Resources:
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CCBC Releases Annual Diversity Statistics: The Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) released its 2022 Diversity Statistics on the number of books received by the CCBC by and about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). According to the CCBC, this year’s statistics show a 7 year continuing positive trend of the number of diverse books for children and teens.
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Hopeful Visions, Practical Actions: Cultural Humility in Library Work, an ALA Publication by Sarah R. Kostelecky Lori Townsend, David A. Hurley. Cultural humility offers a renewing and transformative framework for navigating interpersonal interactions in libraries, whether between patrons and staff or staff members with one another. It foregrounds a practice of critical self-reflection and commitment to recognizing and redressing structural inequities and problematic power imbalances. This collection, the first book-length treatment of this approach in libraries, gathers contributors from across the field to demonstrate how cultural humility can change the way we work and make lasting impacts on diversity, equity, and inclusion in libraries.
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City Library Collective Presents: The Library Resilience Toolkit: One of the main outcomes of the City Library Collective’s work is the development of a Library Resilience Toolkit. Available to all, this Toolkit provides an overview of social work concepts in the library, data and assessment strategies for evaluating impact, and practical resources, including job descriptions, press releases, and communication templates. Additionally, the toolkit shares resources and lessons learned from the various local projects implemented at several of the CLC libraries.
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July is BIPOC Mental Health Month: This toolkit from Mental Health America includes ready to use social media messages, outreach ideas, posters and more. Formally recognized in June 2008 (and currently designated as), Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the US. Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.
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Americans and the Holocaust Traveling Exhibition Applications close October 14, 2023: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) and the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office present Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
Libraries in communities with a demonstrated interest in and need for quality Holocaust education are especially encouraged to apply. Read the project guidelines and apply online by October 14, 2023.
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The Public Library Association (PLA) has published the 2022 Public Library Services for Strong Communities Survey report. Read the report to learn about the latest nationwide trends in library program and services, partnerships with other organizations, and the state of library facilities. The survey is the third in a rotating series of three national surveys exploring public library roles, services, and resources to provide actionable data for decision-making and advocacy. Sign up for a free webinar on Tuesday, July 11 at 1:00 p.m. Central to learn more about the survey results.
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Highlights from the ALA Conference:
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ALA Council:
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approved the 2023 edition of the ALA Standards for Library Services for the Incarcerated and Detained (The draft can be found here)
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approved a Resolution Condemning Discrimination against Library Workers and Supporting the LGBQTIA+ Community
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approved the proposed revisions to the ALA Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies. Revisions were designed to include more language about equity, diversity, and inclusion standards that programs need to meet.
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a resolution on ALA’s objection to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) choosing Dubai, United Arab Emirates, as the location for IFLA’s 2024 World Library and Information Congress (WLIC) because of the city’s criminalization of homosexuality. Council approved several amendments to IRC’s resolution that clarified ALA’s disapproval of the location unless IFLA can assure the protection of LGBTQ participants from prosecution and the unfettered inclusion of LGBTQIA+-related programming, or otherwise find a new location in the region. The amendments also call to revisit discussions about ALA’s participation in IFLA WLIC during the first council meeting at LibLearnX 2024. The motion with its amendments passed.
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A resolution passed calling for ALA to investigate the possibility of changing dates for future Annual Conferences, noting LGBTQ members regularly have to miss their local Pride events to attend.
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Continuing Education:
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Racial & Gender Bias in Search Engines, Wed, Jul 12, 2023 1:00 PM
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Designing for Diversity in Your Library’s Communications, Thursday, July 13 at 2pm
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Reproductive Health and the Reference Desk: How libraries can provide information in a post-Roe country, July 18 at 11am: This webinar will discuss reproductive health as an information access concern, introduce the Reproductive Justice framework, and offer ideas for how libraries can provide create environments that are supportive of sexual and reproductive health information.
Consumables:
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Reflections on a Year with the Curating Indigenous Digital Collections Project: As Kelsie Flack’s year-long fellowship with WiLS and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community is coming to an end, she takes a moment to reflect a bit on her work, what she has learned and gained, and how this fellowship benefitted WiLS and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.
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Special Delivery: Homebound services expand for growing families
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Library of Virginia Creates A Digital Map Of Virginia’s Deaf Communities
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Work begins for installation of all-inclusive playground in Wisconsin Rapids
Diverse Holidays in July:
July is Disability Pride Month. In 2015, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared July Disability Pride Month in celebration of the ADA’s 25th anniversary. The month is a chance to honor each person’s uniqueness as “a natural and beautiful part of human diversity,” according to America’s Disability Community. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990, a landmark law that prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities. In that same year, Boston held the first Disability Pride Day. Although Disability Pride Day isn’t nationally recognized, parades are held in a number of places nationwide, such as Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, San Antonio and more. Librarians Unite has a free printable poster to raise awareness.
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month: This toolkit from Mental Health America includes ready to use social media messages, outreach ideas, posters and more. Formally recognized in June 2008 (and currently designated as), Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the US. Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, teacher, and mental health advocate who worked tirelessly to shed light on the mental health needs of the Black community and other underrepresented communities.
July 6: 17th of Tammuz, is a fast day, devoted to mourning the breaching of Jerusalem’s walls and the other tragic events that occurred on this day.
July 10: Martyrdom of the Báb, this holiday commemorates the 1850 execution of the co-founder of the Baha’i faith, the Báb, in Persia.
July 14: International Non-Binary People’s Day, aimed at raising awareness and organizing around the issues faced by non-binary people around the world while celebrating their contributions.
July 18: Nelson Mandela International Day, launched on July 18, 2009, in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday via unanimous decision of the U.N. General Assembly. It was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made a year earlier for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices: “It is in your hands now.” It is more than a celebration of Mandela’s life and legacy; it is a global movement to honor his life’s work and to change the world for the better.
July 19: Muharram, is the first month of the Islamic New Year and is considered a holy month, second only to Ramadan in its significance.
July 26: Disability Independence Day, celebrating the anniversary of the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
July 27: Tisha B’Av, is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It is the culmination of the Three Weeks, a period of time during which marks the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
July 28: Ashura, is marked by Muslims as a whole, but for Shia Muslims it is a major religious commemoration of the martyrdom at Karbala of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. It is marked by Muslims with a voluntary day of fasting which commemorates the day Noah left the Ark, and the day that Moses was saved from the Egyptians by God.
July 30: International Day of Friendship, proclaimed in 2011 by the U.N. General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.