For my dissertation project towards a Msc in Library Science at City, University of London I am looking for information and experiences of the following:
Section 28 of the Local Government Act (in force May 1988-November 2003) forbade local authorities from ‘promoting homosexuality’ as a viable lifestyle choice or family set up. This effected public libraries’ stock selection and provision over this period, the political panic leading to the Section 28 legislation in fact largely came from a scandal about the library availability of the book Jenny Lives With Eric and Martin, which depicted a girl Jenny living with her two gay dads. This was part of wider positive images provision in libraries in the early 1980s led by local government bodies such as the GLC and ILEA.
Similarly at the end of the GLC’s administration, Black History Month was established in local authorities (1987) to promote positive images of black culture, literature and history. Black History Month today is a big part of a library service’s calendar today, with events in boroughs such as Lambeth and Southwark attracting hundreds of attendees.
Section 11 local government funding gave councils the ability to programme specialist outreach for community minority groups, this made Ethnic Minority Librarians common in local areas from the 1970s onwards, providing library and information services specifically relevant to these local communities, often in their own language. Cuts to this funding at the turn of the decade in 1990 removed many of these posts and services.
There is some research and media on these topics, but little specifically focusing on library services. I am interested in hearing from library workers, residents, activists, or anyone who has memories or knowledge around these initiatives within libraries. I am looking for specific data on any Black History Month festivals held in local authorities over the years, so please email me any you have evidence of and also I am looking to find out which local authorities still programme full Black History Month programmes today. Also I am visiting many archives, national and local authority, any tip offs for where I can find materials are very welcome. Please email me colette.townend@city.ac.uk if you have any information.
I have produced a short survey that can be undertaken online here or can be downloaded as a Word document here, if you’d prefer to download and fill it in at your leisure and email it to me – colette.townend@city.ac.uk
Colette ~ Library Science 