UNESCO and the Globalization of the Public Library Idea, 1948 to 1965

Abstract

In the two decades following the end of the Second World War, the public library was promoted on a global scale by organizations such as UNESCO and the various librarians who worked with it. This article explores the global public library discourse that was shaped and promoted by UNESCO, placing this discourse within its historical context of the Cold War, decolonization, modernization, and internationalism. It also briefly examines some aspects of the work that UNESCO undertook to promote the public library in developing nations. While much of this work was well intentioned, global public library development was very much both a product and captive of its context. The work of UNESCO and the librarians who worked with the organization is a significant and fascinating chapter in library history that illuminates not only the evolution of library thought, but also illuminates the global work and thinking of international associations in the crucial decades of decolonization and the Cold War.

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