In every society, there is a set of cultural norms that the average person abides by. These sometimes unspoken and sometimes written "rules of conduct" guide our actions, speech, decisions, and interactions with those around us. Librarians need to be sensitive to the norms of their own society as well as those of their patrons. For instance, the expectation for a quiet in libraries just may not be expected by some patrons who are used to bustling, loud public environments. What might be considered inappropriate behavior in one's general patron population might be acceptable for a select few patrons who have had different experiences and expectations.
These differences can be as simple as language used in Virtual Reference. (Janes 2004) Teens and college-aged students may not consider grammar, punctuation, and chat speak to be inappropriate behaviors. Janes suggests that perhaps in this case librarians might find their assistance more helpful if they adapt to the format in which these interactions are commonly written in.
There is an interesting chart from Augsburg College that compares "Mainstream American Culture" with "Other Cultures". (Online) Although this is a very broad and perhaps indulges in a few stereotypes, the chart does help one to start thinking about the types of differences that might be facing a librarian. Something as simple as the amount of personal space given to a patron might be more of a concern that one is aware of. The expectation for the amount time that one devotes to a single patron may also be different depending on the norms that the patron is used to. While 15 minutes may be average for a community, there may be others who expect librarians to devote much more time to serving their needs.
When looking to serve a specific customer or patron in a library, an information science professional might look to numerous resources on the internet for a specific culture. If a patron seems uncomfortable with or is having trouble accepting or understanding a typical interaction, some brief research may help to amend the situation for the next interaction (assuming the patron returns to the library). A local university with an international student office might be helpful if more research is required.
Most importantly, librarians should be aware that there are different sets of norms that are practiced by their patrons. Keeping an open mind and personalizing library services for each patron as much as possible will create a positive experience for both librarian and user.
REFERENCES:
Janes, Joseph. (2004). Follow Their Lead, Dawg. American Libraries 35 no10 56 N.
Augsburg College. Educ 210. http://www.augsburg.edu/education/edc210/norms-values.html
Monday, December 3, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Hidden Racism in the Collection
With the current interest in comics and graphic novels, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss potentially racist material in these media. I have provided a link below to a webpage I created with 5 examples of material that needs to be carefully evaluated by librarians when they decided where to put it in their collections. These strips range from exteremely racist, to what could be called potentially racist. With one exception, all of the material is pre-World War II, and everything has been taken from books in my own collection.
http://students.lisp.wayne.edu/~du7140/ComicsPage.html
Some things to think about:
Assuming these works were catalogued as part of the children's collection, how would you answer a child who approached you and asked why Rachel (Gasoline Alley) has such big lips? How would your answer change if the child were African American?
How would you answer an Anishnabek child who asked why the man in the TinTin books talks the way he does? How would you answer the parent who wants to know why that book is even in the library?
The Little Sambo strip is highly racist and highly offensive; how can its presence in the library be justified? Is there any reason for such material to even be part of the libraries collection?
Can you think of any ways to use "Julio's Day" as part of a library program on Central American heritage, or a program on racism?
These are a few resources I found useful
TinTin:
Overview of Herge and his works: http://lambiek.net/artists/h/herge.htm
Article on recent TinTin controversy: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/18arts-ATINTINCONTR_BRF.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
American Indian sterotype Subject Guide: http://www.asu.edu/lib/archives/stereotypes.htm
American Indians in Children's Literature: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2007_04_11_archive.html
The Gumps:
Overview of Sidney Smith: http://lambiek.net/artists/s/smith_sidney.htm
Image taken from:
Walker, Brian. (2004). The Comics Before 1945. New York; Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (page 126)
Sambo and his Funny Noises
The Comics Before 1945:
Walker, Brian. (2004). The Comics Before 1945. New York; Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (page 55)
Gasoline Alley
Overview of Frank King: http://lambiek.net/artists/k/king.htm
Image taken from:
King, Frank (2006). Walt & Skeezix vol 2. Montreal; Drawn & Quarterly
Julio's Day:
Overview of Gilbert Hernandez: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Hernandez
Image taken from:
Hernandez, Gilbert (2004). Julio's Day. In Ware, Chris (Ed.) McSweeney's Quarterly Concern
vol. 13 (pp 242-243)
http://students.lisp.wayne.edu/~du7140/ComicsPage.html
Some things to think about:
Assuming these works were catalogued as part of the children's collection, how would you answer a child who approached you and asked why Rachel (Gasoline Alley) has such big lips? How would your answer change if the child were African American?
