Cronin, B (2002). What a library is not. Library Journal v.127 (19), p. 46

Cronin, B (2002). What a library is not. Library Journal v.127 (19), p. 46

This short article is not research, but is rather an opinion piece that posits that libraries are not places that should be offering anything beyond very traditional library services. The author provides a definition of a library from a dictionary that he then goes on to agree with and argues against any other roles for libraries. The definition he uses is:  "a place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference materials...are kept for use but not for sale." He states that this definition is non-contentious. He goes on to elaborate in some strong language what a library is not: "A library is not a community masturbation center. A library is not a porn parlor. A library is not a refuge for the homeless. A library is not a place in which to defecate, fornicate, or micturate. A library is not a bathing facility. A library is not a dumping ground for latch-key children." He is not really being deliberately provocative - just stating his views, although he does say that he knows the reader may "find these statements distasteful", he doesn't really care if he offends. 

The brief article reads like a reactionary, old-thinking man writing like a vigilante who is keen to offend. However, it is interesting to find a contrary argument to the role of libraries as places of psychosocial support. This element was written into Wahler (2020) also reviewed in this blog and seems to be able to underpin any argument that libraries have no role in the psychosocial care of users. 

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