Embracing inclusion: the critical role of the library
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120010347955 |
| Pages | 483-491 |
| Published date | 01 December 2000 |
| Date | 01 December 2000 |
| Author | Briony Train,Pete Dalton,Judith Elkin |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Embracing inclusion: the
critical role of the library
Briony Train
Pete Dalton and
Judith Elkin
1. Introduction: defining the problem
Prior to the previous decade, governmental or
academic discussion of disadvantaged people
and deprived communities tended to consider
only those victims of economic poverty.
During the mid-1990s, and with the election
of the new Labour Government in 1997,
evidence emerged of a revised focus of
government concern: it became more
appropriate to consider social as well as
material poverty, and this broadening of the
concept led to many more factors being
identified which might contribute to exclusion
or marginalisation, for example:
.ethnic origin;
.gender;
.sexuality;
.physical or mental disability;
.educational attainment;
.employment status; and
.economic status.
In December 1997, the Government,
reflecting these revised priorities, established
a Social Exclusion Unit with the specific aim
of improving and promoting action in this
field. A year later, the unit published a report
entitled Bringing Britain Together: A National
Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal, following
which 18 Policy Action Teams (PATs) were
established in order to develop and promote
policies related to social exclusion (Social
Exclusion Unit, 1998). These teams were
managed by staff from government
departments and organisations with
experience of tackling social exclusion,
namely, the probation service, housing, the
police, local authorities, the voluntary and the
corporate sectors. Earlier this year, all teams
reported their findings to the Government,
and their recommendations have been drawn
into a clear framework, the National Strategy
for Neighbourhood Renewal (Social Exclusion
Unit, 2000).
In addition to the work of the Social
Exclusion Unit, the Government has
successfully introduced and maintained a
wide range of local, regional and national
initiatives, such as homework clubs, lifelong
learning programmes and school Literacy
The authors
Briony Train is Research Associate in reader
development in the Centre for Information Research,
Pete Dalton is Deputy Director of the Centre for
Information Research, Judith Elkin is Dean of the Faculty
of Computing, Information and English, all at the
University of Central England in Birmingham,
Birmingham, UK.
Keywords
Public libraries, Young people, Library services,
Positive action, Social responsibility
Abstract
Social inclusion is high on the Government's agenda but
the role of public libraries in this area has not always been
clearly defined. This paper first examines the issue of
social exclusion, attempting to define the inclusive
society. Drawing on recent work by the Library and
Information Commission (2000), it then proposes that
research conducted by the University of Central England ±
A Place for Children
and
The Value and Impact of
Homework Clubs in Public Libraries
± demonstrates the
capacity of the public library service to combat the
exclusion of the child from society, by enabling access to
the adult world. The paper concludes that the public
library service supports the educational, social and
cultural development of all citizens, indeed that it is the
essence of inclusion. Public libraries must therefore be
integrated into the infrastructure for inclusion, and
recommendations towards this end are made.
Electronic access
The research register for this journal is available at
http://www.mcbup.com/research_registers/lm.asp
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is
available at
http://www.emerald-library.com The authors would like to thank the members of
the LIC brainstorming group, Pete Dalton,
Professor Judith Elkin, Margaret Haines,
Grace Kempster OBE, Dr Bob McKee and
Dr Sandra Ward.
483
Library Management
Volume 21 .Number 9 .2000 .pp. 483±490
#MCB University Press .ISSN 0143-5124
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