How would you answer an Anishnabek child who asked why the man in the TinTin books talks the way he does? How would you answer the parent who wants to know why that book is even in the library?
The Little Sambo strip is highly racist and highly offensive; how can its presence in the library be justified? Is there any reason for such material to even be part of the libraries collection?
Can you think of any ways to use "Julio's Day" as part of a library program on Central American heritage, or a program on racism?
These are a few resources I found useful
TinTin:
Overview of Herge and his works: http://lambiek.net/artists/h/herge.htm
Article on recent TinTin controversy: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/18/arts/18arts-ATINTINCONTR_BRF.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
American Indian sterotype Subject Guide: http://www.asu.edu/lib/archives/stereotypes.htm
American Indians in Children's Literature: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2007_04_11_archive.html
The Gumps:
Overview of Sidney Smith: http://lambiek.net/artists/s/smith_sidney.htm
Image taken from:
Walker, Brian. (2004). The Comics Before 1945. New York; Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (page 126)
Sambo and his Funny Noises
The Comics Before 1945:
Walker, Brian. (2004). The Comics Before 1945. New York; Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (page 55)
Gasoline Alley
Overview of Frank King: http://lambiek.net/artists/k/king.htm
Image taken from:
King, Frank (2006). Walt & Skeezix vol 2. Montreal; Drawn & Quarterly
Julio's Day:
Overview of Gilbert Hernandez: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Hernandez
Image taken from:
Hernandez, Gilbert (2004). Julio's Day. In Ware, Chris (Ed.) McSweeney's Quarterly Concern
vol. 13 (pp 242-243)
Melting Pot vs. Salad Bowl
Discussion Questions: Should libraries offer multicultural programs/decorations, etc. or try to stay as neutral as possible? Should they try to reflect the make-up of their own community or society as a whole?The United States was once heralded as the "great melting pot" which Merriam-Webster dictionary online defines as: "A place where a variety of races, cultures, or individuals assimilate into a cohesive whole ."
The problem with this concept, however, is that individual groups must be stripped of the characteristics which make them unique in order to fit into the larger American culture.
Culturalavvy.com describes a different way of seeing things:
"Today the trend is toward multiculturalism, not assimilation. The old "melting pot" metaphor is giving way to new metaphors such as "salad bowl" and "mosaic", mixtures of various ingredients that keep their individual characteristics. Immigrant populations within the United States are not being blended together in one "pot", but rather they are transforming American Society into a truly multicultural mosaic."
But, how does this translate into the real world? And how does it affect the nation's libraries?
In December we see these issues very clearly as we head into the "holiday season". Which holidays are getting displayed at the library? Are all of the decorations for Christmas or are there also decorations for Hanakkuh, Kwanzaa, Yule, etc. Is it better to try to decorate for all holidays? Or do we simply put up "safer" winter themed decorations? Would you be upset to learn that your local public library had turned down the opportunity to be a collection center for Toys for Tots because it is related to a Christian holiday? What if they turned down an opportunity to have a program about Yule traditions because of it's relation to Paganism?
Libraries are community centers and they are also the guardians of intellectual freedom. Libraries provide the opportunity for people to educate one another about various cultural issues which affect all Americans. But, do we take these opportunities, or do we silence the conversation because we are afraid of upsetting people?
Resources:
http://www.culturalsavvy.com/understanding_american_culture.htm
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/melting%20pot
Promoting Multiculturalism & Diversity
To put it simply, diversity is not just about race, age, religion, and culture. The word also includes those with disabilities, those who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual, immigrants, and many more. Thinking back to the 1950s/1960s, how were people portrayed in the United States media? Was it racially and culturally diverse? Many were left out during this time, and the media has begun to include more and more different types of people in recent years. Promoting multiculturalism and diversity in society is a constant struggle no matter what the present day and age is or the location. Those who fight for a more diverse culture deserve to be introduced and recognized to not only those who work in the library field, but to anyone and everyone. Thanks to the following leaders, resources and the programs offered in particular communities have been enriched, and libraries around the country have been influenced to embrace some of the ideas these leaders have had to offer.
