Small Anarchies: Libraries and Confrontation

by Stefany Merkelbach

Noun: disorder; the disruption of peaceful and law-abiding behavior.Similar: unrest, disturbance, disruption, upheaval, rebellion, lawlessness, anarchy

verb: disorder; 3rd person present: disorders; past tense: disordered; past participle: disordered; gerund or present participle: disordering ("Disorder", n.d.)

Libraries—or more broadly—information spaces have historically been built around the organization of information. It is as the basis of their purpose, imbedded in the most widely accepted definitions: 

"A library is a collection of resources in a variety of formats that is (1) organized by information professionals or other experts who (2) provide convenient physical, digital, bibliographic, or intellectual access and (3) offer targeted services and programs (4) with the mission of educating, informing, or entertaining a variety of audiences (5) and the goal of stimulating individual learning and advancing society as a whole. (Eberhart, 2010, p. 1)" 

“Library -- from the Latin liber, meaning "book." In Greek and the Romance languages, the corresponding term is bibliotheca. A collection or group of collections of books and/or other print or nonprint materials organized and maintained for use (reading, consultation, study, research, etc.). Institutional libraries, organized to facilitate access by a specific clientele, are staffed by librarians and other personnel trained to provide services to meet user needs…(ODLIS)” (LibGuides: Definition of a Library: General Definition, 2022)

However, through collaborating with and learning from my fellow Fridays in May participants, coordinators, and the institutions we visited, I believe that information spaces not only allow, but support disorder. Disruption. Upheaval. Resistance. Libraries and information spaces, through their transformative history, have moved away from the limits of organization and have embraced their ability to resist—and in turn—disorganize.

And it is through the following collages that I hope to explore, reflect, and reinforce the many forms of disorder within information spaces.