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1 – 10 of over 1000The purpose of this study is to document and compare the extent of book collections on the topic of the Taliban in selected academic libraries in New York and New Jersey, the New…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to document and compare the extent of book collections on the topic of the Taliban in selected academic libraries in New York and New Jersey, the New York Public Library and the military academy at West Point.
Design/methodology/approach
Books on the Taliban were chosen as an index of the Afghanistan war since the Taliban are its major defining element. WorldCat was searched (www.worldcat.org) using the following criteria: “kw: taliban” > “English” > “Non‐Fiction” > “Non‐Juvenile”. In total 1,668 titles were found. Duplicates were eliminated, as were theses, government publications, ephemera and other items. Closely related titles were amalgamated. Only works that had “Taliban” in the title or subtitle were chosen from the cumulative groups above, resulting in a total of 83 titles.
Findings
Only two libraries crossed 50 percent of the “core” collection of 83 titles. A total of 27 percent of the 83 titles (n=22) were not held by any library, and only seven books were in all libraries. New York Public Library topped the modest rankings and scored above the academic libraries and West Point. West Point ranked last by a big margin (29 points). New York Public Library scored better than all the academic libraries with 49 percent of the 83 titles, followed closely by Columbia University with 46 percent. There was an eight‐point drop to 38 percent for New York University, which modestly outpointed the 35 percent for Princeton.
Research limitations/implications
A possible research limitation is that the degree of library holdings may not reflect the low level of engagement by the public, academia and military in the ongoing wars.
Social implications
The research may indicate a low priority by collection development librarians in public libraries and in the libraries of academic and military colleges to develop a comprehensive collection of material on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The paper argues that more extensive collections should be built despite the media and the general population's antipathy to the war. A comprehensive collection for students, scholars, the public and the next generation of officers about a contemporary war which has profound financial, political and military sequelae should be a priority for collection‐building librarians.
Originality/value
The low holdings of books on the Taliban, and hence the war in Afghanistan, in public and academic libraries and the library of West Point may reflect the low level of interest of the US population in the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq (and Libya).
Details
Keywords
However, a Taliban spokesman also denounced the meeting and its message. The movement has yet to respond to government appeals for talks, partly because several Taliban factions…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB235212
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
A nascent peace process taking shape since February has so far led to diplomatic contacts and a brief ceasefire. Fighting on the ground is not in itself an indicator of Taliban…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB236767
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The Taliban will exploit the White House's desire to withdraw from Afghanistan at almost any cost, including the imposition of defective political solutions. Taliban leader Mullah…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB251685
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Opposition is growing in several non-Pashtun areas, spurred by heavy-handed Taliban governance, but these groups are fragmented and many of the old warlords now reside abroad…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB268219
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The promise is in line with the Taliban's commitment to act against foreign terrorists in Afghanistan, or at least stop them harming the outside world. The current Taliban…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB263960
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Al-Qaida's future in Afghanistan.
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB247658
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
In 2022, the community’s Ashura observances passed off relatively smoothly under Taliban protection. The Taliban said this year that restrictions were necessary to ensure security…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB281357
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Three al-Qaida members were reportedly killed in Ghazni province on August 6, again by a missile fired from a US unmanned aerial vehicle. At a time when the Taliban government was…