Black Caucus Of The American Library Association

THROUGH A NATIONAL FORUM GRANT, THE BLACK CAUCUS OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION (BCALA) WILL ORGANIZE A ONE-DAY PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT TO STRENGTHEN SUPPORT FOR BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN MASTER'S IN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE (MLIS) STUDENTS. UP TO 50 LIS STUDENTS, PROFESSIONALS, AND EDUCATORS WILL CONVENE TO DISTILL EFFECTIVE APPROACHES FOR INCREASING BCALA?S OUTREACH TO EMERGING LIBRARIANS. THE FORUM WILL PRECEDE THE 2020 NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN LIBRARIANS AND WILL PRODUCE: 1. A TOOLKIT OF RESOURCES FOR LIBRARIANS AND EDUCATORS TO RECRUIT BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN LIBRARIANS; AND 2. AN ONLINE, PROGRAM-INDEPENDENT IBLACKCAUCUS STUDENT GROUP. GIVEN THE LOW RATES OF RETENTION OF BLACK LIBRARIANS AND THE FIELD'S COMMITMENT TO INCREASED PROFESSIONAL DIVERSITY, THE PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNICATION AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO SUPPORT BLACK LIBRARIANS EARLY IN THEIR CAREERS.

THE BLACK CAUCUS OF THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION WILL EXPLORE THE CURRENT STATE OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH (BHM) PROGRAMMING OFFERED AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVED NATIONAL PROGRAMMING. WHILE VIRTUALLY EVERY PUBLIC LIBRARY ACROSS THE U.S. CONDUCTS SOME PROGRAM DURING BHM, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SYSTEMATIC STUDY TO ASSESS THE CONTENT, SCOPE, TARGET AGE GROUPS, AND FOCUS OF THAT PROGRAMMING. THIS PLANNING GRANT WILL BRING TOGETHER PARTNERS FROM KEY AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION DIVISIONS AND OFFICES, THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE AND HISTORY, THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN?S PROGRAM FOR RESEARCH ON BLACK AMERICANS, AND OTHER EXPERTS IN THE FIELD TO EXPLORE AND CATALOGUE CURRENT BHM PROGRAMMING. IT WILL RESULT IN: 1. A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEW, 2. A TAXONOMY OF BHM PROGRAMMING, 3. A SAMPLING PLAN, AND 4. A DRAFT FRAMEWORK FOR A FUTURE NATIONAL RESEARCH STUDY.