equity diversity and inclusion Archives | Page 26 of 47

Two participants at Denver Public Library's Community Learning Plazas create a monoprint on a traveling printing press studio.

Connecting Latinos with Libraries

By Ellyn Ruhlmann | May 19, 2014

Velez moved in with her brother, a US citizen, and at his suggestion enrolled in a free Spanish GED program offered at the Waukegan (Ill.) Public Library (WPL). She earned her degree in just a few months. Now Velez and her son serve as volunteer library promotores, helping other Latinos to take advantage of free … Continue reading Connecting Latinos with Libraries →

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

By Barbara K. Stripling | May 5, 2014

If you have heard me speak this year, then you’ve heard me repeat this often-quoted saying: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” I thought every library worker already had that mindset, that all of us want to change the lives of those we serve through our actions. How dismaying … Continue reading Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion →

Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros 2014

By Chris Francis | May 2, 2014

The holiday, now commonly known as Día, celebrates multicultural children’s books, reading, and education, with libraries holding reading events and play activities for young patrons. What may have been one of the wildest celebrations in the country took place at Joliet (Ill.) Public Library. Wildlife education center Big Run Wolf Ranch brought to the library … Continue reading Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros 2014 →

ALA Selects 10 Public Libraries for Community Engagement Training

By Mariam Pera | April 22, 2014

On April 22, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the names of 10 public libraries selected to participate in an 18-month community engagement training program as part of the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) Public Innovators Cohort. More than 80 libraries applied to be part of the cohort, which is part of ALA’s LTC initiative—a national plan … Continue reading ALA Selects 10 Public Libraries for Community Engagement Training →

Joint Statement from the Presidents of the Ethnic Caucuses of ALA (AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, REFORMA) and the American Library Association (ALA)

March 25, 2014

March 24, 2014 The values of diversity, equity, and inclusion form the foundation of the library profession and our professional associations. Those values have been challenged by the discriminatory enforcement of the “Stand Your Ground” law in Florida and the fact that ALA’s 2016 Annual Conference is scheduled for Orlando. The Executive Committee members of … Continue reading Joint Statement from the Presidents of the Ethnic Caucuses of ALA (AILA, APALA, BCALA, CALA, REFORMA) and the American Library Association (ALA) →

Women Making Library History

By Beverly Goldberg | March 25, 2014

During Women’s History Month, it’s become traditional to celebrate the contributions of deceased women to scholarship and society. American Libraries has certainly done its share of articles about historic library figures over the years such as Mary Letitia Jones and Sadie Peterson Delaney (PDF files). The Women of Library History tumblr has taken a refreshing approach … Continue reading Women Making Library History →

It’s Time to Act

By Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Casey Rawson | February 4, 2014

Often statistics tell a story that spurs us to action. Consider: Only 13% of African-American male 4th graders and 11% of African-American male 8th graders scored at or above proficient on national reading tests; Barely half of all African-American males graduate from high school, and only 5% go to college; Black male teens are eight … Continue reading It’s Time to Act →

Exploring Gender Issues in Tech Librarianship

By Mariam Pera | February 3, 2014

Do issues of gender and race matter in a predominantly white, female profession like librarianship? According to a panel at the LITA-sponsored “Challenges of Gender Issues in Technology Librarianship” on Sunday, the short answer is “Yes, they impact everyone.” Since technology is traditionally a male-dominated arena and librarianship is more female, the panel of tech … Continue reading Exploring Gender Issues in Tech Librarianship →

Fear of Flying

By Laurie D. Borman | January 8, 2014

Flying to Philly is the only thing I don’t look forward to when it comes to Midwinter. Flying is not pleasant business. The indignity of airport screening, waiting to board an overcrowded plane, jamming my carryon into the overstuffed bins. The sole redeeming feature of air travel is my 15 minutes of quiet reading because … Continue reading Fear of Flying →

Several libraries and nonprofits are making adaptive toys available for checkout to children with special needs. (Photo: National Lekotek Center)

Toy Libraries: A Place to Play

By Megan Cottrell | December 3, 2013

Eannel, then director of the children’s library, tapped the mom on the shoulder and told her she had something for her son. A short while later she brought out a Side-Lyer toy—a device made for children with special needs, with beads and lights that make sounds and vibrate when lightly touched. “Within a minute, he … Continue reading Toy Libraries: A Place to Play →

For Love of the Written Word

By Mary Mackay | November 20, 2013

The count is in: The official wrap-up last week of the 32nd Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) in the UAE reported that 900,000 visitors had browsed more than 400,000 titles on display in Sharjah’s Expo Centre, 150,000 UAE schoolchildren had participated in more than 500 interactive activities and workshops as part of class trips, and … Continue reading For Love of the Written Word →

The Toxic Middle

By Joseph Janes | October 7, 2013

Wasn’t it considerate of the folks in Chicago to arrange for that unexpected (and most welcome) stretch of lovely, clement weather? I was steeling myself for the typical onslaught, packing the sweater for icily over-air-conditioned meeting rooms, only to be greeted by blue skies and 70 degrees. And a couple million hockey fans. So I’m … Continue reading The Toxic Middle →

Latest Library Links

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Karin Greenberg writes: “There’s something about reciting a memorized poem that induces calm and shuts out the rest of the world for a few seconds. During National Poetry Month in April, I focused on this often forgotten activity. After putting together a display of poems by various poets, I posted them in a Canvas announcement titled ‘April Poetry Challenge.’ Most students who come into the library during lunch or free periods want to relax or do work. With the lure of a gift card, though, I got dozens of participants.”

Knowledge Quest, May 13
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Becky Spratford writes: “We are less than two weeks away from Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer. Summer Reading lists will start coming fast and furious, so best to get ready now. We know that some lists [such as those from Publishers Weekly] are meant to generate excitement about books that are coming soon, but the average reader does not understand that they are not out yet. If they see a book on a list, they expect you to have it. We need to be ready in a couple of key ways.”

RA For All, May 14
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Lisa Zhuang writes: “As a second-generation daughter of immigrants, I am often saddened by the stories that will be forever lost between my mother and me. Yet, as I grow as a reader and writer, I see the potential between the cracks: a chance to insert myself into my culture’s history. It is inevitable that myth will mutate with time. The right author will make the best of it. Below are eight works of fiction based on Asian folklore.”

Electric Lit, May 8
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Kara Arundel writes: “A newly issued federal rule to ensure web content and mobile apps are accessible for people with disabilities will require public K–12 and higher education institutions to do a thorough inventory of their digital materials to make sure they are in compliance, accessibility experts said. The update to regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, published April 24 by the US Department of Justice, calls for all state and local governments to verify that their web content—including mobile apps and social media postings—is accessible for those with vision, hearing, cognitive and manual dexterity disabilities.”

K–12 Dive, May 6
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Andrew Albanese writes: “Amid a three-year nationwide surge in book bans, 2024 began on a hopeful note for freedom-to-read advocates, with legal victories in book-banning lawsuits in Iowa, Florida, and Texas. But after some early successes, several cases are poised to enter a critical next phase. As the wheels of justice grind on, Publishers Weekly rounded up the status of some of the more closely watched book-banning suits.”

Publishers Weekly, May 10
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Tess Vrbin writes: “The Arkansas State Library Board on Friday voted down two motions to withhold state funding from public libraries that board member Jason Rapert put forth in his ongoing opposition to the presence of certain books on library shelves. Rapert reintroduced a motion he proposed at February’s board meeting to suspend funding for libraries suing the state [over the state’s 2023 obscenity law]. He also moved to withhold funds for ‘any library that allows unrestricted access to books or materials that contain sexually explicit, obscene or pornographic materials to minors,’” Both motions failed 6–1.

Arkansas Advocate, May 10, Feb. 9
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Jennifer Matthews and Ane Turner Johnson write: “A focus on digital resources requires careful consideration of library policies by policymakers to ensure that they reflect the university’s public mission and ensure the success of all students. At Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey, one such endeavor was to embark on this study to determine if our policies actually reflected the ways in which the student body used the library collection. Through a mixed-methods study, our team discovered that both continuing-generation and first-generation students primarily prefer print books for course materials.”

College & Research Libraries News, May

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