Decolonizing the Public Library

John Pateman
Angela Meady

This title will be available Summer 2026. You may place an order and the item will be shipped when it becomes available. Customers outside of North America (USA and Canada) should contact Facet Publishing for purchasing information.

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$68.39
Price
$75.99
Item Number
978-1-78330-768-5
Published
2026
Publisher
Facet Publishing, UK
Pages
224
Width
6"
Height
9"
Format
Softcover

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  • Description
  • Table of Contents
  • About the authors

This practical guide is an essential read for librarians looking to learn more about how to decolonize their collection and library as a space.

Decolonizing the Public Library describes the main practical, methodological, and theoretical approaches to decolonizing public libraries. Using case studies and best practice from Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, the book provides a thorough understanding of the impact and legacy of imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism on the structure of the public library.

Through a discussion of the history and role of the public library as an agent of colonialism, this book explores how this paradigm can be reversed through decolonization, setting out anti-racism and decolonization strategies that can be practically applied to public libraries. Chapters cover

  • history and theory of racism, settler colonialism, and decolonization;
  • what decolonization means and how it can be applied to public libraries;
  • the impact and outcomes of decolonization, and how these can be measured;
  • how to respond to opposition to decolonization; and
  • practical tips and actions to implement decolonization in the library.

Introduction

Section One: Background and Theory

  1. Racism and Anti Racism
  2. Settler Colonialism
  3. Decolonisation

Section Two: Putting Ideas into Action

  1. The Needs Based Library
  2. Impact and Outcomes
  3. Resistance and Evaluation

Conclusion and Ways Forward

John Pateman

John Pateman worked in public libraries for over forty years in a number of different roles ranging from Library Assistant to Chief Librarian. He was Chief Librarian of three library systems in the UK: Hackney, a diverse inner London borough; Merton, a multicultural London suburb; and Lincolnshire, a large rural county. He was Chief Librarian and Chief Executive Officer at Thunder Bay Public Library. John was part of the UK Government Policy Group at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport that produced Libraries for All: Social Inclusion in Public Libraries – policy guidance for Local Authorities in England, October 1999. He was part of the research team which produced Open to All? The Public Library and Social Exclusion (2000), which influenced the Working Together Project (2004-2008) in Canada. John is on the editorial board of Open Shelf, the Ontario Library Association online journal, and contributes a regular column, 'Open to All?' that explores barriers to library use and how to reduce or remove them. He is the Director of the Cuban Libraries Solidarity Campaign and received the National Culture Award from the Cuban government for his work in support of Cuban libraries. John is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and a founding member and editorial collective member of Information for Social Change.

Angela Meady

Angela Meady was a librarian at the Thunder Bay Public Library, Canada for 37 years and has experience in a variety of fields, including work in corporate and academic libraries and archives. She received the staff-selected Award of Merit from the Thunder Bay Public Library and the Ontario Children's Librarian of the Year award for her advocacy for children and youth.