"Public Library as Dependent Variable" by Robert Williams

After reading the article and understanding the title, I was not convinced that the idea of the dependent variable should have been in the title of this article at all. The only area I believe the idea of independence versus dependence was mentioned was in the last page of the article, and only passingly. What I found most interesting was that while the author certainly has great points about the lack of true “theory” involving the origins of libraries in America, he offers no alternative. Yes, he has done some research for the article, (such as reading and analyzing the offered explanations for library origins) but he does not offer up any of his own research as a solution. So, it seems to me that the main point of this article was to point out the flaws in other people’s research but not offer an alternative that could also be criticized. If the text published by Robert Williams had been an introductory exposition on the problem of library research and theory and was then followed by his own paper on a more correct theory of library formation including the “why” of the theory, it would have been completely acceptable and commendable that he wrote so much to inform and prepare his reader.

Concerning the actual criticism of the different theories, I believe he was correct in most of his assertions. I agree that the democratic tradition theory seems all too willing to continue the myth of a truly democratic process in American history, and reinforce what people are most willing to believe about their own nation’s narrative. The criticism of the social control theory I also thought was commendable just because we had read a part of what Jesse Shera had to offer as far as scholarship, and while in a previous blog I seemed to subscribe to his theory, it is correct that the actual evidence behind this theory is lacking. I wanted to subscribe to it simply because of my personal outlook on the wealthy and privileged, not because Shera had outstanding evidence. I’m not sure anything like a clear primary source will ever be found because this theory balances on the intent, which is usually difficult to prove.