LIBRARY HISTORY WITHOUT WALLS - CLIOS DECALOGUE REVAMPD FOR THE UNTENURD

The neglect of library history is taken for granted, even if it is und eserved, and even if proposals have been regularly advanced for improv ing its status. One of the most prevalent salves proposed focuses on i nterdisciplinarity and publishing outside the field of librarianship. Few if any writers have address ed the problem of how the novice profe ssor with a genuine research interest in library history can meet the requirements of tenure by pursuing a low-status specially, endure the rigors and expense of historical research, and gain the respect of pee rs, while at the same time promoting the value of the subject outside the field. This article suggests that in order to survive as library h istorians and library educators, some of the conventional wisdom surro unding tenure tactics may need to be disregarded or modified.