Linda Ann Eastman
Birth-death: 1867-1963
Workplace: Cleveland Public Library (for almost half a century)
Her contributions: Linda brought library services to people in the community, especially to immigrants and the handicapped. She established libraries in hospitals and sanitariums, and she added a Braille collection and reading group for the blind. Thanks to her, by the time she retired, the library was serving 30,000 blind readers. She also reached out to older adults by creating a directory of "adult-education opportunities and advisers to counsel the influx of jobless borrowers" (Sicherman, 1980, p. 216).
Sadie Peterson Delaney
Birth-death: (1889-1959)
Workplace: 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library
Her contributions: She worked to help improve the quality of life for young African Americans, Chinese, Jews, Italians, and people of other ethnic backgrounds. In doing so, she would hold special programs for foreign-born young people to help them understand and adjust to the culture of the United States. By holding regular story hours and discussion groups for them in the library, the library became a community and cultural center for people with a wide range of interests as a result. Appealing to people in the hospital, she experimented with using library materials and library activities to rehabilitate patients, especially mental patients. Her talent in bibliotherapy changed many lives both directly and indirectly.
Marta Estrada
Workplace: Border Heritage Center of the Paso Public Library
Her contributions: As the director, Marta Estrada explains that the Border Heritage Center is “used by people of diverse backgrounds for many personal and professional matters, and is of great significance in supporting the work of citizens, students, authors, and historians who utilize this resource for Hispanic and other border-life documentation." Activities that promote understanding and appreciation of the region's history and culture are an integral role of the center. The Center's Southwest Collection consists of a preservation of materials on the history and culture of the Southwest, including Western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, as well as Northern Chihuahua and Sonora. Estrada notes that it "contains important reference works and a wide selection of specialized monographs, as well as photographs, architectural drawings, manuscripts, clippings, files, maps, periodicals, and other materials." All of her hard work helps people get in touch with their past and better yet, preserves their history (Deitz, 2007).
Foster Mohrhardt
Birth-death: 1907-1992
Workplace: National Agricultural Library (1954-1968)
His contributions: Mohrhardt mobilized people and resources to promote libraries and expand librarianship throughout the world. He was an innovator, willing to implement new approaches, to cultivate cooperative activities, and to change organizations that were stuck in their old ways. Mohrhardt often represented libraries at planning activities that rarely included other librarians, and according to Cragin, "this is evidenced by a series of engagements in high-level organizational work, which show his deep dedication to, and conviction of, the important role of libraries and librarianship in scientific communication." Mohrhardt actually became a librarian later on, and he held interesting jobs and many high-ranking positions in national and international professional organizations making him view the world from a unique perspective (Cragin, 2004).
Betty J. Turock
Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Workplace: Montclair Public Library (New Jersey), President of the ALA
Her contributions: Not only did Turock change the library culture, she helped change the American perception of what women, particularly married women, could and should do. She was often called the "The Peripatetic Librarian", as she completed her MLS at Rutgers University while her and her husband, a corporate executive, raised their two sons. According to Turock, when she started her new career in 1971,
Birthplace: Cuba
Workplace: Dallas Public Library
Her contributions: Rodriguez is Dallas Public Library's first Multicultural coordinator, and it is her goal to provide programs and services that meet the needs of the city's multilingual and multi-ethnic community. She has already spearheaded several programs, such as a Hispanic heritage drawing contests for elementary and middle school students. There's also an ongoing student poetry contest in different languages being run in cooperation with the Dallas Independent School District, and Rodrignez recently held her own workshop promoting multilingual services to the Dallas Association of School Librarians. The library is also building an Asian-language collection and planning programs with Kast Indian community groups. Rodriguez states, "I want to spread the word about the incredible resources available here. It's free, take advantage" (Ishizuka, 2004).
Discussion Questions: What are some other ways to integrate diversity in libraries? With the growing populations of minorities, how can we, as future library leaders, attract people that are not currently using library resources?
References
Cragin, M. H. (2004). Oster Mohrhardt: Connecting the Traditional World of Libraries and the Emerging World of Information Science [Electronic version]. Library Trends, 52(4), 833-852. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from ProQuest.
Deitz, R. (2007). Marta Estrada Border Heritage Center Librarian [Electronic version]. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, 17(20), 32-33. from ProQuest.
Deyrup, M. M. (2005). ChangeMasters All-A Series on Librarians Who Steered a Clear Course toward the Twenty-First Century [Electronic version]. Library Administration & Management, 19(3). from ProQuest.
