[Libs-Or] The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion issue of the OLA Quarterly is now available! Guest Editor: Elaine Hirsch

Sat Nov 2 07:24:42 PDT 2019

[Forward from Dr. Reese.]

Good afternoon,

I asked ALA if they could make my Arbuthnot lecture available to the
public. It was behind a paywall for Children and Libraries. They said ok.
If you want to download it, it is available for a few days:

https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/7101/9662

In this reply I removed the address for the Oregon listserv because I'm not
a member of the association. If someone on this email would share the link
with the listserv, I would appreciate it.

One thing I find very troubling about McNeil's article is that its tone is
a mockery of a serious subject, undertaken seriously by a lot of Native and
People of Color. Others, too, like the librarians at Reading While White.
Maybe the tone was meant to provide comfort to readers who share the point
of view that I and others are a problem for writing as we do. For thinking
as we do. For speaking, as we do.

As I noted on Twitter, I am not personally or professionally stung by
McNeil's words but I am worried about the impact they have on other
librarians. Are they emboldened by what she said? Do they serve Native
children? How? They are, after all, why any of us are here today talking
about that article. We work with and care for, children.

Debbie
_____________________________________

Debbie Reese, Ph.D.
Tribally enrolled: Nambé Pueblo

Publisher of American Indians in Children's Literature
<http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.net/>
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/debreese
Email: dreese.nambe at gmail.com

