Miksa 1 Dewey and the Corporate Ideal 51 More than any other single person, Dewey shaped the 1876 Special Report (itself begun the previous October). Eaton development of the public library in the United States, pursued the idea with others and by the spring of 1876 it had forcing it into the path he believed it should take. Almost already been a topic of conversation at least among Boston librari- alone he set the pattern for library education. His paeans I ans [5, pp. 36-37; 6, pp, xxvi-xxvii; 7, p. 71. They had done little to professionalization not only affected the growth of librarianship but also influenced educational standardiza- about it, however, and it was at that point that Dewey stepped in tion in all the professions. [3, p.1061 to actually arouse interest in it and to pursue it. Dewey's role in the actual arrangements was very important. Cutter himself said And John P. Comaromi's effort recently to add even one other at the close of the 1876 meeting: person to the picture of modern library beginnings somehow seems I suppose of late years many persons had desired a meeting a strange juxtaposition: of librarians; but the credit of independently conceiving From 1873 to 1906 he [Dewey] was to devise and con- the idea, of expressing it with such force as to win a hearing, struct almost single-handedly the forms and substance of of talking over those of us who were incredulous or librarianship (Charles Ammi Cutter providing the other indifferent, and of bringing us together in this Convention hand on occasion). [4, p. 1771 from which we have received so much profit and enjoyment, is incontestably due to our energetic, enthusiastic, and per- If anything, the mere mention of some other person, even a Charles suasive Secretary. And more than this: he has, I understand, Ammi Cutter, seems out of place, something of a sop thrown in the defrayed all the preliminary expenses of circulars, corres- direction of mere mortals. pondence, etc. [8, p. 1391 The difficulty with all such conclusions is, of course, that they This certainly appears like the progenitor at work. But Cutter often do not effectively identify the actual cause-effect relation- was being deferential. The fact is that an important portion of the ships that were in operation, especially between Dewey's ideas correspondence that made the conference a success had been done and goals and the developments that occurred. Instead, a great by others, especially through Eaton's agency, the Bureau of deal of weight is simply attributed to his "activity" or his "energy" Education. Cutter himself had brought the prestige of the Nation or even the fact that because he pursued some activity such as to the event. And it was through Cutter's efforts that Dewey helping to found an organization, his contribution may be thought himself was enabled at a very late date to add to the Special of as the existence of the organization per se. Report a description of his classification scheme that afterward Dewey was not, of course, the only person involved in such aided in establishing its reputation. Cutter was deferential, perhaps, foundings, nor was he the only contributor, the only policy- and for the same reasons that others since that day have been decision-maker, nor the only one from whom important, even deter- deferential. It was simply very difficult to get beyond Dewey the minative, ideas arose. The American Library Association (ALA), person. Dewey was the prototype of the modern lobbyist, a dealer for example, had its origins among a number of people. Dewey in favors and gratitude, and a master at calling in the green stamps was not apparently the originator of the idea that a meeting of ,. owed him when he needed them, though not always successfully. librarians should be held in conjunction with the educational exhibit When one is in the presence of such a person, it is not only difficult at the approaching Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. That to be realistic, especially when that person has appeared to have role may be safely attributed to Thomas H. Williams, librarian of r + increased your own worth, it is a convention in interpersonal rela- the Minneapolis Athenaeum and a participant in the 1853 tionships to offer praise in the spirit of the statement, "I am for- librarians' convention some two decades before. Williams sug- ever in your debt." gested the idea to General John Eaton, Commissioner of Educa- To say this does not at all diminish the reality of Dewey's pres- tion, early in 1875 in connection with Eaton's effort to publish the ence in the entire process, But it does tempt the observer to dis- 52 Francis Miksa Dewey and the Corporate Ideal 53 place analysis with deference, and, therefore, to distort what really manufacturing, railroads, and telegraphy. And, of course, each of happened. Indeed, after observing Dewey at work in the founding these developments was subsequently "re-revolutionized" by the of the ALA, one still must ask, What exactly was Dewey's role and end of the century with the introduction of electric and then inter- what was the nature of his influence-not absolutely, as if influ. nal combustion power. ence could ever be viewed in absolute terms-but in comparison The development of American industry also brought with it the to the others who were also involved?. development of mass markets which in turn contributed to the rise Any answer to a question such as this will obviously be many of popular culture. From a commercial point of view, popular faceted. Some steps toward that end may be found in discussions culture may be considered simply a mass market for popular and of Dewey's interest in efficiency, in his shaping of library educa- easily produced goods. And, with all of these developments came tion as task-oriented training, and, in conjunction with the latter, attendant social