Access to information and social justice: pivotal values for a critical Knowledge Organization

This paper discusses the role of archives and libraries in promoting social justice and equitable access to information through the lens of Knowledge Organization (KO). It explores how critical and ethical perspectives, including socio-cognitive and epistemological approaches, reshape the organizational practices of these institutions, emphasizing their influence on broader societal narratives. By focusing on professional values such as access to information and social justice, the study highlights how archives and libraries can transcend their traditional roles as custodians of information to become active agents in fostering inclusivity and equity. The paper also underscores the importance of incorporating the ethics of care and critical theory as complementary frameworks to professional codes, fostering relational sensitivity and responsiveness to marginalized communities while challenging systems of oppression embedded in knowledge organization.