LHRT (Library History Round Table)

I am not a lesbian.

Yet I edited the well-reviewed collection of essay and lectures of Dorothy M. Broderick, co-founder of the Voice of Youth Advocates, which was a 40-year mainstay in advocating intellectual freedom for young people [Bernier, A., (2013). The wit and wisdom of Dorothy M. Broderick: The VOYA editorials and more. Bowie, MD. Kurdyla Publishing.] 

I am not a 17 year-old boy.

Yet that fact has not prevented me from studying, critiquing, writing about, and teaching the institutional anti-youth antagonism of library history.

Professor Wiegand is not black. But that did not prevent him from producing a series of highly regarded history monographs documenting the profession's complicity in institutional and professional racism – which, by the way, is also as much about whiteness as anything. 

The Libraries: Culture, History, and Society current notion that intellectual and scholarly rigor is incapable of contributing to historiographic analysis, based entirely on identity, is ridiculous and dangerous. 

The defense of historical analysis rooted in primary sources, historiographic debate, and the critical application of scholarly methods does not, however, obviate the need for nor the value of professionals sharing stories about experience and practice. Both contribute value to our understanding and appreciation of library history. But they contribute different things as I argued in an article I published in the journal's 7^th volume. [September 2023). LHRT's two communities. Libraries: Culture, History, and Society 7, no. 2., pages 176-180.]

If the journal is to survive it must not revere and celebrate one approach while devaluing the other.

~Anthony Bernier, Professor, San Jose State University 

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Anthony Bernier
Professor
San Jose State University
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Over recent years LHRT recognitions (Holley Lecture, Awards) have recognized a diversity of speakers/authors.

The Edward G. Holley Memorial Lecture, established in memory of Holley is held at the American Library Association Conference. The endowment fundraising for the lecture began with contribution of royalties by Wayne Wiegand from his book, Irrepressible Reformer: A Biography of Melvil Dewey.

LHRT Awards 

LHRT gives several awards. These are not all up-to-date on ALA LHRT website but some tables of honorees are in Wikipedia.

• The Justin Winsor Prize is awarded for the year's best library history essay.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Winsor_Prize_(library)
• The Donald G. Davis Article Award is presented biannually to recognize the best article written in English in the field of library history in the last two years. 
• The Eliza Atkins Gleason Book Award is presented every third year to recognize the best book written in English in the field of library history, including the history of libraries, librarianship, and book culture.
• Phyllis Dain Library History Dissertation Award recognizes outstanding dissertations in English in the general area of library history. It was first awarded in 1991.

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Kathleen de la Peña McCook
Distinguished University Professor
School of Information
University of South Florida
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Original Message:
Sent: Oct 03, 2025 05:04 PM
From: Anthony Bernier
Subject: Joining Dr. Wiegand's Open Letter to _Libraries: Culture, History, and Society_

I am not a lesbian.

Yet I edited the well-reviewed collection of essay and lectures of Dorothy M. Broderick, co-founder of the Voice of Youth Advocates, which was a 40-year mainstay in advocating intellectual freedom for young people [Bernier, A., (2013). The wit and wisdom of Dorothy M. Broderick: The VOYA editorials and more. Bowie, MD. Kurdyla Publishing.] 

I am not a 17 year-old boy.

Yet that fact has not prevented me from studying, critiquing, writing about, and teaching the institutional anti-youth antagonism of library history.

Professor Wiegand is not black. But that did not prevent him from producing a series of highly regarded history monographs documenting the profession's complicity in institutional and professional racism – which, by the way, is also as much about whiteness as anything. 

The Libraries: Culture, History, and Society current notion that intellectual and scholarly rigor is incapable of contributing to historiographic analysis, based entirely on identity, is ridiculous and dangerous. 

The defense of historical analysis rooted in primary sources, historiographic debate, and the critical application of scholarly methods does not, however, obviate the need for nor the value of professionals sharing stories about experience and practice. Both contribute value to our understanding and appreciation of library history. But they contribute different things as I argued in an article I published in the journal's 7^th volume. [September 2023). LHRT's two communities. Libraries: Culture, History, and Society 7, no. 2., pages 176-180.]

If the journal is to survive it must not revere and celebrate one approach while devaluing the other.

~Anthony Bernier, Professor, San Jose State University 

------------------------------
Anthony Bernier
Professor
San Jose State University
------------------------------