Introduction

This chapter captures an ongoing professional debate which has been running since the Library Association was established in the late 19th century and asks the question: ‘should public libraries be focused on equity or excellence?’ This debate goes to the very heart of the battle of ideas in public libraries: should the priority be upholding standards of professional excellence or should it be meeting the needs of all sections of the community? The debate was reignited by two key publications. In 2007 Bob Usherwood published Equity and Excellence in Public Libraries: Why Ignorance Is Not Our Heritage, in which he argued that too many public librarians avoid making value judgements when selecting stock and deciding service priorities. As a result, they are failing to counteract the current culture of ignorance and the dangers it brings. In 2010, John Vincent and I published Public Libraries and Social Justice as a direct response to Equity and Excellence. We suggested that it was better to compromise on high professional standards so that libraries could truly be open to all.

Ignorance is not our heritage

Equity and Excellence in the Public Library is an important contribution to a vital professional debate by one of the UK's leading scholars in the field. Usherwood examines and discusses how library professionals can meet the demands of policy makers to open up the public library system without destroying its values. Based on a critical literature review, a survey of library professionals and consultations with other stakeholders, in his book he discusses the challenges involved in providing a service that prioritises equity and social inclusion while at the same time attempting to promote and maintain quality, excellence and ethical standards.