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

Sat Nov 2 07:28:09 PDT 2019

Hi Everyone,

OLA should bring Dr. Reese to Oregon to help educate our librarians.

Thank you,

Max Macias

On Sat, Nov 2, 2019 at 7:24 AM Max Macias <max.macias at gmail.com> wrote:

> [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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