Thanks for joining us for ACRL Together Wherever! We wish to extend our sincere thanks to all of the presenters who shared their content and to everyone who attended this week of virtual programming and networking opportunities for the academic and research library community. You made it all possible!
Recordings of all sessions are now freely available on our website and YouTube channel. Watch what you missed, rewatch what you loved. Make sure to join the ACRL Together Wherever ALA Connect Community to connect with your fellow attendees and keep the conversations going.
Check our the recordings of these EDI-focused programs from the ACRL Together Wherever Virtual Event!
2020 President’s Program, "Shifting the Center: Transforming Academic Libraries through Generous Accountability," asks participants to imagine a world where holding ourselves truly accountable for systemic inequity in our profession and institutions is a welcome opportunity for growth. June 10, 2020 01:00 PM CT
Everyday Inclusion Begins with Me: Diversity and Intergroup Communication in the Workplace: Join us to explore actions at the individual level that help create an environment where diverse perspectives flourish and a desired long-term outcome is to attract, recruit, and retain a workforce of librarians from diverse backgrounds. June 10, 2020 11:00 AM CT
Forgotten Hispano-American Literature: Representation of Hispano-American Presses in Academic Libraries: In this session, a Romance Languages librarian will discuss the downsides of neglecting the purchase of literature published in Hispano-American countries, and the benefits of changing collection practices into a more inclusive design. June 11, 2020 01:00 PM CT
Teaching Computer Science Students About Algorithm Bias: As the information universe becomes increasingly dominated by algorithms, librarians have a role in partnering with other information scientists to ensure that libraries can be spaces where communities can optimize their search for information. June 11, 2020 03:00 PM CT
Registration is now open for ALA Virtual: Community through Connection, June 24-26! ALA Virtual features a variety of exciting education sessions, notable speakers, COVID-19 information for libraries, live author chats, a virtual exhibit hall, and more. Free registration available for ALA Members who have been recently been furloughed, laid off, or are experiencing a reduction of paid work hours. Register today!
Intellectual Freedom, Hate Speech, the First Amendment, and You: Recent concern over the 2018 ALA Meeting Room interpretation as being an invitation for hate groups to use the library, and the general concept of libraries as a "neutral" place, invites a continuation of the meaningful discussion about whether intellectual freedom allows for racism. June 24, 2020 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM CT
Retention efforts of minority librarians in librarianship from the perspectives of early, middle and advanced career librarians (health science, academic, public, school-media, and special libraries): In this session, the presenters will share their experiences on how they have been retained in the profession and share resources for administrations, minority librarians, and more on proven retention strategies. One of the areas that will be explored is retention needs on all stages of librarianship as well as looking at how age, cultural background, time in the profession, leadership role, ability, family obligations, gender, language, mental health, sexuality, socioeconomic status, community support, and more that impacts the effectiveness, strategies, and effort regarding retention. June 24, 2020 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM CT
Serving the Transgender Community: It's More Than Just Bathrooms!: Panelists will explore their experiences and knowledge in providing services for the transgender community at their libraries. Firstly, panelists will discuss how they established a need for transgender programs and services in their community. Next, the panel will cover the different programs, services, and outreach they provide to their communities. Panelists will also discuss their experiences as transgender librarians and how this has helped them with providing services. June 24, 2020 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM CT
Herstory through Activism: Women, Libraries, and Activism: In honor of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage and the 50th anniversary of ALA’s Feminist Task Force, this panel presentation will look at the intersections and relationships between women, libraries, and activism. From early literary clubs to today’s radical feminists, libraries have always been a haven for both women and activists. Hear “herstory” from a diverse group of librarians and learn more about how this relationship developed and grew into today’s current activism. See how far we’ve come and what else is left to do. June 25, 2020 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM CT
Suggesting Own Voices to All Readers: EDI and RA Service: Providing robust readers advisory service that values equity, diversity and inclusion principles goes beyond simply adding more titles by “own voices” authors to our collections. Join two national experts on the topic of EDI in Collection Development and Readers’ Advisory as they provide the information librarians need to confidently place more “own voices” titles into adult patrons’ hands, in every community, serving all populations, not just the ones most represented in the local census. June 25, 2020 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM CT
Enhancing Our Communities: Tribal Libraries Innovating to Expand Services: Tribal Libraries serve their communities in a wide variety of ways. These libraries may be public, college, school, special, or a combination. As Tribes are sovereign nations, each determines how its library operates and what roles it serves, but all provide vital services. As operating budgets are often limited, IMLS Enhancement Grants provide an opportunity to expand services through projects focused on programs, collections, digitization, Tribal history and culture, and more. June 25, 2020 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM CT
E. J. Josey's 1964 Charge: 'Keep on Pushing' (BCALA LIVE): Within the broader social and political landscape of civil rights, this program will discuss the life and professional career of librarian, educator and activist E.J Josey. It will specifically highlight his contributions to the American Library Association, with great emphasis focused on his 1964 resolution that disbanded segregation. June 26, 2020 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM CT
EMIERT Chair's Program Promoting Multicultural Library Services in Virtual Spaces: Speakers include K.C. Boyd; Tinamarie Vella. Library Manager, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism; Andrea Jamison; and Heidi Rabinowitz, Library Director and Media Specialist, Feldman Children’s Library, Congregation B’nai Israel, Boca Raton. June 26, 2020 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM CT
Karen Munro, ACRL President McKensie Mack, Keynote Speaker
2020 President’s Program - Shifting the Center: Transforming Academic Libraries through Generous Accountability
Inspired by the work of critical scholars, artists and activists within and outside libraries, the 2020 President’s Program, "Shifting the Center: Transforming Academic Libraries through Generous Accountability," asks participants to imagine a world where holding ourselves truly accountable for systemic inequity in our profession and institutions is a welcome opportunity for growth. We understand that the inequitable systems governing our institutions are not broken, but are functioning as they were designed to do. In light of today's global pandemic, we find these inequities even more severe for many in our communities. To rebuild these institutions, we must pay close attention to the voices and needs of people experiencing inequity, and enact change according to what we hear.
Hosted by ACRL President Karen Munro and featuring keynote speaker McKensie Mack, anti-oppression consultant, researcher, facilitator, founder of #BoundaryWork, and former executive director at Art+Feminism, the session explored how doing this work—holding ourselves, each other, and our institutions meaningfully accountable for inequity—can be an opportunity for generosity, humor, and care.
