Joint Conferenece of Librarians of Color 2006, 10/12-15/06

Thursday, October 12
InQUEERY, or Out of the Stacks	Dealt with two genres of LGBT fiction: mysteries and children’s books. Both gave comprehensive histories. A couple of wonderful things about the program: the presenters really loved what they were talking about. They obviously loved the books, and the history of the books and both of them considered the books part of the broader genre rather than a special category. Further, talked about how he believed the mention of LGBT issues should be seamless in books. That is, it should not be “it’s so strange that Donnie has two mommies!” but instead, it should be about the family unit and the love they have for each other, the love that is the same regardless of sexual orientation or gender.
The Lines of Color Aren’t Always Clear	Talked about the issues multiethnic people deal with in general and in libraries. Gave an overview and history of resources for and about multiethnic people. The speaker talked about how multiracial issues are going to be coming to the forefront because of changes in society. I also admired that she didn’t just go through a dry list of print resources, she also searched the Web and “Web 2.0” (a term I was so weirded out by I had been avoiding looking it up for months) and she provided links to YouTube video podcasts and Myspace groups.
Opening Reception at Dallas Public Library http://dallaslibrary.org	Before the reception began, Stefani, Maria and I snuck upstairs to the Children’s room. It wasn’t a room, it was a floor! There was a stage and an entertainment room, imaginatively decorated bookshelves. It really was a world they had created for children and their loved ones. They also has some great programs going on—I loved reading the contestants from the Youth Poetry Competion http://dallaslibrary.org/PoetryCompetition/poetry2006.htm I didn’t stay long at the reception; it was great seeing Dr. Caldwell acknowledged for her work, and getting to hear her speak (maybe we can post the poem she read here?) I also spent a little more time than I should have drooling over their archives floor—they have a Shakespeare folio in its own room!
Friday, October 13
Diversity in Librarianship: Recruiting and Retaining Students/Librarians of Color	Much like Dr. Havener’s program, this was about the results of a specific program trying to recruit people of color into the library profession. They created a really interesting chart by ethnic group, showing which aspects of recruitment each group they surveyed found necessary/appealing. I would have been interested to see a cross section of groups that connected the groups. Single mothers? People paid their way through undergrad versus those who didn’t? How much of recruitment is culture and how much is experience?
LGBT People of Color Resources and Services in Libraries and Archives	I only caught the tail end of this but I got some great articles that they handed out (one about the position of LGBT members in the ethnic caucuses), and I was lucky to be around for the group discussion afterwards. The presentation when I got in centered around academic libraries and creating safe spaces for LGBT students in a university community. A woman from a traditionally black college was asking about how she might get an LGBT group started on campus—not an easy task given the environment around her.
A World of Learning: “Culture Shock” Theories and Information Literacy	This was Dr. Gilton’s Lecture on Culture Shock in the Library. I to show my support and stayed for a while longer than I intended listening to all of the interesting information she had compiled!
Donors and Donations: Collection Development at the Kinsey Institute Library	Although this program was not necessarily about people of color, it was certainly about diversity! The director of the Kinsey Institute Library talked about the structure of her library and they way collection development works there. My favorite part was when she told us one of her most valuable patrons/contributors had called her the “guardian of the unspeakable.” I think the issue of race—which so often goes unspoken—has siblings in other aspects of life, the world of sex and gender most certainly being one of them. Correspondingly, I think the purpose of fighting for diversity is to give the unspoken a voice.
Recruitment and Retention: Preparing Librarians of Color	Dr. Havener, Lesya, and I presented! It was pretty exciting, but also nerve-racking. The audience seemed very engaged, which was great. Thanks to my fellow scholars who were there to show support!
Saturday, October 14
The Best Library Programming Ideas in the Nation/ Tim Tingle Storytelling/Exhibits	I heard this had been happening a lot, sometimes presenters just weren’t showing up at their programs. So when(ironically) the Best Library Programming Ideas presenter didn’t show up after 20 minutes or so, I went downstairs to hear Tim Tingle tell a story and cruise the exhibits. Tim Tingle was excellent. What I really appreciated about his story was that it wasn’t just a tale of the Choctaws; it was a tale of his people interacting with others. He’s a magnificent storyteller.
Latino Information Literacy: Models for Success	This was one of the most enjoyable sessions for me. The people who spoke really loved what they did and had great perspectives. They talked about information literacy for Hispanic students who have just arrived in the US, information literacy for ethnic study departments, and the person who had organized the program gave a great background on what work has been done on this.
Sunday, October 15
Moving Forward: Instruction and Diversity	This was a wonderful, small, roundtable discussion between librarians talking about library instruction and diversity on the whole. The moderator offered well thought out questions about where we came from as a profession and where we are going. People had questions and ideas of their own as well. I think it’s pretty obvious we’ve got a long way to go, but we are coming up with strategies. I think, overwhelmingly what I’m hearing is that collaboration with outside organizations is essential for strengthening a library’s focus on diverse populations.