Libraries (Un)Bound: From Desegregation to Book Bans and Beyond

This seminar will look at the institution of U.S. libraries from the mid twentieth century to the present, with particular attention to race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, immigrant communities, and library services for incarcerated people and people experiencing homelessness. You will discover the realm of libraries that extends beyond books by thinking through how issues of social justice can be addressed within different library institutions writ large. You will also have an opportunity to critically analyze issues of space and place in libraries and their collections, learn about the field of librarianship, and hone your library research and critical media literacy skills. Students will discover the important role that libraries play in public access to information, vital support services, and the preservation of intellectual freedom – even in the face of bias, book bans, and other barriers.