Last couple of things out of Revolting Librarians Redux

This is just to note a couple more things that I was pondering as I read the book. Just think of it as some extra notes.

From Piers Denton's essay "I Was A Teenage Anarcho-Terrorist."

• "Whilst libraries remain free at the point of access, they will be part of the arsenal of liberation, and it remains my pleasure to be at my reference desk handing out books" (71).
  

This sounds to me a bit like this:

Reading that reminded me of that old propaganda poster. It does seem appropriate. Anyhow, Denton also wrote:

• "From urban guerrilla [referring to his experience] to public librarian may seem a large leap, but if knowledge is power and access to that power brings freedom, then libraries too are revolutionary, and librarians can be counted amongst the workers political vanguard" (71).
  

That reminded me of Paulo Freire's work. And for the record, I have read Mao's Little Red Book, which Denton refers to. Now that I said that, I wonder how long before the NSA pays my blog a visit. If you need to know what I read, a Google search with the blog name and the term "booknote" will likely give you my posts on books read. Also, my blogs have a running list of items I am currently reading on the side columns. Not that it's any of the government's business, but I am willing to let them see some of my ammunition.

Chris Dodge's essay on alternative publications, "Libraries to the People, Redux," is worth reading too, especially for people "not in the know." How can you not be "in the know" if you are a librarian is beyond me, but I will let that slide. Dodge refers to Sandy Berman, the legendary cataloguer, and to Berman's famous line, "I can't have information I know would be of interest to someone and not share it" (qtd. in 130). The part defining revolting librarians and the one responding to "what makes librarianship exciting to you?" are also worth a look. In fact, I photocopied the essay, and I may someday reply to the question myself, so stay tuned.