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Humanism and Libraries: An Essay on the Philosophy of Librarianship
André Cossette’s Humanism and Libraries is a concise but rigorous investigation into the foundations of librarianship—its definition and its aims. Philosophical and logical in its approach, it is intended to provide solid ground and unity for professional practice.
Though the work was originally published in French in 1976 in Quebec by ASTED, Library Juice Press has found it to have enduring relevance and value, and has therefore made this English translation. The book includes a preface that makes the case for reading a work from the 1970s on library philosophy, and a set of “questions for reflection” following the text.
Though the work was originally published in French in 1976 in Quebec by ASTED, Library Juice Press has found it to have enduring relevance and value, and has therefore made this English translation. The book includes a preface that makes the case for reading a work from the 1970s on library philosophy, and a set of “questions for reflection” following the text.
102 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 18, 2017
The author argues that the primary aim of libraries is informational, rather than educational. Part of his reasoning is that if the aim is educational, libraries merely support and reflect the status quo. If the aim is informational, users are given the freedom to take or leave the information contained in them. This "logic" doesn't ring true to me. I'm not sure that I became critical of dominant ideologies just because I was allowed to read anything I liked. I think it was more likely to be because I took some classes, and some unfair stuff was pointed out to me. Also, libraries are not neutral, although we often say we are. Each item in the library is reflective of a non-neutral choice, no matter the amount of "variety" we attempt to maintain. But also... "why not both?" Why do our aims even need to be so specific? The author gives various reasons that seem to oversimplify the complexity of libraries.
March 17, 2019
A good read for a Sunday shift. Reminds me that the PR problem that librarians have comes from a time before the world wide web. I appreciate the meta view of librarians and libraries, but does my boss? Does the provost? I can navel gaze about my purpose all I want, but sometimes i just have to do what my boss tells me to do, right?
May 4, 2019
I'm surprised I haven't read more philosophy in my classes, so I'm much too glad to read this! Cossette discusses the paradox of being both information scientists and educators--he believes that librarians should not fall under educators, due to the fact that librarians are there to make information accessible, not necessarily to teach it, or judge it, or present it. Certainly, this is an interesting take given the fact that, especially in recent years, librarians have taken on the role of educator and instructor tenfold.
Additionally, Cossette argues that to be labelled as instructor, librarians must then be beholden to other standards and circumstances outside that of the library, making them tear themselves away from their work.
I don't know whether I agree or disagree with Cossette on these broader points, but clearly he's given it much thought--and therefore, so must I. On the one hand, libraries are not neutral, and information is not neutral. On the other hand, we are not professors--even academic librarians (unless they're teaching library science students, of course) are not professors. And yet they instruct on the topic of information literacy and evaluating sources, and to more topics that do not directly correlate with accessing information. I think there may be more value to this than Cossette suggests, but I still don't have it in me to disagree with him.
Then again, I don't necessarily want to be an instruction librarian! Those of such callings may feel entirely differently than I do, and like I said, I still have much to think about on this piece. As can be seen, Cossette provides a lot of food for thought, which in my eyes is extremely important when writing such a provocative and philosophical piece. It's definitely worth a read!
Review cross-listed here!
Additionally, Cossette argues that to be labelled as instructor, librarians must then be beholden to other standards and circumstances outside that of the library, making them tear themselves away from their work.
I don't know whether I agree or disagree with Cossette on these broader points, but clearly he's given it much thought--and therefore, so must I. On the one hand, libraries are not neutral, and information is not neutral. On the other hand, we are not professors--even academic librarians (unless they're teaching library science students, of course) are not professors. And yet they instruct on the topic of information literacy and evaluating sources, and to more topics that do not directly correlate with accessing information. I think there may be more value to this than Cossette suggests, but I still don't have it in me to disagree with him.
Then again, I don't necessarily want to be an instruction librarian! Those of such callings may feel entirely differently than I do, and like I said, I still have much to think about on this piece. As can be seen, Cossette provides a lot of food for thought, which in my eyes is extremely important when writing such a provocative and philosophical piece. It's definitely worth a read!
Review cross-listed here!
July 28, 2025
I found this essay to be very interesting! This was a topic I'm not particularly familiar with in an explicit sense, but in an implicit sense, where I can connect it to other philosophy I'm more familiar with. Of course, I'm very invested in libraries as an institution-- that's where I find the books I read! So I appreciated a more critical lens on the role libraries and librarians have in our society. I also appreciated the author's push to embrace a broader definition of what libraries and libraries do-- they are not simply academic or educational institutions but socio-cultural ones. However I find this push did not go far enough, in the sense it limits the library's realm to the informational, when this isn't true (at least today, I'm not sure about in 2009.) Libraries often have computers and internet access, printers and scanners, puzzles and board games; one library I frequent is a heating and cooling center. Librarians do a lot more than help people access information. Therefore, I do find the perspective that you can't separate a library from the social context it is in to discover the purpose of the library to be quite illuminating.
August 22, 2024
Makes the case that library science lacks an underlying philosophy, but should have one. Argues against construing libraries as educational undertakings - that their goal (and therefore theoretical underpinnings) is/should be in the dispassionate dissemination of information. I.e. Cossette thinks libraries' job isn't to actively educate, but to gather and provide access to the stuff that individuals require to educate themselves, wherever that might lead. Real 20th century stuff, fully embracing the "traditional" "neutral" disposition of libraries. The value of Cossette's paper is in the clear articulation of the need for a philosophical foundation for library science (the most compelling reason cited is to preclude reduction into pure instrumentalism and mere service to host institutions like the university, city government, etc.) but the philosophy he points to is brittle (and dated).
February 17, 2022
Everything I thought I was going to say in this review is addressed in the discussion questions at the end of the book, so I'll just shut up now.
August 16, 2015
For a piece originally published in 1976, a lot of this rang true (for me) for contemporary libraries of 2015.
I have very strong thoughts about Cossette's take on librarians NOT being educators; for myself, a large part of what I do is educational. Where is the line drawn between professor and librarian, especially on small campuses (like the small university where I work)?
All in all, a good (if dense) read. Litwin's translation is fantastic.
And at the end, questions for reflection and an immense bibliography.
I have very strong thoughts about Cossette's take on librarians NOT being educators; for myself, a large part of what I do is educational. Where is the line drawn between professor and librarian, especially on small campuses (like the small university where I work)?
All in all, a good (if dense) read. Litwin's translation is fantastic.
And at the end, questions for reflection and an immense bibliography.
decided-not-to-read
January 6, 2012Stumbled on this while searching for something else. I have no reason to think that this is bad but it's not what I was expecting.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews