If librarianship is the connecting of people to ideas –…
““If librarianship is the connecting of people to ideas – and I believe that is the truest definition of what we do – it is crucial to remember that we must keep and make available, not just good ideas and noble ideas, but bad ideas, silly ideas, and yes, even dangerous or wicked ideas.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Librarians must preserve all ideas, even harmful ones, to protect intellectual freedom and encourage critical thinking.
In simple terms: Freedom of ideas includes bad and dangerous content.
Key Takeaway
Guard diverse ideas, even uncomfortable ones.
Themes
intellectual freedom
censorship
information access
responsibility
critical thinking
Mood
thoughtful
defensive
inquisitive
Type
Bad idea:1
Bad ideas:1
Good ideas:1
Ideas:1
Liberty:1
Librarian:1
Librarianship:1
Writer:0
People Ideas:0
Librarianship Connecting:0
Wicked Ideas:1
When to use this quote
- policy discussions
- education
- public discourse
- digital archiving
Key Concepts
ethics
library science
democracy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we decide which ideas are too dangerous?
- What safeguards protect against misuse?
A Different Perspective
Balancing safety with openness is challenging.