OVERDUE: Weeding Out Oppression in Libraries

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In this episode, we talk with Chantel Walker, Director of the Marin County Library Foundation and change management consultant with the County of Marin and other government organizations, and Patricia “Patty” Wong, City Librarian for the Santa Clara City Library and immediate past president of the American Library Association.

These two dynamic leaders share challenges and successes from their own lived-experiences, as well as provide suggestions on navigating leadership and opportunities as professionals of color in predominantly white spaces.

Date of interview: May 19, 2023
Hosts: Ericka Brunson-Rochette and Krista Neth

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In honor of Tracie D. Hall having been named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2023, we are excited to re-release this conversation with Tracie from last spring.  This is a recognition very well deserved, and we are so very thankful for the effort and passion Tracie exhibits daily to make libraries a welcoming and safe place for everyone. 

In this episode, we talk with Tracie D. Hall, Executive Director of the American Library Association, about how diversifying library staff is essential to the future of the library profession and how individuals can advocate for themselves and find opportunities to work with mentors or to mentor others. Hall discusses how her own background and experiences have shaped her view of library work, as well as the critical role that history, the arts, and libraries play in our communities. 
 
Date of interview: May 19, 2022
Hosts: Ericka Brunson-Rochette and Melissa Anderson

OLA EDI & Antiracism Toolkit: https://bit.ly/3qSMDF7

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On this episode of Overdue, we speak with filmmaker and owner of JJML Productions, Jon Osaki; State Law Librarian and Access to Justice Coordinator for the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary, Jenny Silbiger; and Professor Emerita and Director Emerita of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality at Seattle University School of Law, Lorraine Bannai, about Osaki’s documentary Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066, and how research and libraries played important roles in exposing the truths and in bringing people together in solidarity and community.

Date of interview: March 16, 2023
Hosts: LaRee Dominguez and Brittany Young

Resources:
Films

•  JJML Productions (Jon’s production company that produced the documentary “ALTERNATIVE FACTS: The Lies of Executive Order 9066”
•  The Minoru Yasui Legacy Project, https://www.minoruyasuilegacy.org/never-give-up
• Never Give Up! Min Yasui and the Fight for Justice, https://www.minoruyasuilegacy.org/never-give-up

Litigation documents
The petition for writ of error coram nobis and exhibits:
 https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-405/.

Books:

• Lorraine K. Bannai, Enduring Conviction: Fred Korematsu and His Quest for Justice (2015). Biography of Fred Korematsu, including the story of his wartime case and its reopening.
• Peter Irons, Justice at War (1983).

Continuing Legal Education Webinars:
 Harris County Law Library:

• 80 Years Later: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration and Korematsu v. The United States. CLE Webinar (free). State Bar of Texas for 2.0 hours MCLE 1.0 hour of ethics through January 31, 2023.
•  Historical Timeline, Procedural History of Fred Korematsu’s Court Case, and notes and resources on the Overturned Conviction, Abrogation, and Reparations (Sabrina Davis, 2022). 

King County Law Library

• Remembering Japanese Incarceration and the Lies of the Executive Order 9066. CLE Webinar (Free). CLE for 1 ethics credit which can be self-reported

Curriculum:
 Using Korematsu to Teach Across the Law School Curriculum
These are teaching modules that use Korematsu (and for Civil Procedure, Hirabayashi) in several law school courses and programs, including law school orientation and Introduction to Law courses; Professional Responsibility; Civil Procedure; Legal Research and Writing skills; and Constitutional Law.  Each module contains teaching plans and student materials, including overviews of the wartime incarceration, edited opinions, and questions for discussion. 

For information about traveling exhibits, contact:
Stephanie Wilson ([email protected])
Seattle University School of Law;  
Law Library
901 12th Ave, Sullivan Hall 
P.O. Box 222000
Seattle, WA 98122-1090 
United States
Phone: 206-398-4222; 
Fax: 206-398-4194

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In this episode, we talk with Sherry Antoine (Executive Director of AfroCROWD), Laurie Bridges (Instruction and Outreach librarian at Oregon State University), and Diana Park (Science Librarian at Oregon State University) about their work to RIGHT history by writing Black history into Wikipedia. 

Learn about what is happening in libraries and partner organizations to further representation of Black folx (and all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). Wikipedia is one of the first results that comes up when we search the web, while still often disregarded for its ability to allow anyone to add information to the large system of knowledge. That ability, for ALL to contribute to this repository of information and history, provides a new way to fight for social justice and Black futures.
Date of interview:  February 13, 2023
Hosts: Melissa Anderson and Brittany Young 

Links mentioned in this episode: 

•  AfroCROWD 
• AfroCROWD Events 
• Oregon Black Pioneers
• Writing African American History Into Wikipedia 

Link to the  EDI & ANTIRACISM TOOLKIT

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In part 2 of this two-part episode, we talk to the creative team behind the Librarians with Spines  book series calling for radical librarianship, Yago Cura, Max Macias and Autumn Anglin. This trio of "information agitators" share the origins of this series, the need for necessary boundary-pushing in the library profession, and the importance of having a strong support system when doing antiracism work.

