One librarian finds fruitful partnerships with a state agency focused on creating supportive communities for families and children.
Author: Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee
Why We Work in Libraries
To kick off the new term, we asked members a question that’s at the heart of library advocacy: “Why do you work in libraries?”
Public Awareness and Advocacy at #ALAAC
The Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee didn’t formally meet at ALA Annual in Chicago this year but there were many opportunities for public awareness and advocacy throughout the conference experience that I am rounding up here with links to ALSC bloggers fabulous write-ups. Mental health is important: in the workplace, in personal life and for your patrons. While there’s much debate on how much mental health services libraries should provide- there’s no question that mental health resources are important for all. View Lacy Wolfe’s blog about how graphic novels are “medicine” for mental health and Jaime Eastman’s blog posts about building joy and taking time for self care. When meeting friends old and new at conference, I try to delve beyond the “how are you/ where do you work,” and ask more pointed questions like, “what challenges are you facing right now?” and “is there any way I can support…
In a SRP slump? YOU CAN DO THIS!
It’s July and you’re tired. We understand. Summer Reading is a marathon and you’re in the middle of a never-ending parade of needy patron, hot days, and endless questions. The Public Awareness and Advocacy Committee is here with some friendly advice to make it through the summer and end on a high note. Anne Price, Children’s Librarian, North Platte Public Library (Nebraska) “Even monkeys fall out of trees.” A former colleague of mine used this translation of a Japanese proverb when things went awry. No matter if it’s your first Summer Reading or your 100th even the most seasoned program planner has hiccups. Trying new logging methods or activities to keep your program fresh and interesting will sometimes not yield the desired result. Remember, it’s not a reflection on you as a professional. See if you can get feedback from colleagues or your community to use as you move forward….
Radicalizing Self-Care in Librarianship
“…I thought about the fact that although books don’t have feelings, the librarians forced to remove them from the shelves do.” Xochitl Gonzalez, “The Librarians Are Not Okay.” The Atlantic, March 15, 2023 Book challenges, protests against gender and racial inclusivity, salary stagnation, skyrocketing inflation, opiate overdoses, bad branch managers, years of being ‘essential workers’ -– we all know there isn’t a bath long or bubbly enough to repair the damage that long-term chronic stress does to the body and mind. Public librarians are housekeepers, zookeepers, referees, therapists, mandated reporters, front line emergency workers, cleaners of unidentified effluvia and other duties as assigned. This is why bubbles-and-polish commodified self-care simply does not suffice. Most of us have, at this point, heard about the Urban Librarians Unite’s 2022 Urban Trauma Study, so I will not go into great detail about it here. In short, public-facing librarians experience significant trauma on a daily…
CSMCL DÍA GRANT WITH AN AFRICAN AMERICAN FOCUS
INTERVIEW WITH DR. CLAUDETTE S. McLINN Dr. Claudette S. McLinn is Founder and Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature (CSMCL). Since 2011, Dr. McLinn created the CSMCL Día Grant with an African American Focus, which is funded by CSMCL in partnership with the ALA/Association of Library Services to Children (ALSC) and author Pat Mora, the founder of Children’s Day, Book Day/ El día de los niños, El día de los libros; often known as Día. Día is celebrated every year on April 30. Here, we will ask her a few questions about this grant. 1. What brought about this grant in 2011? I became interested in Día because of the concept of family, children, and literacy. I love that families and children share literacy activities together in any library, school, or public setting. Thinking that it would be a good idea, I wanted to…
Building Bridges for Better Advocacy
Learn how to advocate to underserved communities by building your personal network.
Black History Month at the Library!
Read on to see how to advocate for black history every day in this post by the Public Awareness and Advocacy committee.