Tay Wiles. Public Pushback: Arivaca, Arizona, Became a Magnet for Anti-Anti-Immigrant Activists Locals Wouldn’t Have It. High Country News, May 27, 2019, p. 12-17.
This time, the townspeople called in outside support: They invited Jess Campbell to the meeting. Campbell works for the nonprofit Rural Organizing Project in Oregon, which helps communities organize around issues ranging from defunded libraries to hate crimes and far right extremism.
COMMENT
The border town of Arivaca is dealing with the nuisance of out-of-town, self-appointed anti-immigrant militias. The non-profit that is helping with the situation has a mission of advancing democracy, including preventing the loss of rural libraries.
Librarians themselves have not always understood that reductionist access to information is not the sole function of a library. Sociologists have identified libraries as part of a social infrastructure that creates strong, resilient communities. The activists know this and recognize libraries as community centers. They suggest that members can "partner with local schools, libraries or historical museums to reach your entire community." This suggestion also suggests that there may not be another source of community information, possibly when small, rural communities may exist in a news desert.
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