University academics condemn hiving-off of library books

University of Malta and Junior College lecturers have called for the discontinuation of the sectioning off of selected books from the University’s main library collection, including the Marquis de Sade’s Justine and Opus Dei founder Jose Maria d’Escrivà’s The Way Of The Cross.

“The current discussion on ‘hidden’ books at the University of Malta library is particularly worrying because it is disguised as a protective gesture, carried out by those who ‘care’ so much for the rest of us that they must filter the words we read and the images we look at,” the 26 academics wrote in the letter condemning the practice of keeping selected books in a special ‘cabinet’ within the University library.

FULL list of books sectioned from main collection

They include Prof. Kenneth Wain, Prof. Peter Mayo, Dr Carmen Sammut, Prof. Carmel Borg, and other senior lecturers.

The academics said it was an inversion of education to block intelligent debate by shrouding books in secrecy. “It attempts to repress the option of an educated decision – the decision to read a text or study photographs and reach one’s own conclusions about them rather than being spoon-fed a fixed, authoritarian judgement by someone else.”

The hived off books also included texts dealing with sexuality in art and performance, photography and religion. “The fact they are kept under lock and key within an academic institution like a university is disturbing not only because it implies that the flow of information reaching adults studying there is being regulated according to obscure criteria; but also because the expertise of academics, who actually order these titles for the library, is being undermined by hidden hands that make these books less accessible to their students,” the lecturers said.

They called the decision to isolate the books “patronising” and going “against the spirit of research” for imposing moral judgements instead of presenting arguments for or against ideas.  “The rather clandestine manner in which this has been carried out – without notifying concerned academics – is disrespectful towards them and their students. Such practices are not worthy of a serious educational, tertiary institution and should be discontinued with immediate effect.”

The lecturers who signed the letter are Noel Agius, Dr Andrew Azzopardi, Clare Azzopardi, Dr Ruth Bianco, Professor Carmel Borg, Mario Cardona, Dr Colin Calleja, Dr Mario Cassar, Dr John Chircop, Dr Marco Galea, Dr Simone Galea, Dr Albert Gatt, Dr Isabelle Gatt, Joseph Gravina, Michael Grech, Dr Ġorġ Mallia, Professor Peter Mayo, Dr Duncan Mercieca, Immanuel Mifsud, Dr Carmen Sammut, Dr Toni Sant, Dr Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci, Professor Ronald Sultana, Dr Raphael Vella, Professor Kenneth Wain, and Dr Clive Zammit.