Equipped for resistance: An agonistic conceptualization of the public library as a verb

Abstract

A theoretical framework for understanding public library development is presented; plural agonistics is used in combination with an approach inspired by posthumanism. The framework is related to examples from a study of two Swedish public libraries. Antagonism is viewed as foundational, and democracy as an ongoing process, the task being to transform antagonism to agonism, with institutions like libraries postulated as important spaces for adversaries to meet in dialogue. Libraries are viewed here as constantly becoming institutions, and the librarian's identity as an ongoing enactment of the library. To underscore the crucial role the library fills in society, it is conceptualized as a verb and a new word is proposed: to librarize. Discussions about the content of libraries are critical for librarians to find ways to perform the library. The ongoing debate is part of the professional performance of librarians. Librarians should, while acknowledging that there may be no single right way, debate over what is the most beneficial way to facilitate libraries’ vital role in democracy. Conceptualizing of the library as a verb and its implications for librarianship as a possible active agent for radical change within society are offered as articulations of resistance.

Revisiting the notion of the public library as a meeting place: challenges to the mission of promoting democracy in times of political turmoil

“…Taking a stand constitutes the very essence of democracy. We therefore agree with scholars like Rivano Eckerdal (2018, see also Hansson, 2010) who argues that “[n]eutrality is not an option if the profession is to have a role in and for democracy” (p. 1411).…”

“…We now turn to the fourth theoretical perspective on democracy: Mouffe's theory of plural agonistics. Proposing a framework for public library development and the institution's response to change, Rivano Eckerdal (2018, p. 1412), building on the work of Mouffe and others, proposes an understanding of democracy as an ongoing process, which calls for “an ongoing debate discussing the enactment of the library“ and its democratic mission. We agree on the necessity of such discussions, but also recognize the risk of them being hampered by the boundaries of established ways of thinking of democracy and the democratic mission, as these do not offer the new or different directions called for.…”

Retooling the public library as social infrastructure: a Dutch illustration

“…In contrast to previous studies focussing on libraries in multiethnic metropolises, we have investigated the different kinds of encounters occurring in a small, suburban library in a more homogenous (white, middle class) context, and how these are retooled by both staff and patrons. This active process of performing as a social infrastructure can be labelled as 'librarising' (Rivano Eckerdal, 2018) or 'infrastructuring' (Korn et al, 2019) the library. Our findings show that a variety of patrons find their way to the library, but seemingly interact within their own bubbles.…”

”Det känns som att jag bara sitter och väntar på att det ska explodera” - politisk påverkan på de kommunala folkbibliotekens verksamhet i sex sydsvenska regioner.

“…Genom en agonistisk läsning, har Rivano Eckerdal (2017) visat hur den svenska bibliotekslagen tillskriver biblioteken en tydlig politisk roll. Med utgångspunkt i Mouffes teori har också idén om biblioteket som en neutral aktör ifrågasatts; att arbeta för en fortsatt livskraftig demokrati genom att erbjuda ett institutionellt utrymme för agonistisk kamp är i grunden något politiskt (Hansson, 2010b(Hansson, , 2011Rivano Eckerdal, 2018). Också de svenska folkbibliotekens mer omedelbara relation till politiken har varit föremål för studier.…”

“…Biblioteket framstår på så vis som en arena för debatt och möten som kan ge rum åt de ständigt nya motsättningar som framträder i samhället, i "det politiska" (Mouffe, 1999). Bilden som här framträder av hur samtidens politiska rörelsemönster manifesterar sig och hanteras i folkbibliotekens vardag ligger således i linje med tidigare studier som diskuterar bibliotekets demokratiska roll med grund i Mouffes utgångspunkter (Hansson 2011;Rivano Eckerdal, 2018). Det finns också samstämmighet med studier som belyser hur bibliotekarier hanterar den professionella roll som innebär att, med bibliotekslagens formulering, verka för det demokratiska samhällets utveckling genom att bidra till kunskapsförmedling och fri åsiktsbildning Rivano Eckerdal, 2017;.…”