Ishizuka, K. (2004). Texas Librarian Promotes Diversity [Electronic version]. School Library Journal, 50(10), 21. from ProQuest.
Sicherman, B. (Ed.). (1980). Notable American Women. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University.
Wynar, B. S. (Ed.). (1978). Dictionary of American Library Biography. Littleton: Libraries Unlimited Inc.
Linda Ann Eastman
Birth-death: 1867-1963
Workplace: Cleveland Public Library (for almost half a century)
Her contributions: Linda brought library services to people in the community, especially to immigrants and the handicapped. She established libraries in hospitals and sanitariums, and she added a Braille collection and reading group for the blind. Thanks to her, by the time she retired, the library was serving 30,000 blind readers. She also reached out to older adults by creating a directory of "adult-education opportunities and advisers to counsel the influx of jobless borrowers" (Sicherman, 1980, p. 216).
Sadie Peterson Delaney
Birth-death: (1889-1959)
Workplace: 135th Street Branch of the New York Public Library
Her contributions: She worked to help improve the quality of life for young African Americans, Chinese, Jews, Italians, and people of other ethnic backgrounds. In doing so, she would hold special programs for foreign-born young people to help them understand and adjust to the culture of the United States. By holding regular story hours and discussion groups for them in the library, the library became a community and cultural center for people with a wide range of interests as a result. Appealing to people in the hospital, she experimented with using library materials and library activities to rehabilitate patients, especially mental patients. Her talent in bibliotherapy changed many lives both directly and indirectly.
Marta Estrada
Workplace: Border Heritage Center of the Paso Public Library
Her contributions: As the director, Marta Estrada explains that the Border Heritage Center is “used by people of diverse backgrounds for many personal and professional matters, and is of great significance in supporting the work of citizens, students, authors, and historians who utilize this resource for Hispanic and other border-life documentation." Activities that promote understanding and appreciation of the region's history and culture are an integral role of the center. The Center's Southwest Collection consists of a preservation of materials on the history and culture of the Southwest, including Western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, as well as Northern Chihuahua and Sonora. Estrada notes that it "contains important reference works and a wide selection of specialized monographs, as well as photographs, architectural drawings, manuscripts, clippings, files, maps, periodicals, and other materials." All of her hard work helps people get in touch with their past and better yet, preserves their history (Deitz, 2007).
Foster Mohrhardt
Birth-death: 1907-1992
Workplace: National Agricultural Library (1954-1968)
His contributions: Mohrhardt mobilized people and resources to promote libraries and expand librarianship throughout the world. He was an innovator, willing to implement new approaches, to cultivate cooperative activities, and to change organizations that were stuck in their old ways. Mohrhardt often represented libraries at planning activities that rarely included other librarians, and according to Cragin, "this is evidenced by a series of engagements in high-level organizational work, which show his deep dedication to, and conviction of, the important role of libraries and librarianship in scientific communication." Mohrhardt actually became a librarian later on, and he held interesting jobs and many high-ranking positions in national and international professional organizations making him view the world from a unique perspective (Cragin, 2004).