Hear about the efforts that went into the design and creation of Vol. 3, released in fall of 2022, and get a sneak peek of what's next for this series of essays pushing for a new era of librarianship.

Listen to Part 1 here.

Order Librarians with Spines  v.1, 2 & 3 here:  https://www.hinchaspress.com/librarians-with-spines
Visit the  Librarians with Spines Blog
Link to the  EDI & ANTIRACISM TOOLKIT

Hosts: Constance Palaia & Ericka Brunson-Rochette
Date Recorded: December 23, 2022

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In Part 1 of this two-part episode, we talk to the creative team behind the Librarians with Spines  book series calling for radical librarianship, Yago Cura, Max Macias and Autumn Anglin. This trio of "information agitators" share the origins of this series, the need for necessary boundary-pushing in the library profession, and the importance of having a strong support system when doing antiracism work.

Hear about the efforts that went into the design and creation of Vol. 3, released in fall of 2022, and get a sneak peek of what's next for this series of essays pushing for a new era of librarianship.

Order Librarians with Spines  v.1, 2 & 3 here:  https://www.hinchaspress.com/librarians-with-spines
Visit the  Librarians with Spines Blog
Link to the  EDI & ANTIRACISM TOOLKIT

Hosts: Constance Palaia & Ericka Brunson-Rochette
Date Recorded: December 23, 2022

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*There were technical issues during the recording of this episode. We apologize for any minor disruptions*

In this episode, we talk with leadership from REFORMA Oregon about centering equity work as the foundation of library work, how to begin shifting Oregon library culture to better serve diverse communities as well as how a culture shift can support library workers of color. We also talk about how REFORMA Oregon supports EDI Antiracism work in the state and how this organization serves as a structure of support for library workers who identify as Latinx, speak Spanish or serve Latinx and Spanish-speaking communities. 

Brandace Rojo is the Current President of REFORMA Oregon and the Communications and Partnerships Manager at Josephine Community Library District.

Eduardo Arizaga is the Past President of REFORMA Oregon and the Community Engagement Manager at Multnomah County Library. REFORMA Oregon is a division of the Oregon Library Association as well as the Oregon chapter of REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, an affiliate of the American Library Association. REFORMA Oregon is a professional organization for librarians and library staff who serve the Spanish-speaking and Latino communities.

Date of interview: November 18, 2022

Hosts: LaRee Dominguez and Kristen Curé

Resources talked about in this episode:

• REFORMA Oregon: https://reformaoregon.weebly.com/
• REFORMA National: https://www.reforma.org/ 
• Harvard implicit bias test: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html 
• Dr. Michele Villagran’s 2018 article: Minimizing and addressing implicit bias in the workplace https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/17370/19151  Intersection Allies: We Make Room for All by Carolyn Choi and Chelsea Johnson (book)
• 1989 Article by Peggy McIntosh: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack: https://psychology.umbc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/57/2016/10/White-Privilege_McIntosh-1989.pdf 
• OLA EDI Anti Racism Toolkit: https://www.oregon.gov/Library/libraries/Documents/OLA%20EDI%20Toolkit/OLA_TOOLKIT_Hard_Copy%202021_02_11.pdf 

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In this special episode, we talk with the School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year, K.C. Boyd, and the two  School Librarian of the Year finalists, Pia Alliende and Andy Spinks.

Amid book challenges, political and cultural attempts to staunch access to books that reflect the history and lives of our youth, and funding cuts to school libraries, these courageous library heroes talk about their grit and determination to provide mirrors, inspiration, and access to information for all youth.

Andy, K.C., and Pia discuss preparing for challenges, antiracist and inclusive collection development, and how to keep our eyes on the prize of nurturing healthy, critical, and curious youth.

School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year 2023 Nominations are due December 5, 2022.

Hosts: Constance Palaia & Ericka Brunson-Rochette
Date Recorded: October 23, 2022

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In this episode, we talk with Roland Barksdale-Hall, Branch Manager at the Stey-Nevant Branch Library in Farrell, PA and an author, activist, historian, and griot. Our conversation touches on forging deep community connections, confronting biases, being true to oneself, active listening and making people feel seen, and the huge impact we can have on others. Roland shares his own inspiring story and the active work it took to truly become “the friendly place” in his community. The episode is full of concrete advice for library workers at every point in their career. Resources discussed: 

• Roland’s blog post in Librarians with Spines 
• Books authored by Roland  

Date of interview: August 19, 2022
Hosts: LaRee Dominguez and Meredith Farkas 

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In this episode, we talk with librarians Priya Charry & Leah Larson about the intricacies of navigating conversations around equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. They emphasize the importance of holding space for these conversations, the challenges of doing so as marginalized individuals, and why libraries should be working on the retention, not just hiring, of BIPOC employees. 

This discussion was inspired by a presentation led at the 2022 Public Library Association conference entitled, “Facilitating EDI Conversations in Professional Settings and Public Programming.”
 
Date of interview: July 25, 2022
Hosts: Brittany Young and Ericka Brunson-Rochette