BC Library Conference 2016

The concept of a take a book / leave a book exchange is nothing new. However, since 2009, the Little Free Library® movement has taken hold. As a media darling, this organization has captured the hearts and minds of book lovers the world over. It became a non-profit corporation in 2011 and has continued to grow both in terms of LFL® installations, staff, revenue and brand recognition. Its stated mission is to “to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide and to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations.” Taking a critical eye toward the movement, we will interrogate the outcomes of this mission - are LFL®s really making an impact on communities, or are they simply feel-good projects for the privileged classes? Furthermore, in the age of austerity, are they presenting a reasonable alternative to funding traditional libraries? What does it mean to be a library - are the values espoused within the library community shared by the LFL® steward community?

By analyzing the movement through the lenses of civic crowdfunding, landscape theory, community-led libraries and philanthropic motivation, we will explore the narratives and claims presented by this growing non-profit corporation. How can the enthusiastic support of the movement be harnessed for a robust collaboration between community groups, including public libraries, to make the biggest impact on the people who need it the most? The root causes behind lack of access to books/education and illiteracy - poverty, inequality, and racism - are systemic issues requiring significant and sustained attention from governments, community organizations, educators and citizens alike. A whimsical box of books may be a humble contribution to community building, but the real work of social justice is obfuscated when the impact of such initiatives is overstated.

Presenter is Jane Schmidt. Jane has worked in collections management at Ryerson since she graduated from University of Alberta in 2004. She has previously presented and published on issues related to monograph acquisitions including weeding, demand driven acquisitions and budget management. Since going on study leave last September, she's enjoyed immersing herself in a variety of topics including Mad Studies, Little Free Libraries, unpaid internships in academic libraries, open access, and dinosaurs, thanks to her 5 year old son Elliott. She is more than happy to show you pictures of him after the presentation.