“Marked for Death? Challenges to the Humanities and Humanities Librarianship”

Co-Sponsored by the ACRL Literatures in English Section and the RUSA History Section

2024 ALA Annual Conference, San Diego, California

4-5pm June 29, 2024

A recent article in The New Yorker lamented the “end of the English major” and predicted trouble for the humanities in general. It pointed out that over the past decade, even when the economy was doing well, enrollments in humanities courses in the U.S. continued to decline, at least at most universities. On the other hand, the notion that the humanities are in crisis--and somehow "marked for death"--is certainly nothing new. 

As proponents of the humanities, the ACRL Literatures in English Section and the RUSA History section are seeking panelists for a session at the ALA 2024 Conference related to challenges to the humanities and humanities librarianship. Such challenges take many forms: the turn towards AI and quantitative studies, shrinking attention spans, and growing economic anxieties among students, for example. Others argue that “the humanities,” must be inclusively reimagined in order to be worth saving. How can libraries and humanities librarians respond to this real or imagined crisis? 

This session was organized by the LES Conference Planning Committee: Amy Barlow, Melissa E. Johnson, Julie Kane, and Mark Dahlquist (Chair and session moderator),  based on a survey sent to all members of ACRL-LES. This session is co-sponsored by the RUSA History Section.

Beyond the University: Using Community Outreach and Collaboration to Support History and the Humanities

Jennifer Hofer, History Librarian, University of Florida

Questions about the role and relevance of the humanities are nothing new, but increased polarization has led to unique challenges for the humanities in recent years. These challenges are not confined to higher education. K12 educators are forced to deal with changing standards and legislation that impact what and how they teach, while members of the public question the value of our work.

When it comes to confronting challenges to the humanities, there is a tendency to focus on what is happening on campus. By finding different ways to engage with our local communities, however, we gain new opportunities to show the relevance of humanities and gain new supporters for the work we do. We can help educators navigate these challenges and better prepare students for when they arrive at our institutions. Partnering with community organizations provides us with avenues for engaging with the public to demonstrate the importance and relevance of the humanities in public life.

In my proposed presentation, I plan to discuss the ways I have used my role as a history librarian to engage in community outreach in a state where the debates over the humanities are front and center. I will describe how I got involved in K12 social studies outreach and the forms that outreach has taken. I will also discuss how I have built partnerships with public libraries and community organizations to engage in public history in the community.

When the Humanities Met Civics

Nancy Kranich,Teaching Professor, Rutgers University

Nora Ephron situates her screenplays around people longing for relationships, each needing the other but unable to connect—a storyline she could have written about the civic engagement movement and the humanities. Although perfect for each other, their relationship echoes missed opportunities with hopeful reconciliations--difficult to consummate no matter how ideal the circumstances. Now, with democracy under siege and citizens struggling to transcend polarization and cynicism, Americans must co-create new ways to address the daunting issues that divide the nation. What role can libraries play in bringing these two key players—the humanities and civics--together to address the nation’s woes? Libraries—among the most trusted civic institutions—empower citizens and bring communities together by playing a catalytic role that renews civic life, builds collective knowledge, nurtures understanding and empathy, fosters partnerships, and shares leadership.

Since the birth of the “engaged campus” in the mid-1990s, higher education’s civic covenant has promised to galvanize the rebirth of American democracy. But the humanities have rarely connected with these institutional citizenship initiatives despite their essential role in re-instilling moral public scholarship into campus learning that cultivates the essential arts of citizenship and democracy. This presentation will provide opportunities for attendees to think together in search of ways for us to forge stronger relationships between the humanities and civic initiatives as we seek to equip 21st-century learners with the skills, attitudes and responsibilities for not only college and career, but also the third C—citizenship.

Integrating AI in the Humanities: A History Librarian's Reflections on Balancing Technology with Traditional Critical Thinking Skills

Ethan Lindsay, Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian, Wichita State University 

Humanities librarians have a pivotal role in addressing the challenges facing the humanities today by displaying their adeptness with emerging technologies like generative AI, while also underscoring the enduring value of traditional humanities disciplines in fostering critical thinking skills essential for evaluating AI-generated content. In my capacity as a history librarian at Wichita State University, I highlight the significant advantages offered by AI technologies, including their capacity for rapidly translating texts from languages such as Classical Chinese. At the same time, I also draw attention to potential drawbacks, such as the generation of fabricated facts by AI platforms like ChatGPT when queried on historical matters.

The relevance of traditional humanities disciplines, particularly History, is more pronounced than ever. These fields not only enhance our capacity for critical analysis but are indispensable for anyone looking to leverage AI to enhance their academic writing. The rigorous practice of writing and critical thinking, which lies at the heart of History as an academic pursuit, equips individuals with the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of using generative AI effectively. This proficiency is critical for ensuring that we remain discerning and reflective users of technology, capable of distinguishing between its potential benefits and limitations. Ultimately, it helps us to “be the human in the room” when using generative AI, a technology that can mesmerize, and even mislead, us with its slick production of stories, research questions, and translations.

How Libraries Can Help the Humanities Flourish by Fostering Interdisciplinarity

Laura Semrau, Humanities Librarian, Baylor University

If a college education is only about its return on investment, then yes: perhaps the humanities is “marked for death.” But if a college education holds the possibility of enriching oneself and others—through understanding historical contexts, appreciating the “giants” who have gone before us, and creating ever-more intricate works of ingenuity and beauty—then perhaps there is still hope for the humanities.

How can librarians help the humanities flourish?

Librarians can respond to this supposed crisis by fostering interdisciplinarity. We are well-positioned to inspire our students to think about cultural and historical contexts. For instance, at my institution I have recently worked with an Ecogothic literature class and a “History of Pandemics” class. Both of these humanities classes integrate questions of environment and science in ways that train students to think broadly, seeing the importance of learning from human interaction with their environments.

Academic libraries can develop partnerships that build bridges between traditionally siloed departments. They can initiate programming, provide spaces, and inspire interdisciplinary collaboration. Libraries serve as cross-pollinators, stimulating the growth that comes from the intersection of ideas.

Libraries breathe in the glorious tension between looking forward and back simultaneously: we have the privilege to preserve the written record (both print and digital), as well as the opportunity to leverage new tools for research and learning. Libraries that create spaces for innovation—from data science and makerspaces to art galleries and digital humanities—propel their communities to innovate, create, and explore.

Questions? Contact Mark Dahlquist