On Sat, Nov 2, 2019 at 3:43 AM Danielle Jones <
jones.danielle.jones at gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks Meredith for your letter, and thank you Max for bringing this to
> our attention.
>
> This article was upsetting and harmful, and an extreme example of what
> white fragility looks like. All of McNeil's points are examples of someone
> feeling that their privilege is in jeopardy.
>
> If anyone is having a hard time understanding the problems here,
> DiAngelo's book *White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White
> People About Racism *is a great place to start, but if you are white,
> talk to other white folks about it, do not put this burden on your
> colleagues of color. If we truly want an inclusive and equitable future we
> all need to do the work in understanding our roles in perpetuating a racist
> society. Only white people can end racism.
>
> Best,
> Danielle Jones
>
> On Fri, Nov 1, 2019 at 2:04 PM Meredith Farkas <meredith.farkas at pcc.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Max and Gesse. I was also deeply disappointed to see this article
>> included in *OLA Quarterly*, a journal many of us have contributed to
>> over the years with thoughtful and constructive writing. I want to second
>> Gesse's suggestion that *OLA Quarterly's* editorial team publicly
>> address this in some way in their next issue (or a future issue if that's
>> not feasible). I also hope that they will develop some editorial standards
>> that guide guest editors in making solid decisions about what to include in
>> an issue. I wrote a letter to the editor with my concerns
>> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xuFin5HQ5rdtyKmoVRzhjq_bOnWg7W4ygmXb7j2Al_U/edit>
>> about this piece and I know others have as well.
>>
>> Also, ALA has kindly made the text of Dr. Debbie Reese's Arbuthnot Honor
>> Lecture available to everyone
>> <https://journals.ala.org/index.php/cal/article/view/7101>, and I
>> encourage you to read her thoughtful remarks and come to your own
>> conclusions about them rather than relying on Ms. McNeil's second-hand
>> account.
>>
>> Kudos to the other authors of pieces in *OLA Quarterly*. There is so
>> much practical, thoughtful, earnest, and valuable content in this issue and
>> it's a shame that it is playing second fiddle to such an inflammatory
>> closing piece. I urge you all to read the other articles in the issue.
>>
>> Best wishes,
>> Meredith
>>
>> Meredith Farkas, Faculty Librarian, Library SAC Chair
>> Pronouns: she/her
>> *#YESSToAFairContract* <https://pccffap.org/>
>> Portland Community College Library, Sylvania Campus
>> 971-722-4966
>> meredith.farkas at pcc.edu
>> www.pcc.edu/library
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Nov 1, 2019 at 12:09 PM Gesse Stark-Smith <gesses at multco.us>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi All,
>>>
>>> Thank you, Max, for bringing this to our listserv's attention and
>>> courageously pointing out the bias in Ms. McNeil's article.
>>>
>>> I'm also confused about the inclusion of this piece in the EDI issue. In
>>> the introduction to the issue, the guest editor Elaine Hirsch writes: "This
>>> issue shares the important work that a wide variety of libraries are doing
>>> to help create equitable and inclusive communities in Oregon." Ms. McNeil's
>>> article does not share important work that is happening to make libraries
>>> more inclusive, rather it shares the perspective of an individual who is
>>> struggling with these concepts and critiquing those who are doing this
>>> important work. (As Max has pointed out, BIOPOC are so often told what they
>>> can/cannot say in these and so many other spaces.) This is a pervasive
>>> perspective in our society and not one that needs an additional
>>> platform--especially in an issue with the above stated purpose.
>>>
>>> I'm wondering if the editors of the OLA quarterly plan to address this.
>>> Perhaps, by publishing a letter to the editor or a future article on this
>>> topic? Please keep me posted.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>> Gesse Stark-Smith
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Oct 31, 2019 at 12:01 PM Max Macias <max.macias at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Except for the article by Heather McNeil, in which they attack
>>>> indigenous scholar Dr. Debbie Reese and other scholars who are doing
>>>> anti-racist work!
>>>>
>>>> <http://goog_422301605>
>>>> https://commons.pacificu.edu/olaq/vol25/iss2/12
>>>>
>>>> In fact, I find it deeply offensive to be spoken down to by a white
>>>> woman of privilege about how to do EDI and anti-racist work 'right.'
>>>>
>>>> Or maybe that article is written for white people,,,?
>>>>
>>>> I'm confused.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Your article belittled Dr. Reese and others in the field who have moved
>>>> beyond begging for inclusion and also moved beyond the corpus of
>>>> traditionally white racist literature for children in the US.  This
>>>> literature does much to reproduce the racism that permeates our country.
>>>> We are in dire need of AUTHENTIC representation and AUTHENTIC critiques of
>>>> the traditionally white racist literature that we swim in and were raised
>>>> within.  The best people to do these critiques are BIPOC and people from
>>>> other oppressed groups.  Your article is an attack on these scholars.
>>>>
>>>> Dr. Reese's groundbreaking work is a harbinger of what is to come.
>>>>
>>>> BIPOC are constantly told how they should speak, behave, think and
>>>> believe by white people and those days are now numbered...
>>>>
>>>> This article is disturbing, offensive and racist.
>>>>
>>>> It is sad because there are some other really good articles in this
>>>> issue.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Max Macias
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Oct 29, 2019 at 7:08 AM Max Macias <max.macias at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Great work Everyone.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you!
>>>>>
>>>>> Max
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, Oct 28, 2019 at 6:23 PM Charles Wood <wuchakewu at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion issue of the OLA Quarterly is
>>>>>> now available! The Guest Editor is Elaine Hirsch, Associate Director of
>>>>>> Watzek Library at Lewis & Clark College and our current OLA President.
>>>>>> Please download and read it here:
>>>>>> https://commons.pacificu.edu/olaq/vol25/iss2/
>>>>>> This year EDI is a specific area of focus for the Oregon Library
>>>>>> Association, and there will be many opportunities for OLA members to engage
>>>>>> in related efforts and conversations. The best place to start is to read
>>>>>> this issue! See if you know someone who wrote about their EDI work! :)
>>>>>> UX note: The links in this issue may work better if the reader
>>>>>> downloads it into an Adobe DC Reader. The table of contents is clickable.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best wishes,
>>>>>> Charles Wood
>>>>>> OLA Communications
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Gesse Stark-Smith
>>> Community Outreach Librarian
>>> Multnomah County Library
>>> 503-988-4679
>>> gesses at multco.us
>>>
>>> Pronouns: She/Her
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
> --
> Danielle Jones
>
> *YALSA 2020 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults*
>
> *ALSC Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force*
> *Teen and youth librarian at Multnomah County Library*
>
> *My pronouns are she, her, hers**twitter @daniellebookery*
>
> *Did you notice my font is large?* This is done for accessibility
> purposes. It is recommended <http://createsend.com/t/d-ABFFF5F25EC93A19> to
> use at least 14pt font size with Arial or Verdana fonts being the most
> legible.
>
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