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Showing posts with the label libraries

Librarians with Spines Vol. 2 Now Available!

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We are proud to announce the publication of our new book.  Published by Hinchas Press, edited by Yago Cura and Max Macias, designed by Autumn Anglin.  This book is comprised of 6 great chapters of varied Library/Information Science topics.  Our authors are amazing and the content is unlike any other you will find out there. Librarians with Spines Vol. 2 is now available here . Here is the content of the book! Here is what people are saying about the book! Intended audience: LIS Instructors LIS students Academic Librarians Public Librarians Outreach Librarians BIPOC Librarians  Librarians in general Educators who are interested in libraries Everyone

It is All Pretty Words and Shell Games

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For DEI: Nobody! Holding Cultural Petting Zoos is Easier than Creating Equitable Institutional Structures.  Many institutions are stuck in a loop of cultural events that consist of food tasting and traditional dress modeling, etc...As if the mere exposure to such multicultural aspects would cure racism overnight.  Of course, these events do have a place, but they can't be relied upon to create progress in a historically white institution. I've been thinking about this for a long time and it really comes down to accountability and value. Claiming Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as a part of a traditionally white educational institution or organization is a benefit most schools have taken.  Schools have the benefits of doing something without actually having to make any real changes as there is literally no accountability, nor credibility. The above claim is damaging to people of color  and other oppressed groups because it puts out the issue, but doesn't re...

Special for Library Journal...Cannabis Literacy

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You can read it here:  http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2018/02/opinion/backtalk/cannabis-literacy-backtalk/

Hello. I'm a Turd.

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[I was just informed this 'review' was taken down by Amazon because of racism.] A recent Amazon.com reviewer of the book I co-edited--Librarians With Spines--took the opportunity to degrade me in public and to even try to humiliate be because I don't speak Spanish. I'm publishing this hear because this is a perfect example of of librarians of color are harassed by anonymous flamers. By stellabooon October 19, 2017 This is an unnecessary book. I am a MLS librarian with years of experience. I cry for my profession when new librarians trip over themselves trying to out-radicalize each other. Trust me: ALL librarians believe in intellectual freedom and collection development policies that promote alternative views. That is as old as libraries. Max Macias, the editor, is considered a kind of joke we tolerate in Oregon. A POC quien no habla Espanol. I welcome new library minds that push our profession forward. Unless you are truly radicalized and want ...

Cultural Appropriation is Inappropriate!

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There is currently a discussion on the librarian Facebook group ALATT concerning cultural appropriation. You should hear some of the rationalizations! Everything from the insulting: "Let me tell you a secret: All Culture is appropriated!" Then people go on to say, "Yes--like agriculture, rock n roll..." and other absurd comparisons. This seemingly funny statement, is passive aggressive to the extreme. These statements belittle people's feelings about their heritage and culture.  This is especially true then aspects of their culture are used in inappropriate manners such as when White people run 'Native American' sweat lodges that allow anyone who pays to come sweat and pray--that is fucking absurd and spits in the face of indigenous tradition! You may be asking yourself, "Why is Max getting all bent out of shape about this?" Please watch this video for a better understanding: I hope more librarians become more empathetic and...

Free Speech Programming for Library Ideas and...

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I humbly submit some programming ideas for my friends who work in libraries. Do something different! Constitutional rights workshops Civics workshops How to avoid ICE DACA rights workshops Cannabis Consumer Workshops (In states where it is legal) Medical Cannabis patient workshops How to decolonize Education Activism Workshops Anti-Doxxing Workshops FreeSpeech versus HateSpeech Community Discussions Black History Programming How to monitor the police Patron electronic privacy workshops Marginalized people in Children's literature How to share electronic information anonymously  Ethnic Studies Workshops for local communities Archiving local neighborhood history How to build community How to get involved with local  public cable broadcasting How to publish a book How to blog How to be a neighborhood reporter How to start a news program How to write news articles How to be a public speaker How to listen How to argue How to self-reflect How...

The Mottoes of our Libraries Should be #LoveNOTHate #ListenWithYourHeartAndFeel

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One of the symptoms of being unconsciously inculcated by #Whiteness is the inability to see the experiences of POC as they are lived by POC. When I was teaching my children to be empathetic, I always told them that, When someone asks you to stop something--particularly when they say you are hurting them--you stop what you are doing immediately.  You don't come up with excuses (reasons) why you should be able to continue to hurt them.  You don't continue hurting them. The inability to see other's pain and to listen to them when they tell you about this pain--particularly if you are causing it--indicates a fundamental loss of humanity.  It also indicates a deeply narcissistic quality that seems to border on sociopathy. This is an indication of unsound mental health. A large part of our culture is sick like this. Our nation is unhealthy in this aspect. We should not repress this. We should talk about it, and begin to heal this. Libraries can help with ...