changes attached to urbanization, immigration, in his portrayal of library work as principally a technical occupation the rise of new wealth, the rise of nativism, and notable shifts in . [I]. The present paper will focus on a still broader conceptual- standards of personal and social behavior. ization, that is, that Dewey's contribution to modern librarianship One may view industrial and commercial expansion in terms of may be viewed as his expression of a corporate ideal in relation- the birth, life, transformation, and death of individual businesses. ship to libraries. When seen this way, the role of individuals and groups of individu- als, their circumstances, abilities, dreams, and wisdom are para- mount. But one may also view industrial and commercial growth The Corporate Ideal as an overall social phenomenon. When seen in this manner, such The notion of a "corporate ideal" will easily prompt an image of growth represents a societal response to needs for essential (and giant, perhaps international, corporations, now often widely diver- nonessential as wealth permits) goods and services. Both perspec- sified over several industries. Policy and major decisions are set by tives are interrelated, of course, the overall informing the particular, boards of directors who are far removed from the daily operations the particular representing the cutting edge or realities of the of individual production facilities. Elaborate methods are followed overall. More important, the overall view provides significant for predicting production needs, pricing products, assigning wages insights for understanding individual cases. and benefits. And now more than ever such corporations are deeply The most fundamental problem that industrial and commercial involved in public policy decisions, either through the processes of growth faced in an overall sense was size. The United States was regulation or labor union interaction, or through involvement in by far the largest single land mass with the largest, most changing, legislative and executive assessments of the needs of the national and mobile population to undergo industrial and commercial change economy in the midst of world economic crises. up to the late nineteenth century.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Award Honorary Doctorate Degrees Funding
    10 Board Meeting January 31, 2019 AWARD HONORARY DEGREES, URBANA Action: Award Honorary Doctorate Degrees Funding: No New Funding Required The Senate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has recommended that honorary degrees be conferred on the following people at Commencement Exercises on May 11, 2019: Michael T. Aiken, former Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign -- the honorary degree of Doctor of Science and Letters Chancellor Aiken was the sixth chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, leading the campus from 1993 until his retirement in 2001. Only one chancellor has served longer. Dr. Aiken was devoted to the excellence of the Urbana campus and undertook many initiatives with a lasting impact still felt today. During Campaign Illinois, he worked to establish more than 100 new endowed faculty positions. He enhanced the undergraduate experience by increasing opportunities for students to study abroad, expanding the number of living/learning communities in the various student residence halls, developed discovery classes for first-year students, and instituted New Student Convocation. Chancellor Aiken worked toward the creation of Research Park on the south campus to provide a vibrant environment for the campus efforts in economic development and innovation. Dr. Aiken was key to establishing the Campustown 2000 Task Force to improve both the physical appearance of Campustown and its safety and livability. Dr. Aiken made a priority of building strong relationships between the university and the greater Champaign-Urbana community. During his tenure, and through his leadership, gateways were built at the boundaries of the campus to serve as doors and windows between the campus and the community.
    [Show full text]
  • College and Research Libraries
    ROBERT B. DOWNS The Role of the Academic Librarian, 1876-1976 . ,- ..0., IT IS DIFFICULT for university librarians they were members of the teaching fac­ in 1976, with their multi-million volume ulty. The ordinary practice was to list collections, staffs in the hundreds, bud­ librarians with registrars, museum cu­ gets in millions of dollars, and monu­ rators, and other miscellaneous officers. mental buildings, to conceive of the Combination appointments were com­ minuscule beginnings of academic li­ mon, e.g., the librarian of the Univer­ braries a centur-y ago. Only two univer­ sity of California was a professor of sity libraries in the nation, Harvard and English; at Princeton the librarian was Yale, held collections in ·excess of professor of Greek, and the assistant li­ 100,000 volumes, and no state university brarian was tutor in Greek; at Iowa possessed as many as 30,000 volumes. State University the librarian doubled As Edward Holley discovered in the as professor of Latin; and at the Uni­ preparation of the first article in the versity of · Minnesota the librarian present centennial series, professional li­ served also as president. brarHms to maintain, service, and devel­ Further examination of university op these extremely limited holdings catalogs for the last quarter of the nine­ were in similarly short supply.1 General­ teenth century, where no teaching duties ly, the library staff was a one-man opera­ were assigned to the librarian, indicates tion-often not even on a full-time ba­ that there was a feeling, at least in some sis. Faculty members assigned to super­ institutions, that head librarians ought vise the library were also expected to to be grouped with the faculty.
