Overview

Within the broader social and political landscape of civil rights, this book examines the life and career of librarian, educator and activist E.J Josey. During Josey’s professional life, which spanned fifty-five years, he worked as a librarian (1953-1966), an administrator of library services (1966-1986), and as a professor of library science (1986-1995). He also served as President of the American Library Association and is attributed for successfully drafting a resolution preventing state library associations from discriminating against librarians of color. This act is considered by many to have desegregated the American Library Association. Using interviews with Josey and his contemporaries, as well as documentary evidence, this book will discuss Josey’s leadership, particularly within modern day social currents. One question the book will seek to answer is: In what ways did Josey transform the Library and Information Science profession?     The publication will provide much interest and value to undergraduate and graduate Library and Information Science (LIS) students. It documents for the historical record a significant period of history that is underexplored in the scholarly literature. The target audience for this book are researchers, historians, LIS educators and students interested in understanding the complex struggle for civil and human rights in professional organizations.

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9781538121764

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Reviews

This is an inspiring and admirable work worthy of the remarkable, transformational library leader E. J. Josey. Chancellor candidly weaves in the systemic racism of America's story that created a librarian who through activism, advocacy, and empathy made a librarianship ethos of social justice ideals to benefit all.--Lorna Peterson, PhD, Emerita Associate Professor, University at Buffalo Chancellor's seminal research is an engaging treatise on E.J. Josey's transformational leadership in Library and Information Science (LIS) and beyond. She champions Josey's civil rights and social justice activism, scholarship and mentorship, especially to African Americans and marginalized groups. Chancellor's argument for his leadership as a blueprint for LIS is viable.--Marva L. DeLoach, PhD; retired Professor and Librarian; former Adjunct Professor at SJSU/SIS; co-editor with E.J. Josey, Handbook of Black Librarianship, 2nd ed. Dr. Chancellor uses primary sources to recount and interpret the life and times of one of the most important librarians and educators of the twentieth century. Her biography of E.J. Josey helps us understand his role as a social justice advocate whose leadership transformed libraries and library science education.--Cheryl Knott, Professor, School of Information, University of Arizona As one of the many people of color recruited to the profession and to the University of Pittsburgh twice by Dr. Elonnie Junius (E.J.) Josey, this book speaks to my heart. The foreword is beautifully written by his daughter, Amina Josey, and provides a view of Josey's life from his inner circle. Chancellor has captured the essence of Dr. Josey's legacy while revealing things most of us never knew: he played the organ, served in the segregated army, and majored in music at Howard University. Framed by his evolution as a transformational leader, and organized chronologically, Chancellor follows Josey's trajectory from his humble beginnings in Portsmouth, VA, throughout his career as a librarian, mentor, leader, scholar, and activist. It was from those humble beginnings in the segregated South, which made Josey the leader, mentor and librarian we know and fondly remember. It was indeed Josey's leadership that ultimately led to the integration of the ALA. Without his contributions and efforts, me, and so many others, would not be the librarians, mentors, and leaders we are today. E. J. Josey: Transformational Leader of the Modern Library Profession cements Josey's legacy to the profession and the broader higher education community.--Teresa Neely, Professor of Librarianship, Assessment Librarian, College of the University Libraries & Learning Sciences, University of New Mexico

Author Information

Renate Chancellor is Associate Professor of Library and Information Science at Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. She received her Master’s and Ph.D. in Information Studies from UCLA. Her research focuses on human information behavior, and social justice in Library and Information Science. She has published articles in journals including Journal of History and Culture, The Law Library Journal and the Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. Dr. Chancellor has also published articles on libraries as pivotal community spaces in times of crises, digital rights management and intellectual property rights law. As the head of the law librarianship program of study, she teaches several courses including but not limited to, Legal Research, The Information Professions in Society, Human Information Behavior, Oral History and Visions of Italy. Professionally active in the Association for Library and Information Science Education. (ALISE), the American Library Association (ALA) and several other professional library organizations, Dr. Chancellor is the recipient of the 2012 ALISE/Norman Horrocks Leadership Award and the 2014 ALISE Excellence in Teaching Award.

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