Schedule

Abstract

The future of libraries is a socio-cultural and existential question rooted in a lack of understanding of what we do. Despite our collective efforts, the profession has failed to overcome the systemic barriers keeping people out. To inform the conversation about the future of libraries, we must critically evaluate, not only our spaces and services, but our professional practices and ethos.

The highest tax in America is the knowledge tax, and information professionals must recognize that we can no longer perpetuate the achievement gap if we want to be the institutions that we laud ourselves to be: the last frontier of true democracy and equality. To address the issues at Arizona State University, we proposed and implemented substantive changes to the practices employed by Distinctive Collections & Archives. Applying a critical librarianship lens, we sought to address the hierarchy, patriarchy, racism, and capitalist thought ingrained in existing structures and practices. The changes align with ASU’s charter identifying ASU as a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed. Our department faces structural and legacy issues common to many institutions. There is a long history of gatekeeping prioritizing the safety of collections over community engagement and use. In addition to overcoming this intellectual barrier, we face flat or dwindling budgets and insufficient staff to provide the type of access and service to which we aspire.

We will discuss changes we are implementing: provide opportunities for all communities to engage with our collections drawing upon their unique experiences; expand services into K-12 education. We hope to define a new future for Distinctive Collections & Archives, not as a henchman for the ivory tower, but as community space for discovery and curiosity.

Abstract

For many library staff members, instruction sessions are an integral part of professional practice. In our presentation, we will uncover connections between White supremacy and vocational awe as they manifest in one-shot instruction sessions. One common argument against integrating critical pedagogy within one-shots is that students will be unable to develop necessary literacy skills and that there isn’t enough time to “do it all.” We will present practical approaches that demonstrate how the one-shot environment can indeed be amenable to unique engagement with antiracist pedagogy. We will also impart attitudinal stances that can be transferred to the non-library classroom. In terms of learning objectives, we will

1. Briefly describe the relationship between vocational awe and white supremacy as they manifest within one-shots

2. Demonstrate how one-shot instruction sessions can be taught within antiracist frameworks

3. Provide examples of how college students, in a low-stakes environment, can critically engage within alternative knowledge production systems that allow more marginalized voices to emerge.

Abstract

The origins of trauma-informed care come from the mental health space and are starting to emerge in other disciplines. While it was practiced informally since the 1970’s, in 1994, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) held a conference that explored the high prevalence of physical and sexual abuse among women by the public mental health system. As a result, trauma-informed care started to emerge as a way to work with survivors, children, and others who have experienced trauma. As a library worker and healing coach, I have witnessed how patrons and library workers, like anyone, may have experienced trauma in their lives. This gave me pause to think about the ways the libraries, many of which are public spaces, might engage in retraumatization through policy, spaces, reference, instruction, accessibility, and other areas. This prompted me to apply trauma-informed approaches in libraries through my personal actions as well as by teaching it via courses and workshops, including at University of California, Berkeley. To put it simply, to be trauma-informed is to shift from asking "What's wrong with you?" to asking "What happened to you?". However, it could be retraumatizing to ask this question outright in the library setting. During this talk, I will provide ways to apply trauma-informed principles into library work without having to ask this question directly based upon my own experiences and from my experience teaching on this topic.