#weneeddiversebooks and more

 

Dr. Debbie Reese of American Indians in Children’s Literature visited Hawaiʻi in March 2015 to offer the keynote lecture at the Hawaiʻi Association of School Librarians (HASL) Spring Conference. 

HASL Spring 2015 Conference Flier

During the HASL talk and at other sessions with school and public librarians and LIS students, Dr. Reese shared insights aligned with the #WeNeedDiverseBooks initiative. In particular, Reese discussed the misrepresentation of American Indians in children’s literature that obscures the diversity that exists across 566 federally recognized sovereign tribal nations. Read more about these issues here.

Mahalo nui loa Dr. Reese and all HASL conference organizers, speakers, and participants for sharing outstanding work.

via Twitter – #HASL2015 

midwinter wonders

little free library
http://littlefreelibrary.org

ten thousand or so librarians recently gathered for the american library association (ALA) midwinter meeting in chicago. along with wondrous wintery weather, we enjoyed many marvelous meetings. here are a few faves: 

day of diversity 

leading in times of crisis

youth media awards – look at some awesome award winners… 

…and check out more details on twitter (#alamw15) and other blog reviews. 

in addition to conference sessions, there were opportunities to explore local resources. que(e)ry librarians  sponsored a field trip to the leather archives and museum located in rogers park. archivist/collections librarian, Jakob VanLammeren, led us on a tour of this amazing organization, dedicated to the collection, preservation, study and interpretation of historical materials in all formats relating to the leather/levi and fetish lifestyles and communities. outstanding…!

que(e)ry librarians @ LA&M

alise conn@ct

The Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) celebrates 100 years in 2015! The annual conference in Chicago, emphasizing Reflections on Social Justice and Re-Imagining LIS Education, included a session featuring local organizations involved in social justice, which I was pleased to moderate. Participants discussed current issues and goals and considered possibilities for creating collaborative solutions with representatives from:

•Gerber/Hart Library and Archives – http://www.gerberhart.org

•Inspiration Corporation – http://www.inspirationcorp.org

•South Side Community Art Center – http://www.sscartcenter.org

•Teen Living Programs – http://www.tlpchicago.org

ALISE conn@ct participants – Lucas McKeever, Clara Chu, Skyla Hearn, Jason Gerig, Rae-Anne Montague, Jeri Linas

 

advocacy @ your library

hawai‘i library association (hla) was founded in 1922. it aims to:

• to promote library service and the profession in hawai‘i
• to promote the continued improvement of hawai‘i libraries
• to support hawai‘i librarians in their professional roles
• to promote the participation of hawai‘i librarians and libraries in regional, national, and global arena

several hundred librarians, library students, and others gathered for the fall conference in honolulu on december 5 & 6. the theme was advocacy – assessment, campaigns, coalitions, collaboration, communication, fundraising, outreach, social media, etc. 

american library association (ala) president courtney young started us off with a lively talk – and shared some of her conference experiences on twitter.

patty wong, yolo county librarian/archivist, gave the second keynote with 10 important ideas about advocacy. 

concurrent sessions offered participants an opportunity to actively explore many issues of interest including community engagement, consortia, hawaiian knowledge, instruction, makerspaces, and preservation. exhibitors showed off their products and library and information science (lis) students organized a silent auction to fundraise for scholarships! in between formal sessions, there was time to enjoy excellent food and catch up with friends. to close, we gathered in a circle to listen to auntie puanani burgess‘s inspiring words. mahalo nui loa organizers, presenters, and participants for an outstanding conference!

check out more photos on flickr. 

what is the hardest for some does not exist for others

brick walls: racism and other hard histories – dr. sara ahmed

http://vimeo.com/channels/837905/110952481

things are fluid if you’re going the way things are flowing.

via 14th Annual Critical Race and AntiColonial Studies Conference, Unsettling Conversations, Unmaking Racisms and Colonialisms, at the University of Alberta in Edmonton cohosted by the Centre for World Indigenous Knowledge & Research at Athabasca University, 18 October 2014. 