    [Show full text]
  • LHRT Newsletter LHRT Newsletter
    LHRT Newsletter NOVEMBER 2010 VOLUME 10, ISSUE 1 BERNADETTE A. LEAR, EDITOR BAL19 @ PSU.EDU Greetings from the Chair BAL19 @ PSU.EDU and librarians. The week As we finalize details we will following Library History inform the membership as to Seminar XII, Wayne how they may participate. Wiegand threw down a challenge. He offered to It is time to turn to finding a contribute $100 to the venue for Library History Edward G. Holley Lecture Seminar XIII (2015). The endowment, and urged all request for proposals is previous LHRT Chairs and included in this newsletter. I Board members to do the invite LHRT members to same. In less than thirty- consider whether your six hours $2,400 was institution might be a good pledged. Ed’s son Jens was site. We are a community of one contributor (both to people with a love for the the fund and to this issue). histories of libraries, reading, His heartfelt message of print culture, and the people, thanks for honoring his places and institutions that are father in this way made me part of those histories. Why proud to be a member of not make a little bit of history LHRT. yourself by hosting this wonderful conference? The LHRT Program Committee is hard at work In the meantime, I will “see” to bring quality sessions to you virtually in January our annual meeting. We meeting in cyberspace, and see will have the Invited many of you in person at Speakers Panel, the ALA’s annual meeting in New Research Forum Panel, and Orleans in June.
    [Show full text]
  • Cooperative and Centralized Cataloging and Processing: a Bibliography, 1850-1967
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 044 152 LI 002 209 AUTHOR Leonard, Lawrence E. TITLE Cooperative and Centralized Cataloging and Processing: A Bibliography, 1850-1967. INSTITUTION Illinois Univ., Urbana. Graduate School of Library Science. PUB DATE Jul 68 NOTE 92p.; Occasional Paper 93 EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF-$0.50 HC-$4.70 DESCRIPTORS Bibliographies, *Cataloging, *Library Acquisition, *Library Cooperation, *Library Technical Processes ABSTRACT Nine hundred and fifty-four references to articles on cooperative and ceatralized acquisitions, cataloging and processing, covering the period from 1850 to 1968, are included in this bibliography. Subject elements of the bibliography by the approximate date of appearance are:(1) Cooperative cataloging--1850-;(2) Centralized cataloging (Library of Congress card service--1900-, other centralized cataloging - - 1928 -); (3) Centralized purchasing--1919-; (4) Centralized processing--1948-; and (5) Cataloging-in-source--1958-1965. References to articles on "universal catalogs," "book catalogs," and "cooperative acquisitions programs" are not included here. An alphabetical author index is provided. (NH) slr 5- 4/7 University of Illinois Graduate School of Library Science OCCASIONAL PAPPI U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.EDUCATION a WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THEPERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT. POINTSOF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DONOT NECES- SARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE0 P EDU- CATIONPOSITIONOR POLICY. COOPERATIVE AND CENTRALIZED CATALOGING AND PROCESSING:A
    [Show full text]
  • In Resistance to a Capitalist Past: Emerging Practices of Critical Librarianship Lua Gregory and Shana Higgins
    In Resistance to a Capitalist Past: Emerging Practices of Critical Librarianship Lua Gregory and Shana Higgins Introduction In previous work, we’ve explored capitalism and neoliberal ideology in relation to oppression and inequalities, how consciousness raising as defned by Paulo Freire and Ira Shor can lead to informed action, and how the intersections of critical pedagogy and core values such as social responsibility, diversity, and the public good, can contextualize social justice work within the practice of librarianship.1 In this chapter, we revisit capitalism, by examining its inextricable historical connections to the proliferation of libraries and the growth of librarianship as a profession in the United States in the late nineteenth century. We fnd that the rise of capitalism and the “efciency movement” during the Progressive Era (1890–1920) led to a replicating of libraries in the image and model of corporations, and the creation of an educational system that favored practicality and connections to the market, within which we locate historical tensions between theory and practice. Tis chapter is neither historiography nor discourse analysis, but perhaps borrows from both. Our goal is to illuminate the economic and ideological contexts from which the library profession in the United States fourished, and has continued to be implicated. Despite the close alignment of American li- brarianship with a hegemonic economic ideology, there have been critical and 1 Lua Gregory and Shana Higgins, Information Literacy and Social Justice (Sacramento, CA: Library Juice Press, 2013). Te Politics of Teory and the Practice of Critical Librarianship resistant voices within the profession throughout the past century.
    [Show full text]
  • History of Urban Main Library Service
    History of Urban Main Library Service JACOB S. EPSTEIN THEMOST IMPORTANT early date for urban public libraries would certainly be 1854, the year the Boston Public Library opened its doors. But as Jesse Shera has noted: “The opening, on March 20,1854, of the reading room of the Boston Public Library. ..was not a signal that a new agency had suddenly been born into American urban life. Behind the act were more than two centuries of experimentation, uncertainty, and change.”l Before the advent of public libraries there were numerous social li- braries, mercantile libraries and other efforts to have a community store of books which could be borrowed or consulted. A common prin- ciple evident in each of them was the belief that the printed word was important and should be made available to the ordinary citizen who could not own all the literature which was of value. Although it was a subscription library, rather than a public library as we think of it today, Benjamin Franklin’s Library Company of Phila- delphia, organized in 1731, was the first library in America to circulate books and the first to pay a librarian for his services. In his Autobiogra- phy, Franklin declared, “These libraries have improved the general conversation of the Americans, made the common tradesmen and farm- ers as intelligent as most gentlemen from other countries, and perhaps have contributed in some degree to the stand so generally made throughout the colonies in defense of their privileges.”2 Here is that recurrent theme of self-improvement that runs throughout the Ameri- can public library movement.
    [Show full text]
  • 2019 ALA Impact Report
    FIND THE LIBRARY AT YOUR PLACE 2019 IMPACT REPORT THIS REPORT HIGHLIGHTS ALA’S 2019 FISCAL YEAR, which ended August 31, 2019. In order to provide an up-to-date picture of the Association, it also includes information on major initiatives and, where available, updated data through spring 2020. MISSION The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all. MEMBERSHIP ALA has more than 58,000 members, including librarians, library workers, library trustees, and other interested people from every state and many nations. The Association services public, state, school, and academic libraries, as well as special libraries for people working in government, commerce and industry, the arts, and the armed services, or in hospitals, prisons, and other institutions. Dear Colleagues and Friends, 2019 brought the seeds of change to the American Library Association as it looked for new headquarters, searched for an executive director, and deeply examined how it can better serve its members and the public. We are excited to give you a glimpse into this momentous year for ALA as we continue to work at being a leading voice for information access, equity and inclusion, and social justice within the profession and in the broader world. In this Impact Report, you will find highlights from 2019, including updates on activities related to ALA’s Strategic Directions: • Advocacy • Information Policy • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion • Professional & Leadership Development We are excited to share stories about our national campaigns and conferences, the expansion of our digital footprint, and the success of our work to #FundLibraries.
