As a veteran of London Labour local authorities in the 1980s I think
there's a great deal of evidence that splitting up an organisation by
race, sex, etc etc ad infinitium, promotes the very sort of division and
discord that it claims to be against....so yes, I'm afraid historical
experience does makes me think that they are mutually exclusive.
But this sort of discussion surely should take place within the LA
structures, not on this list? There's the AGM this afternoon...that's
the place to raise this.
Tom Roper, Head of RCVS Library and Information Service
Tel (library): +44 (0)20 7222 2021
Direct line: +44 (0)20 7202 0721
Fax: +44 (0)20 7222 2004
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://www.rcvslibrary.org.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: A. Nutton [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 12:24
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Diverrsity Council
> These discussions are not "plotting and scheming". This is a valid
> discussion relevant to the library profession as a whole, and it
concerns
> our responsibility as a profession within wider society. I for one
would
> like this profession to acknowledge and discuss these issues, and
LIS-LINK
> is a very valuable resource for achieving this.
Thoroughly seconded!
> > If LA members really want a "Diversity Council", so be it...I think
most
> > of us would be more interested in developing professional unity...
You make it sound as though you feel the two are mutually exclusive aims
-
Is this what you intended, or an accident of the written word without
the
nuances of voice etc?
I would hope that any such council would embrace an all encompassing
'equal
opportunities' policy, covering all aspects of difference, not just a
limited list. Perhaps it would help if they made it explicit that their
remit was not limited to a fixed list of 'approved minorities'? The fact
that it may be possible for someone to 'disguise' their 'difference'
doesn't
make it right that they should have to.
Alice Nutton
Undergraduate Programme Librarian
University of Notre Dame London Centre
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