how lesbians invented the internet and other stories from toronto

 

On October 18, the University of Toronto Faculty of Information hosted Gender and Sexuality in Information Studies Colloquium. This event enabled lively discussion around many of the topics explored in the Feminist and Queer Information Studies Reader‘s 27 essays, which situate the field of Information Studies into critical conversation with studies of gender, sexuality, race, and technology. Here is an excerpt from the Colloquium description:

Perhaps more than any other discipline, information studies confronts the theoretical with the material. From the collections we build to the access tools we design to the histories we collect, catalog, and preserve, information studies theorists and practitioners are always engaged in the projects of making and being made.

Scholars presented on many exciting projects including The Circle of Lesbian Indexers, Feminist Porn, and Black LGBTQ Brilliance. Check out the full schedule here and learn more about what was shared via Twitter – #gsisc2014.

a queer library alliance for young people: using books with LGBTQ content

On June 6, my friend and colleague Thaddeus Andracki and I spoke about queer issues and materials—especially in libraries and especially relating to local issues in Hawai‘i at the Children’s Literature Hawai‘i Seventeenth Biennial Conference at Chaminade University in Honolulu.

Here’s the abstract describing the three areas we discussed:

We review options for selecting materials with Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (GLBTQ) content to support personal and community goals. We look at challenges to providing access to queer materials. Finally, we consider possibilities to develop collections and programming with GLBTQ content aligned with emerging needs of children and young adults. Presenters will offer ideas and incorporate examples to encourage participants to share knowledge and engage in open discussion throughout the session.

We were very pleased with participant engagement. More details including slides are available at Tad’s blog.

rae and tad sharing some favorite reads at children’s literature hawai’i conference 2014

LGBTQ Users SIG formed @ IFLA

In December 2013, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) approved the creation of an LGBTQ Users special interest group (SIG):

As part of our professional commitment to provide access to information, librarians are charged to support the full range of users’ informational needs including those of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) people. That said, substantial discussions of issues related to library services for LGBTQ community members have not taken place at IFLA. The LGBTQ Users SIG will address this gap in professional knowledge by offering opportunities to engage in discussions about this often-invisible user group. This SIG will enable librarians to consider topics including professional attitudes, outreach, privacy, programming, and effective practice in acquiring and collecting materials of importance to LGBTQ people and allies. This includes literature, academic texts, materials for LGBTQ youth and families, and other works that encourage thinking critically about issues of sexuality and gender identity. Dialogue to support librarians in addressing concerns raised about LGBTQ library services will also be encouraged within the SIG.

Lucas McKeever and I will co-convene the first meeting of this group later this year at the World Library and Information Congress in Lyon, France. More details and the CFP are posted here on the IFLA website.

March 2014 Update: Session details are now available.

August 2014 Update: Session program and photos from our first business meeting are now available. And Frédéric Malenfer sketched us!

IFLA LGBTQ Users SIG First Business Meeting Sketch by Frédéric Malenfer.

 

queer library alliance goes to school

I’m looking forward to co-presenting with Thaddeus Andracki, GSLIS student and Outreach and Communications Coordinator at the Center for Children’s Books, at the upcoming AASL national conference – in one (short) week!

Here’s the abstract:

This session includes three sections. Firstly, we review options for selecting materials with Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (GLBTQ) content to support curricular and personal goals. Secondly, we look at challenges to providing access to resources. Finally, we consider possibilities to develop collections and programming with GLBTQ content aligned with community needs. We will offer ideas and incorporate examples to encourage participants to share knowledge and engage in open discussion throughout the session.

Update:

Our presentation is available online (also as PDF) — including an excellent handout on non-fiction books prepared by Christine A. Jenkins and Michael Cart. There’s also an article about it in SLJ.

Here we were discussing some frightening non-recommendations: