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February 09, 2007
The Joint Conference of Librarians of Color
I've been meaning to share what I learned from the first Joint Conference of Librarians of Color which was held in Dallas from October 12-15, 2006. The Library's Diversity Committee has been working on sponsoring a brown bag to discuss the conference. It was a really great experience working on and participating in the conference. A Library Journal article gives a sample of the types of programs at the conference - "diversity in the workplace, cultural literacy, recruitment and retention, multicultural leadership, multicultural programs and materials, and equity of access."
I hope the recent "All Americans?" letter to the editor won't cast a shadow on the collaboration that took place. JCLC brought together individuals who feel passionate about diversity and want to help all types of libraries better serve the diverse needs of their communities. I believe this is reason why there was a strong representation of health sciences librarians, the NLM, and MLA at the conference. I look forward to the next JCLC and hope even more people will want to participate.
Posted by hlook at February 9, 2007 09:54 AM
Comments
I actually think the writer of the "All Americans?" letter did her cause more harm that good. There's a difference between inclusion and homogenization. I personally welcome the glimpses I get into other cultures when my friends and colleagues share information about their language, culture, religion, and of course, food. And the implied idea that because the founding fathers (I use the term advisedly) were Christians, all other religious faiths should stay out of sight and mind absolutely chilling. Should anyone have to discard a cross necklace, a yarmulke, or a head scarf to have government employment?
Thanks for sharing your report and inciting discussion. I'll look forward to the LDC brown bag event.
Posted by: janeblum at February 9, 2007 11:03 AM
There have been several comments posted in reaction to the letter of the editor. One of the posts is from ALA President-Elect who was here on campus last week. The JCLC Steering Committee has not issued an official response yet.
Posted by: hlook at February 12, 2007 02:01 PM
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