Raphaëlle BatsJanvier 2016

LIBRARIES AFTER CHARLIE?

NEUTRALITY AND ENGAGEMENT

Introduction#bibenactionNeutrality & librairies: normal situationNeutrality & libraries: a special situation

1/ Charlie, the libraries and and the debate 2/ Charlie, the libraries and la République 3/ Charlie, the libraries and the politicians

The commitment of librariansConclusion

PLAN

AstonishmentEmotionPowerlessness

Post of David Lankes What should/have to do French libraries? What have done some libraries facing situation of political

crises?

What have really done French libraries? Did they do something? And what does it means?

INTRODUCTION

#BIBENACTION

Translation and diffusion of the David Lankes’ post, the 11th of January,

Launch, the same day, of a collection of « actions  »,

In using the hashtag « #bibenaction », allowing librarians to mark their actions led in answer to the attacks in their libraries or in other.

+ internet research, emails, oral discussion, and comments on our blog, or on the blog « les bibliothèques après Charlie ».

#BIBENACTION

Fighting the feeling of powerlessness: being inspired by actions of colleagues, doing something (professional angle)

Keeping tracks: for the memory and history of libraries and librarians. mémoire et histoire des bibliothèques (archivist angle)

Trying to understand how these actions may enlignht the role of libraries in our society (research angle) Their role in crisis times. Their role in a democracy in mutation.

OBJECTIVES OF #BIBENACTION

#BIBENACTION: RESULTS

Almost 150 actions in our collection (non exhautive): poster Je suis Charlie (in the physical library or on internet) Message of condolence or supportExpositions Selection of documents Spaces of expression Debates and conferences

But also Empty library: Pierres-Vives Montpellier Training staff: Rennes Citizenship projects : BML, Nancy Solidarity projects: Dunkerque Etc.

From the 8th of January to the end of 2015, and the shosk wawe has not finished its run.

Every kind of l ibraries

©Romane Volle. médiathèque de Saint-Médard-en-Jalles et du Carré-Les Colonnes

BM Saint-Aubin-du-Pavail (35)BM Hérouville Saint Clair, Calvados.

BM Clermont-Ferrand

BU Droit - Besançon

Médiathèque Départementale – Pierres-Vives

#BIBENACTION: RESULTS

1st moment: messages

2nd moment: librarianship’s actions

3 rd temps : time for thinking, training, and positioning the library

DISCUSSION

How these actions can fit with the moral and professional command to be neutral?

What these actions are saying about our political role?

To answer these two questions, we have to understand what is neutrality and normal situation, and in special situation, like the one after events of January 2015.

PROBLEMATIQUE

In normal situation, the French librarian answer to a triple injunction to neutrality:

According to the mission of libraries : pluralism

According to the values of the French Republic: secularism (laïcité)

According to their status of civil servant: neutrality of public service.

NEUTRALITY: SITUATION NORMALE

But January 2015 is not a normal situation.

So how librarians dealed with these 3 aspects of their nueutrality in this special situation :

Questioning the vocation of the library to participate to citizen debate

Questioning the citizen movement and the indivisibility of the French Republic

Questioning the political neutrality of the cultural insitution

NEUTRALITY: SPECIAL SITUATION

Paradox: In claiming the freedom to expression, libraries has to face their own censorship.

Some actions about pluralism organized after Charlie. Example: Lingolsheim.

Accepting pluralism is accepting a political role, despite a social role less conflictual.

CHARLIE, LIBRARIES, DEBATE

BIBLIOTHÈQUE RENNES MÉTROPOLE / CHAMPS

LIBRES

CHARLIE, LIBRARIES, REPUBLIC

Paradox: In claiming Je suis charlie, librarians defend the laicity, but what about the « Je ne suis pas Charlie » ? What about the indivisibilty of the Republic? , libraries has to face their own censorship.

Some actions about « vivre-ensemble » organized after Charlie. Example : Dunkerque

Accepting the solidarity has an objective, and not only the social link. Having a proximity with the public.

DUNKERQUE

CHARLIE, LIBRARIES, PUBLIC SERVICE

Paradox: continuity and representation of libraries as institutions

Some actions about new institutions organized after Charlie. Example : Lyon

Accepting the active role of librarians to transform the democracy.

LYON

The librarian is not the library Is our generation political?

Propositions: Reconnect with a political culture of librarians

Working on a critical view of libraries and librarianship

Finding our heroes : héros // hérauts

FROM NEUTRALITY OF LIBRARIES TO COMMITMENT OF LIBRARIANS

Attacks of the 13th of November 2015 : a new shock

CONCLUSION