Betty J. Turock
Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania
Workplace: Montclair Public Library (New Jersey), President of the ALA
Her contributions: Not only did Turock change the library culture, she helped change the American perception of what women, particularly married women, could and should do. She was often called the "The Peripatetic Librarian", as she completed her MLS at Rutgers University while her and her husband, a corporate executive, raised their two sons. According to Turock, when she started her new career in 1971,
"the East Winston Library was, until two years before, segregated. I didn't know such things still existed. It was there that I learned the myth of separate and equal is the reality of separate and unequal. All the civic groups of the area, including the Black Panthers, brought children to the library. Kernersville was in a predominantly white community. East Winston served an exclusively African American population. Both libraries needed to do the same thing-become responsive to their communities. East Winston had nothing on the shelves that spoke to the current history of Black Americans, not even the literature of the time by authors like Stokely Carmichael, Huey Newton, H. Rap Brown, and other new voices that should be heard. As East Area head I had the opportunity to bring courses from the county technical institute into the libraries, to start adult literacy classes, and to take the library's programs and books to child care centers and senior citizens' dwellings. I think I succeeded in bringing both libraries a lot closer to their communities. It changed me and changed the way I thought about my profession."Later in her life when she retired, she added a final note on diversity in the workplace:
"The demographic ballasts of our country are shifting, even as our professional moorings remain static. The need to recruit and retain a diverse workforce continues to be desperate. At the same time the literature repeatedly cites data that show women have made strides in reaching leadership positions in the past two decades. But none of these figures reflect women in leadership ranks in proportion to their numbers in the profession. The conclusion that in the future more women and minorities will enter leadership positions overlooks the necessity to root out the discrimination that is still prevalent in our profession. That mission is not yet complete" (Deyrup 2005).Miriam Rodriguez
Birthplace: Cuba
Workplace: Dallas Public Library
Her contributions: Rodriguez is Dallas Public Library's first Multicultural coordinator, and it is her goal to provide programs and services that meet the needs of the city's multilingual and multi-ethnic community. She has already spearheaded several programs, such as a Hispanic heritage drawing contests for elementary and middle school students. There's also an ongoing student poetry contest in different languages being run in cooperation with the Dallas Independent School District, and Rodrignez recently held her own workshop promoting multilingual services to the Dallas Association of School Librarians. The library is also building an Asian-language collection and planning programs with Kast Indian community groups. Rodriguez states, "I want to spread the word about the incredible resources available here. It's free, take advantage" (Ishizuka, 2004).
Discussion Questions: What are some other ways to integrate diversity in libraries? With the growing populations of minorities, how can we, as future library leaders, attract people that are not currently using library resources?
References
Cragin, M. H. (2004). Oster Mohrhardt: Connecting the Traditional World of Libraries and the Emerging World of Information Science [Electronic version]. Library Trends, 52(4), 833-852. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from ProQuest.
Deitz, R. (2007). Marta Estrada Border Heritage Center Librarian [Electronic version]. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, 17(20), 32-33. from ProQuest.
Deyrup, M. M. (2005). ChangeMasters All-A Series on Librarians Who Steered a Clear Course toward the Twenty-First Century [Electronic version]. Library Administration & Management, 19(3). from ProQuest.
Ishizuka, K. (2004). Texas Librarian Promotes Diversity [Electronic version]. School Library Journal, 50(10), 21. from ProQuest.
Sicherman, B. (Ed.). (1980). Notable American Women. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University.
Wynar, B. S. (Ed.). (1978). Dictionary of American Library Biography. Littleton: Libraries Unlimited Inc.
Multiculturalism & Book Labeling
Label images from Gaylord Library Supplies
Ethical Scenerio: A library has a large demand for "Christian fiction" and constantly has patrons asking "where are the Christian fiction titles?" so that they can browse. Librarians decide that pulling the books out of the regular fiction section is too much, but they do begin to add lables to the spines to help readers easily locate items of interest. Later, a patron complains about the lables displaying a particular religion and the library removes them all. In your opinion, did the library take the right course of action?
According to the ALA, they did:
" . . . some public libraries label Christian fiction with a cross as a symbol. This practice, especially when other religious fiction is not designated, communicates a message of preference for Christianity, a violation of the separation of church and state that is prohibited by the establishment clause of First Amendment as well as the Library Bill of Rights."
The topic of labeling Christian fiction was recently discussed on the MySpace group Librarians ARE Cool.
On the other hand, the ALA allows for the practice of labeling materials based on ethnic concerns, such as having a Native American collection in the library:
"When there is a large population of a specific ethnic or language group in an area, it often creates a large demand for items relevant to their experience in the library. To meet that demand and make it simpler for the users to locate those resources, libraries sometimes choose to create a special collection and/or area devoted to those resources. As long as these collections represent diverse points of view within the parameters of the collection and are designed to help patron find resources relevant to their experience and not to restrict them to a certain section of the library, this practice would be acceptable."
Do you agree with the differentiation made here? Is labeling books to place them within a religious context different from labeling them to place them within an ethnic context?
More Multicultural Library Labels:
Cultural Designs from Gaylord Library Supply
Demco (search term "multicultural")
Group of labels from Brodart that include religious items
Vernon Library Supply includes lables for Christmas, Halloween, Hanukkah as well as the more generic "inspirational" label.