    [Show full text]
  • Meet Carla Hayden Be a Media Mentor Connecting with Teens P. 34
    November/December 2016 THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION FAN FICTION! Connecting with teens p. 34 Meet Carla Hayden p. 40 Be a Media Mentor p. 48 PLUS: Snapchat, Midwinter Must-Dos, and Presidential Librarian APA JOURNALS® Give Your Users the Psychological Research They Need LEADING JOURNALS IN PSYCHOLOGY Practice Innovations Quarterly • ISSN: 2377-889X • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/pri Serves practitioners by publishing clinical, practical, and research articles on current and evolving standards, practices, and methods in professional mental health practice. Stigma and Health Quarterly • ISSN: 2376-6972 • www.apa.org.pubs/journals/sah Publishes original research articles that may include tests of hypotheses about the form and impact of stigma, examination of strategies to decrease stigma’s effects, and survey research capturing stigma in populations. The Humanistic Psychologist Quarterly • ISSN: 0887-3267 • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/hum NOW PUBLISHED BY APA Publishes papers on qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research; humanistic, existential, constructivist, and transpersonal theories and psychotherapies. ONLINE ONLY Behavior Analysis: Research and Practice™ eISSN: 2372-9414 • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/bar ONLINE ONLY Behavioral Development Bulletin™ eISSN: 1942-0722 • www.apap.org/pubs/journals/bdb Motivation Science ISSN: 2333-8113 • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/mot VISIT BOOTH ONLINE ONLY #1548 AT ALA Psychology & Neuroscience MIDWINTER eISSN: 1983-3288 • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/pne Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology ISSN: 2332-2101 • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/stl Translational Issues in Psychological Science® ISSN: 2332-2136 • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/tps ALSO OF INTEREST American Psychologist® The Offi cial Journal of the American Psychological Association ISSN: 0003-066X • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/amp ALL FEES WAIVED THROUGH 2017 Archives of Scientifi c Psychology® eISSN: 2169-3269 • www.apa.org/pubs/journals/arc Enhance your psychology serials collection by adding these journals to your library.
    [Show full text]
  • William G. Medlicott (1816-1883): an American Book Collector and His Collection
    William G. Medlicott (1816-1883): An American book collector and his collection The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Hall, J. R. 1990. William G. Medlicott (1816-1883): An American book collector and his collection. Harvard Library Bulletin 1 (1), Spring 1990: 13-46. Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:42660105 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA 13 William G. Medlicott (1816-1883): An American Book Collector and His Collection ]. R. Hall For Alexander C. A1edlicott,Jr. century ago in the Northeast a number of scholars, booksellers, and librar- A ians would have recognized the name of William Gibbons Medlicott, of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Not only did Medlicott assemble an impressive library, he published in 1878 a thick catalog of it and offered the contents for sale; and many scholars and librarians of leading institutions took advantage of the opportunity to make extensive purchases. Indeed, Medlicott represents a relatively early instance of a private individual bringing to these shores great treasures that subsequently helped to create great research libraries. Yet an inquisitive reader coming upon Med- licott's bookplate or autograph in a volume at one of a dozen libraries will not find him identified in reference works. 1 This paper will present the basic facts on Med- licott's life, discuss the scope and quality of his collection, and detail its dispersal.
    [Show full text]
  • TEXAS LIBRARY JOURNAL Published by the TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Membership in TLA Is Open to Any Individual Or Institution Interested in 75 Texas Libraries
    TEXAS LIBRARY JOURNALVolume 97, Number 1, Spring 2021 INSIDE: Libraries Provide Shelter from Winter Storm Uri TLA 2021 Exhibits Directory Intellectual Freedom Interlibrary Loan: Libraries as and Social Justice Saying Yes Matters Telehealth Providers Classroom Must-Haves Chapter Books SIMON & CHESTER: SUPER DETECTIVES! by Cale Atkinson 64 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover MEGABAT AND THE NOT-HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISBN 9780735267428 | Tundra Books by Anna Humphrey, iIllustrated by Kass Reich AVAILABLE NOW! 176 Pages | Ages 7-10 | Hardcover HOW TO PROMENADE WITH A PYTHON ISBN 9780735266049 | Tundra Books (AND NOT GET EATEN) by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Kathryn Durst AVAILABLE NOW! 84 Pages | Ages 6-9 | Hardcover Middle-Grade Novels ISBN 9780735266582 | Tundra Books AVAILABLE NOW! 2021 Lone Star Reading List For further resources, including downloadable materials, please visit www.tundrabooks.com @TundraBooks School and library customers, please order from your preferred wholesaler. #OWNVOICES | INDIGENOUS VOICES #OWNVOICES | ASIAN-AMERICAN VOICES ALICE FLECK’S RECIPES THE BARREN GROUNDS PETER LEE’S NOTES FROM THE FIELD FOR DISASTER by David A. Robertson by Angela Ahn, illustrated by Julie Kwon by Rachelle Delaney 256 Pages | Ages 10+ | Hardcover 312 Pages | Ages 9-12 | Hardcover 256 Pages | Ages 10-14 | Hardcover ISBN 9780735266100 | Puffin Canada ISBN 9780735268241 | Tundra Books ISBN 9780735269279 | Puffin Canada 72 | Texas LibraryAVAILABLE Journal NOW! SPRING 2021 AVAILABLE NOW! ON SALE MAY 11, 2021 PUFFIN CANADA CONTENTS TEXAS LIBRARY JOURNAL Published by the TEXAS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION Membership in TLA is open to any individual or institution interested in 75 Texas libraries. For advertising information, contact 75 President’s Perspective Kasey Hyde, TLA Vendor & Meeting Christina Gola Associate at: [email protected] 77 Editor’s Letter For editorial information, contact Wendy Woodland Wendy Woodland, TLA Director, Advocacy & Communications at: [email protected] Opinions expressed in Texas Library Journal are those of the authors and 78 are not necessarily endorsed by TLA.
