Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Critical Library Management: Administrating For Equity, Candise Branum, Turner Masland

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Social justice and critical theory frameworks have been utilized to discuss library pedagogy and cataloging, but librarians have been slow in applying critical theory to how we actually manage libraries and lead staff. Management is not glamorous; rather, many still hold the traditional view of management as upholding hierarchical values. At its core, both libraries and management are about people, and library managers and administrators have the power to formulate and uphold the library’s values.

Libraries do not exist in a vacuum; we work to empower the communities we work with, and social justice issues directly impact our patrons. In …

The Critical Library Manager, Candise Branum, Molly Gunderson, Turner Masland

Library Faculty Publications and Presentations

Oregon libraries work to meet the information needs of our communities, a mission that is dependent on teamwork. Library managers are tasked with leading, supporting and developing the teams that serve our communities. Social justice and critical theory are frameworks that are often discussed within library practice, but are only starting to be applied to library management practice. The more we discuss social justice, the more apparent it is that inclusion and equity are essential aspects of library management. This program will open with a brief presentation discussing the overlap between critical theory and library management, then we will open …