[Libs-Or] Diversity and Social Justice in Libraries - where next?

[Robert Schroeder]

Elizabeth Rivera was just asking if there were other places in Oregon to
have these interesting and needed discussions. I'd suggest the OLA
Conference for one. Perhaps folks could get some panels and presentations
on topics that would take a look at our libraries form critical
perspectives - I'm thinking here of critical theory, feminist theory, queer
theory, critical race theory, or post-colonial theory.

I might also suggest that the OLA's Social Responsibility Task Force might
begin to organize? About a year ago Tracie Kreighbaum emailed me and said
that the OLA SRTF was organizing and we were thinking of co-leading it.
Unfortunately Tracie left the state for another postilion.and so we never
got the task force up and running. I'd still be up for co-chairing this
group - does anyone know who at OLA might know how to get this going? If so
let me know.

For what it's worth nationally there is a Social Responsibility Round Table
of ALA ( http://www.ala.org/srrt/home)  plus a group called the Progressive
Librarians Guild ( http://www.progressivelibrariansguild.org/)that
regularly engage with these issues. The Library Juice Press* (and Litwan
press)  http://libraryjuicepress.com/ is publishing more and more books
that tend to interrupt the grand, positivist narrative of
librarianship.They may be of interest too.

- Bob Schroeder

* Full disclosure - I have a book coming out soon with them (called *Critical
Journeys: How 14 Librarians Came to Embrace Critical Practices*). I
interview 14 librarians who are engaged with social justice issues in
libraries or who are using the critical theories I mention above to inform
their practices.

-- 
Sent from my iToaster Oven


 _________________________________________________________
 Robert Schroeder
 Education Librarian,
 Associate Professor
 Portland State University

 503 725 4519
 schroedr at pdx.edu
 Room 280F Millar Library
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