    [Show full text]
  • Racism and “Freedom of Speech”: Framing the Issues
    Al Kagan Editorial Racism and “Freedom of Speech”: Framing the Issues The production and distribution of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom’s 1977 film was one of the most controversial and divisive issues in ALA history. The Speaker: A Film About Freedom was introduced at the 1977 ALA Annual Conference in Detroit, and was revived on June 30th, 2014, for a program in Las Vegas titled, “Speaking about ‘The Speaker.’” ALA Council’s Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) developed the program, which was cosponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), the Library History Round Table and the ALA Black Caucus (BCALA). 4 Some background is necessary for context. This professionally made 42- minute color film was sponsored by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom in 1977 and made in virtual secret without oversight by the ALA Executive Board or even most of the Intellectual Freedom Committee members. In fact, requests for information about the film, for copies of the script from members of these two bodies were repeatedly rebuffed. Judith Krug (now deceased), Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom, was in charge with coordination from a two- member IFC subcommittee and ALA Executive Director Robert Wedgeworth. The film was made by a New York production company, and was envisioned by Krug as an exploration of the First Amendment in contemporary society. The film’s plot is a fictionalized account of real events. A high school invites a famous scientist (based on physicist and Nobel prizewinner William Shockley) to speak on his research claiming that black people are genetically Al Kagan is Professor of Library Administration and African Studies Bibliographer Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
    [Show full text]
  • Charles Ammi Cutter
    CHAPTER I EARLY LIFE AND HARVARD STUDENT YEARS Early Years Charles Ammi Cutter was a member of a nineteenth century family that can be described as, "solid New England stock." The members had a pride in ancestry "not so much because their forbears were prominent in the social, polit- ical, or financial world, but because they were hard-working, plain-living, clear-thinking, and devout people, with high ideals.,,1 The Cutter fa_ily had its start in America with the arrival in Massachusetts from Newcastle-on-Tyne in Eng- land of the widow, Elizabeth Cutter, and her two sons about 1640. Through her son, Richard, she became the progenitress of descendants who, each in his own way, helped to civilize the colonial wilderness and who played a part in bringing the young nation through its revolutionary birth pains. 2 The Cutters were primarily farmers and merchants but included among their ranks clergymen, physicians, and later, 1 W. P. Cutter, Charles Ammi Cutter, p. 3. 2The principal sources for Cutter genealogical materi­ als are Benjamin Cutter, A Histor of the Cutter Famil of New England, revised and enlarged by William R. Cutter Bos­ ton: David Clapp and Son, 1871), passim; William R. Cutter, comp., Genealo ical and Personal Memoirs Relatiri to the Families of the State of Massachusetts 4 vols.; New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1910), III, passim. 1 2 soldiers. For example, Ammi Ruhamah Cutter (1735-1810) served as a physician during the second capture of Louisburg 1 during the French and Indian War. He later distinguished himself as Physician General of the Eastern Department of the Continental Army.
    [Show full text]