What is it about?
Libraries are important institutions for cultural preservation but are Caribbean libraries fulfilling their roles in response to the new global realities. This paper examines diverse facets as it relates to cultural preservation while suggesting perhaps that leadership of these institutions is also a contributing issue.
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Why is it important?
Small islands developing states, as exist in the Caribbean, are constantly under threat in this neoliberal global environment. Because they are often slow to respond to threats or protect their spaces, innate cultural practices are open to theft, dilution and over exposure. Libraries, as other cultural institutions, have a role to mitigate these threats although they themselves seem so embedded in traditional roles, they fail to see potential for value added services to diverse stakeholders.
Perspectives
My passion for librarianship evolves from a joy working with and for people. I favour provocative articles in Caribbean libraries because I believe the institution to be under served and are under serving to their public. Libraries touch every aspect of lives and all stakeholders should be mindful of this while they fund, use, or work in these institutions. I hope other librarians are inspired to take up the cause or change their practices so libraries add more value and are more relevant, especially in the Caribbean.
Cherry-Ann Smart
University of the West Indies
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Preserving cultural products, IFLA Journal, October 2017, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0340035217732074.
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