Course Information
| Session |
|---|
| Credits | 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs |
|---|---|
| Registration dates | We accept registrations through the first week of classes, unless enrollment is full, and unless the class was canceled before it started due to low enrollment. |
Examining Institutional Racism in Libraries
$175.00
Credits: 1.5 CEUs or 15 PDHs
This course will provide a structured space to read and discuss some foundational as well as current literature related to racial justice issues in libraries. Each week will feature assigned articles to read and reflect on, and then discuss on the forums. We will explore basic concepts of Critical Race Theory and articles applying this approach to specific aspects of librarianship, and we will discuss ways to extend this critical lens to additional aspects of librarianship and ways to work toward greater justice in libraries.
Course Description
Critical approaches to librarianship call on us to recognize the inherently political nature of information and to center social justice within our practice. However, we don’t always have time to read and discuss the literature on a focused area of social justice in our field. In order to do better, we need to know better.
This course will provide a structured space to read and discuss some foundational as well as current literature related to racial justice issues in libraries. Each week will feature assigned articles to read and reflect on, and then discuss on the forums. We will explore basic concepts of Critical Race Theory and articles applying this approach to specific aspects of librarianship, and we will discuss ways to extend this critical lens to additional aspects of librarianship and ways to work toward greater justice in libraries.
The content level will assume that participants signed up because they see racial justice as a valid and important concern, but participants do not need special background beyond that. Those with more background knowledge of this area may also benefit from the structure a course provides to (re)read these articles and participate in discussions of their content.
By the end of the course, students will have:
- Read some foundational and current articles that analyze structural or institutional forms of racism in libraries
- Examined the ways unquestioned structures and patterns can lead to racist outcomes, regardless of intent
- Discussed examples of how patterns discussed in articles can also be found in many of our institutions
- Discussed ideas and strategies to challenge and hopefully change these problematic structures
This course can be taken as one of four courses needed to earn our Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion Skills, but can be taken as a stand-alone course as well.
Angela Pashia
Angela Pashia is an Associate Professor / Librarian at the University of West Georgia. Angela has a Masters in Information Science & Learning Technologies, with an emphasis in library science, from the University of Missouri, and a Masters in Anthropology from the University of Virginia. Angela is currently focusing on practicing critical pedagogies and incorporating social justice issues into the credit bearing information literacy course offered at UWG. Angela is co-editor (with Jessica Critten) of the book Critical Approaches to Credit-bearing Information Literacy Courses, available in Fall 2018 from ACRL Press. Website
Lorin Jackson
Lorin Jackson (pronouns: she/them) is originally from New York City and currently lives in West Philadelphia. They work as the interim Head of Access & User Services, as well as Black Studies Librarian at Swarthmore College. Lorin identifies as Black, Indigenous, Queer, Gender Non-Conforming, and Disabled. Before becoming an academic librarian, Lorin worked with under-served youth in the non-profit and educational sector for a decade. During this time, they held positions as a teacher and Program Associate in after-school youth development programs in the Bay Area. In her spare time, Lorin likes to read, organize, listen to podcasts, DJ, dance, and craft.
How to Register
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