Resources:
ALA's Questions and Answers on Labels and Rating Systems
ALA's LABELS AND RATING SYSTEMS: An Interpretation of the LIBRARY BILL OF RIGHTS
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Libraries and Immigrants
Library Services to Immigrants
Libraries today are emerging as community centers, instead of their traditional role as merely a center for lending books. They facilitate access to information, provide Internet access, loan DVDs and music, and provide information about community organizations and services. The question now is what are libraries to do with the rapidly growing immigrant populations emerging within the United States? Libraries all over the country are stepping up to the challenge by offering services and programming in many different languages and promoting cultural understanding within the community.
Programming
Many different options exist for developing and implementing programming geared towards immigrants. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services joined together with the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences in order to study the most effective way for libraries to promote services and programs for immigrants. They convened a council of several of the most prominent libraries and came up with a number of recommendations for other libraries who are looking to include programming and outreach for immigrants. These include:
- Form partnerships with immigrant outreach organizations within the community, and seek
their feedback on events
- Work to expand collections to include ESL materials and materials in the other native
languages present in the community
- Provide user friendly information services, including websites, which use consultation
services from representatives within the immigrant community
- When establishing programs, seek input from members of the immigrant community
- Look towards the future needs of the immigrant constituency when planning for the library as a
whole
- Actively outreach to the immigrant community to educate about library services
To read the entire study, visit http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/Library_Services_Report.pdf.
Other great programming ideas include and English Conversation Club, GED classes, multi-lingual signage, employing multi-lingual staff, and keeping in touch with local immigration agencies and programs.
Policies Regarding Immigrants and Refugees
The ALA supports the rights of immigrants, documented or not, to use the library system. In January 2007 the ALA passed the Resolution in Support of Immigrant Rights. This resolution supports and protects the civil liberties of each individual person, regardless of their residency status, and also seeks to combat any legislation which infringes on the rights of individuals to use library services. To see the complete resolution, visit http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=pressreleases&template=/contentmanagement/contentdisplay.cfm&ContentID=149851.
Each individual library must make its own policies regarding who receives rights to access the library. Capital Area District Libraries issues cards provided the user has a photo ID (passports and consular ids are accepted), and a piece of mail stating that he/she resides in the service area. East Lansing Public library requires a driver's licence or passport proving that the patron resides in East Lansing. In other states, the policies can be drastically different. A library system in Georgia cut $3000 from the Spanish-language budget because they "didn't need to cater to illegal aliens" (Criticas pp. 1). The decision was later reversed due to community outcry, but the sentiment which caused the initial decision was still prevalent in the library system.
Ethical Dilemmas: What's a library to do?
The core conflict libraries face is maintaining their promise to facilitate information access to the public and serve the community, when parts of the community have a negative response to the library's dedication to serve the immigrant population. According to the ALA, the library is obligated to serve the needs of the overall community. In this case, it is necessary for the library to create its own policy and educate the community, while still maintaining strong community relations with the entire community as a whole.
Ethical Scenario 1: Librarians in a Virginia town may soon be required to ask patrons for proof of citizenship. In July, residents of two counties passed resolutions banning illegal immigrants from using public services. If this happened in your library, how would you respond? How should the library try to counteract these measures, or should they comply, since they are clearly the opinion of the majority?
Ethical Scenario 2: Ninety communities have passed restrictions limiting immigrant access to public services. If a similar proposition came on the ballot in your community, how would you respond? Is it the place of the library to try to become involved in such politics, even if they would ultimately affect the library?
Resources
Here are some resources to serve the library community as a whole, while also reaching out to the immigrant populations.
Reforma, an affiliate of the ALA which promotes library and information services to Latinos and the Spanish speaking.
SOL, Spanish in Our Libraries. This site offers basic Spanish vocabulary for the library.
ALA, offers guidelines to help form policy regarding immigrants
Sources:
Barr, C. (2006). Rewriting Book on Libraries From Immigrants' View in Washington Post. Retrieved November 27, 2007.washingtonpost.com. Washington, D.C.
Personal Communication. November 27, 2007. Circulation Desk, East Lansing Public Library.
Garcia, L. (2007). US Libraries and Anti-immigrant Sentiment: How Libraries are Coping with Discrimination to Better Serve Hispanic Communities in Criticas magazine. Retrieved November 26, 2007. criticasmagazine.com.
Pinkowski, J. (2007). VA Counties Target Illegal Immigrants; Librarians May Be Put in a Bind in Library Journal. Retrieved November 26, 2007. libraryjourmal.com.
