SLO 1, ARTIFACT 1: Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Link to the document: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf
I chose to include this here because I think it is sometimes easy to focus on the microcosm of one's own community and profession without considering how one's actions fit into a larger global picture. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds me that what librarians do here in the U.S. is part of a larger struggle for human rights around the world. The Declaration mentions two topics that relate to ALA's Core Values, intellectual freedom and education. It also acknowledges human diversity by stressing the right of people to live free of persecution regardless of their cultural beliefs.
I had heard of this document before beginning the MLIS program but had not read it. I was surprised and moved by the simplicity of its language, which, to me, underscores the fundamental nature of the freedoms it addresses. Before reading this document, I would not necessarily have thought of codifying some of the rights and ideals that it mentions, such as “the right to rest and leisure” or the notion that “[e]ducation shall be directed to the full development of the human personality.” The gendered language of the declaration reminds me of how much has changed since it was penned in 1948; the longevity and continued relevance of it remind me of how much has stayed the same. People still need to feel valued and safe. They need hope, and they need to know that they have a future in this world.
This document will be especially important to me in my work with marginalized populations because so many of the rights mentioned in it are rights that marginalized individuals do not have. I will keep this document in my workspace, along with the ALA Core Values and Code of Ethics, and refer to it often. It serves as a reminder to me of what I should be fighting for every day as a professional and as a human being - not just for people to have access to library services, but for the rights of all people to live decently and with dignity.
Link to the document: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/eng.pdf
I chose to include this here because I think it is sometimes easy to focus on the microcosm of one's own community and profession without considering how one's actions fit into a larger global picture. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds me that what librarians do here in the U.S. is part of a larger struggle for human rights around the world. The Declaration mentions two topics that relate to ALA's Core Values, intellectual freedom and education. It also acknowledges human diversity by stressing the right of people to live free of persecution regardless of their cultural beliefs.
I had heard of this document before beginning the MLIS program but had not read it. I was surprised and moved by the simplicity of its language, which, to me, underscores the fundamental nature of the freedoms it addresses. Before reading this document, I would not necessarily have thought of codifying some of the rights and ideals that it mentions, such as “the right to rest and leisure” or the notion that “[e]ducation shall be directed to the full development of the human personality.” The gendered language of the declaration reminds me of how much has changed since it was penned in 1948; the longevity and continued relevance of it remind me of how much has stayed the same. People still need to feel valued and safe. They need hope, and they need to know that they have a future in this world.
This document will be especially important to me in my work with marginalized populations because so many of the rights mentioned in it are rights that marginalized individuals do not have. I will keep this document in my workspace, along with the ALA Core Values and Code of Ethics, and refer to it often. It serves as a reminder to me of what I should be fighting for every day as a professional and as a human being - not just for people to have access to library services, but for the rights of all people to live decently and with dignity.