Public Libraries and Marxism

<p><em>Public Libraries and Marxism</em> provides a Marxist analytical framework for understanding public libraries and presents a set of proposals for transforming the capitalist libraries of today. </p><p>Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of this Marxist framework, the authors also provide a critical examination of the history, theory and practice of libraries in the Soviet Union and North Korea. Considering what a Marxist library service would look like in the Western capitalist countries of today, Pateman and Pateman synthesise the insights provided throughout the book into a set of Marxist proposals designed to promote the transformation of contemporary Western public librarianship. These proposals suggest how Western public libraries can change their organisation and practices – their strategies, structures, systems and culture – in order to best serve those with the most needs, particularly as society evolves in response to new challenges.</p><p>Public Libraries and Marxism will be relevant for scholars and students of library and information science, history, politics and sociology. Outlining the rudiments of a Marxist library service that should be applicable around the world, the book will also appeal to library practitioners who want to develop libraries in a community-led and needs-based direction. </p> Acknowledgements; Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: The Marxist Interpretation of the Public Library; Chapter 3: V. I. Lenin and Soviet Socialist Public Library System; Chapter 4: Kim Il-Sung and Socialist Public Libraries in North Korea; Chapter 5: The Vanguard Library; Chapter 6: Conclusion; Index.