Libraries today are emerging as community centers, instead of their traditional role as merely a center for lending books. They facilitate access to information, provide Internet access, loan DVDs and music, and provide information about community organizations and services. The question now is what are libraries to do with the rapidly growing immigrant populations emerging within the United States? Libraries all over the country are stepping up to the challenge by offering services and programming in many different languages and promoting cultural understanding within the community.
Programming
Many different options exist for developing and implementing programming geared towards immigrants. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services joined together with the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences in order to study the most effective way for libraries to promote services and programs for immigrants. They convened a council of several of the most prominent libraries and came up with a number of recommendations for other libraries who are looking to include programming and outreach for immigrants. These include:
- Form partnerships with immigrant outreach organizations within the community, and seek
their feedback on events
- Work to expand collections to include ESL materials and materials in the other native
languages present in the community
- Provide user friendly information services, including websites, which use consultation
services from representatives within the immigrant community
- When establishing programs, seek input from members of the immigrant community
- Look towards the future needs of the immigrant constituency when planning for the library as a
whole
- Actively outreach to the immigrant community to educate about library services
To read the entire study, visit http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/Library_Services_Report.pdf.
Other great programming ideas include and English Conversation Club, GED classes, multi-lingual signage, employing multi-lingual staff, and keeping in touch with local immigration agencies and programs.
Policies Regarding Immigrants and Refugees
The ALA supports the rights of immigrants, documented or not, to use the library system. In January 2007 the ALA passed the Resolution in Support of Immigrant Rights. This resolution supports and protects the civil liberties of each individual person, regardless of their residency status, and also seeks to combat any legislation which infringes on the rights of individuals to use library services. To see the complete resolution, visit http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=pressreleases&template=/contentmanagement/contentdisplay.cfm&ContentID=149851.
Each individual library must make its own policies regarding who receives rights to access the library. Capital Area District Libraries issues cards provided the user has a photo ID (passports and consular ids are accepted), and a piece of mail stating that he/she resides in the service area. East Lansing Public library requires a driver's licence or passport proving that the patron resides in East Lansing. In other states, the policies can be drastically different. A library system in Georgia cut $3000 from the Spanish-language budget because they "didn't need to cater to illegal aliens" (Criticas pp. 1). The decision was later reversed due to community outcry, but the sentiment which caused the initial decision was still prevalent in the library system.
Ethical Dilemmas: What's a library to do?
The core conflict libraries face is maintaining their promise to facilitate information access to the public and serve the community, when parts of the community have a negative response to the library's dedication to serve the immigrant population. According to the ALA, the library is obligated to serve the needs of the overall community. In this case, it is necessary for the library to create its own policy and educate the community, while still maintaining strong community relations with the entire community as a whole.
Ethical Scenario 1: Librarians in a Virginia town may soon be required to ask patrons for proof of citizenship. In July, residents of two counties passed resolutions banning illegal immigrants from using public services. If this happened in your library, how would you respond? How should the library try to counteract these measures, or should they comply, since they are clearly the opinion of the majority?
Ethical Scenario 2: Ninety communities have passed restrictions limiting immigrant access to public services. If a similar proposition came on the ballot in your community, how would you respond? Is it the place of the library to try to become involved in such politics, even if they would ultimately affect the library?
Resources
Here are some resources to serve the library community as a whole, while also reaching out to the immigrant populations.
Reforma, an affiliate of the ALA which promotes library and information services to Latinos and the Spanish speaking.
SOL, Spanish in Our Libraries. This site offers basic Spanish vocabulary for the library.
ALA, offers guidelines to help form policy regarding immigrants
Sources:
Barr, C. (2006). Rewriting Book on Libraries From Immigrants' View in Washington Post. Retrieved November 27, 2007.washingtonpost.com. Washington, D.C.
Personal Communication. November 27, 2007. Circulation Desk, East Lansing Public Library.
Garcia, L. (2007). US Libraries and Anti-immigrant Sentiment: How Libraries are Coping with Discrimination to Better Serve Hispanic Communities in Criticas magazine. Retrieved November 26, 2007. criticasmagazine.com.
Pinkowski, J. (2007). VA Counties Target Illegal Immigrants; Librarians May Be Put in a Bind in Library Journal. Retrieved November 26, 2007. libraryjourmal.com.
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