Examining our roots: The origins and evolution of outreach in academic libraries, 1958-2020

White-Farnham, Jamie; Caffrey, Carolyn

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121750 Copy

Description

Title

Examining our roots: The origins and evolution of outreach in academic libraries, 1958-2020

Author(s)

• White-Farnham, Jamie
• Caffrey, Carolyn

Issue Date

2023-09

Keyword(s)

• academic libraries
• outreach
• neoliberalism
• higher education
• history of outreach

Abstract

Analysis of historical milestones in the field of library studies reveals the changing values, purposes, and structures of outreach broadly construed within academic libraries. A timeline and narrative are presented that traces the effects of the national outlook on higher education from the mid-century to the current neoliberal reality on outreach milestones within the field, from 1958 to 2020. We contend that the present post-pandemic moment affords practitioners a chance to turn a critical eye toward the purpose and audience of outreach in order to re-orient our actions to reflect an original philosophy of outreach: inclusivity.

Series/Report Name or Number

Journal of Library Outreach and Engagement, vol. 3

Type of Resource

text

Language

eng

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21900/j.jloe.v3.1105

Copyright and License Information

• Copyright 2023 Jamie White-Farnham, Carolyn Caffrey
• This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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