Librarians of Color to Convene in Dallas

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Joan Oleck -- School Library Journal, 8/30/2006

The American Library Association's five caucus associations of color have never before met together. But 2006 changes that—dramatically. This October the associations will pool their expertise, commitment, and passion at a Dallas-based conference.

The first Joint Conference of Librarians of Color (JCLC) will run October 11 to 15 and will include the American Indian Library Association, the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the Chinese American Librarians Association, and REFORMA, the National Association to Provide Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking.

The conference theme, "Gathering at the Waters: Embracing Our Spirits, Telling Our Stories," offers potential value for children's and young adult librarians, says Satia Orange, the American Library Association's liaison to the JCLC. "If schools and libraries are really prioritizing meeting the information needs of children of color, this is a conference where they will be exposed to library practitioners who are using proven strategies for addressing those needs," Orange says.

Keynote speakers include Loung Ung, who survived the killing fields of Cambodia to write the best-selling memoir First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers (HarperCollins, 2000); Juan Williams, a senior correspondent for National Public Radio and political analyst for the Fox News network, and author of Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary (Random House, 2000); and Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, who in 2005 was named by Time magazine as "one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in America" and is author of the forthcoming young adult novel Haters (Little, Brown, 2006),

Workshops will examine a wide range of topics, including staff development, recruitment and retention, gender identity, "legacy recognition" (archives, preservation, and celebrating elders), and ethnic and multicultural literature. On the last subject, among the options are "Feathers, Headdresses, and Tomahawks: The Portrayal of Native Americans in Literature for Children" and "Building a Multicultural Juvenile Collection for Student Teachers and Others."

Of interest to youth librarians is the preconference "Promises to Keep: Only the Best for Children & Youth," an exploration of the legacies of award-winning authors and illustrators of color, and their impact on curricula and community programs.

Speaking at the Children's Author Lunch will be Cynthia Leitich Smith, the award-winning author of Indian Shoes (2002) and Rain Is Not My Indian Name (2001, both HarperCollins).

Visit www.ala.org/jclc for more information.