Assessing What We Wrote: A Review of the Libraries & Culture Literature Reviews, 1967-2002

Biennial literature reviews, somewhat rare in library and historical scholarship, have become integral to the scholarly apparatus of American library history since their inception in 1967. This essay surveys the history and structure of the reviews, tracing trends in our specialized culture and making observations about some of the more significant historiographical debates. The reviews illustrate transitions from institutional history to book culture, the rise of multiethnic and gender studies, and variations in theoretical frameworks. Suggestions for future directions appear in analyses of work by some of our most provocative and productive scholars.