When Someone Claims The Right to Terrorize their Fellow Citizens

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There is a split in libraries.  The split is on the question if Nazis and other racists  can use their rights to terrorize their fellow citizens and still be welcome in our libraries. Racist 'free speech' is a tradition that has been used to create an atmosphere of hate a violence against POC in the US. Of course this is not how this discussion is framed, nor how it is approached in the library community--which is immersed in a culture of Whiteness. It is described as a matter of "Free Speech."  I would agree, but I would clarify this by stating it is a matter of White people's right to terrorize their fellow citizens by using speech which creates an environment of terror for POC in the US. "Jews will NOT replace us!"  is terrifying enough for me to hear, but then I think of the utter terror and alarm it must be raising in my Jewish friends--I share their terror. "All lives matter!" Yelled at my Black friends who are holding a sign...

Some Racist Librarian Bullshit...

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This is in response to David Lee King's blog post on: http://www.davidleeking.com/ugly-beliefs-free-speech-and-libraries/   What kind of drivel is this? And look at the photo--a photo of a white dude with duct tape on his mouth!!!! Poor White Dude who can't spout his hate! Fuck David Lee King! " We stand for the principle that government and public information shouldn’t depend on the whims of the moment.” Quote from Joseph Jane's article that D quoted. It isn't a fucking 'whim' you asshole--maybe to SOME White people Genocide is a whim, the desire for genocide is a whim, or maybe it is that the potential victims are stating a whim that they don't like to be threatened. It isn't neutral if you are backing the ONE side--the white side. Fuck your founding fathers and their rapist bullshit. Fuck Nazi 'free speech.' It sure would be nice if people like mr. King would fight for POC's rights just as much as he is fighting fo...

To ALA or Not?

Someone on a list I'm on recently posted that they were hesitant to renew their ALA membership because of the recent ALA press release scandal.  You can read about it on Librarian in Black here:  http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/alastatements/ . The person who posted asked the group what they thought about renewing their memberships.  Below is my response. I'm not a member of the ALA, but I work with them on issues concerning Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.  I'm on the ALA EDI implementation Work Group and I try to represent marginalized people who can't afford membership or conference participation (among other things).   I would say that ALA has been made progress due in large part to work by people like Melissa Cardenas-Dow, Trevor Dawes, Martin Garner and many others who are strongly committed to EDI in ALA and in libraries in general.  I would also say that the constituency should scrutinize candidate's actual wor...

Library Folks in Solidarity

Whiteness in Libraries

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Whiteness in US Libraries [Note--this is a blog post.  These ideas can and will be further developed.  These ideas are sketches of what I am thinking at the moment.  Feedback is encouraged and welcome.] US schools and libraries serve as points of diffusion for Whiteness.   Whiteness, as used in this post is defined as the concept that European people and European culture are more important than other people and other cultures.   Whiteness is purveyed uncritically in libraries.  This shucking of Whiteness is done under the guise of objectivity, of adhering the the 'marketplace' of ideas.  But this so-called neutrality is really an adherence and capitulation to the Whiteness paradigm.   Children of color hear the message of Whiteness--"European people and European culture are more important than other people and other cultures.   Children of color live in a world of discrimination and bias in US schools.   Some t...

Information and Culture Video (very rough 1st draft)

Why Librarians Should Care About Skateboarders: A Personal Outreach Project

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Why Librarians Should Care About Skateboarders: A Personal Outreach Project By Matt Allison Mesa Public library in NM has a skatepark!               After Hurricane Sandy until the summer of 2015 the Peninsula Library served the Rockaway Beach community out of temporary spaces. As my staff and I waited for a fully operational library to reopen we had time to plan. I got attached to the community.   Along with the overall rebuilding I enjoyed seeing the surf community build a temporary skate park. I moved nearby in 2014. I got approved at work to have a special skateboard and surf collection. I got the green light to try programming. We reopened in September 2015. Making a connection to the skateboarding and surfing scene has been more difficult than I anticipated.   At work my pet project is to connect public libraries and skateboarders. For my area it’s logical to add surfing. This article will not foc...