New books!
I was checking out my schedule the other day and saw that the required reading had been posted for some classes.
So, gift certificate in hand, I traipsed over to the enormous campus bookstore to search for my books. I picked up:
Developing Library and Information Center Collections,
Reducing Poverty, Building Peace,
Whose Reality Counts? Putting the First Last.
While I was waiting for my books (which were still unshelved and hiding in storage), another book caught my attention which I just had to get: The End of Poverty
I've already started into the poverty/peace book. I'm excited about the collection development title as well - though I imagine it's a bit more of a dry read.
I've actually been getting a little work done on the church library project. Just a little.
Still about a month and a half till school starts!
4 comments:
See, I'd say that Sachs' goals are off- and right on. I think there are different kinds of poverty. He wants to eliminate subsistance poverty, and I say, Right On! If by that he means barely enough to eat, and starving, then that's not the kind of poverty that is chosen.
But if he wants to eliminate all poverty, as his title suggests, then I can't think of worse idea. There's a reason that Jesus said, "The poor will always be among you." and not "The poor will always be with you." That word "among" is key- it is inbetwixt us, all around us, everywhere- we are the poor. Or at least are called to be. Chosen poverty is a powerful force indeed- a force allowing us to not only identify with the poor, but an inherent good, allowing us to fully depend on God for what we need, and see Him come through marvelously. That's the kind of poverty I want, and the kind that our Lord promises will always be present.
Hmm... I haven't read the book yet so I don't know what he says.
I think you're right that there will always be poor - people that choose that for one reason or another.
But I think there are enough resources in this world that there don't have to be as many poor as there are now. In some ways I think it's not just about ending poverty, but ending injustice.
I agree- the poverty of injustice should end. But I think it would be a sad thing if poverty in entirety ended. I think we should pursue poverty when we can- not absolute but relative poverty- for that is the only way we can fully, truly depend on God.
Interesting books for a masters in library science - but I assume that these are for the IDPM Certificate? These sound like the type of conversations we have here at work every week. What is poverty? I think until you change the mindset, the problem of poverty won't change. The victim mentality that so many in this country have is one of the stumbling blocks I see. If you define poverty as no access to health care, clean water, food, living in a war-torn country that has stripped all resources from the area where you live and you can't get out - then i would consider that poverty. But we have people in this country who would say they are poor - but who still have choices, just need to get off the couch and work for a better life. I won't say more cause you know this is my soapbox, but would be interested to see what you think of the books when you are done with them.
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