Introduction: Gender Issues in Information Needs and Services

摘要

Are gender issues in information needs and services really a "trend" worthy of examination in the first decade of the twenty-first century? Isn't this a passe topic? Aren't we well into the "post-feminist" era? As the editors of this issue, we answer these questions with a resounding "no!" Although North American society has made enormous strides in the past half-century, we have yet to reach true equality between men and women. Libraries and information workers continue to operate in a social environment where information needs and services are affected by gender and gender politics.rnStarting in the late 1960s, librarianship as a profession embraced second-wave feminism and its principles and responded creatively on many fronts. "Equal pay for equal worth" became a rallying cry for all the female-intensive professions, including librarianship. The mentoring, promotion, and retention of women in top leadership positions became a priority for many libraries and for the major professional associations as well.