Equality in a democratic public library context: Rights,redistribution,and recognition

Abstract

Equality is a highly valued concept both in democratic societies at large and within the public library context. However, it is also an essentially contested concept that encompasses many—and sometimes conflicting—meanings. Within political philosophy, equality is a core concept alongside democracy, liberty, and justice, and the contested nature of these terms is well established. Moreover, critical theory commonly argues that conceptual contestation is an inherent element of broader power struggles. In contrast, Library and Information Science (LIS), despite being clearly inspired by critical theory, often treats concepts such as equality as if they had manifest and fixed meanings. The aim of this article is therefore to disentangle the central positions within LIS discussions on equality and to relate them to a broader theoretical framework drawn from political philosophy. The article divides equality into three “R’s”: Rights, Redistribution, and Recognition. Rights refer to numerical forms of formal equality, such as civil and political rights, and in a library context they are primarily associated with intellectual freedom. In both general society and libraries, there is extensive debate about who is included within these rights. Equality as redistribution holds that injustice is rooted in economic structures. The Nordic welfare states illustrate this form of redistribution clearly, with publicly funded libraries as an integral component. Additionally, specialized services for groups with particular needs can be understood as forms of economic redistribution. Finally, equality as recognition highlights that achieving substantive equality is not solely a matter of redistribution. The article distinguishes between affirmative and transformative recognition. In libraries, affirmative recognition can involve acknowledging differences in users’ preferences. In contrast, transformative recognition seeks to address and remove the underlying causes of inequality. In a library context, this may involve combating racism or taking explicit positions in support of marginalized groups.