Bridging Deaf Cultures @ your library

Purpose of Interest Group:

Primary focus is building support for the nation’s libraries to work with organizations serving the deaf (OSD) in forming a Deaf Cultural Digital Library.

Interest Group Leader:

Alec McFarlane, alec.mcfarlane@gmail.com

Conference Programs:

TBD

Press Releases:

National Deaf History Month (NDH) 2015

 

Since 1997, FOLDA in cooperation with both deaf and library communities, has been promoting the public to observe March 13 – April 15, 2015 as National Deaf History Month. The description of this month was listed in “Chase’s Annual Events” 2015 as follows: To observe three important deaf historical events in America’s history: (1) March 13, 1988: Deaf Civil Rights Victory Day when the first deaf person became president of 124-year-old Gallaudet University; (2) April 8, 1864: charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln authoring the Board of Directors of what is today Gallaudet University to grant college degrees to deaf students; and (3) April 15, 1817, establishment of the first permanent public school for deaf students in the Western Hemisphere, later known as the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, CT.

During this month of celebration (34 days) between March 13 and April 15: FOLDA will be recognizing deaf artists, authors, leaders, pioneers as well as organizations serving deaf people on each day beginning with:

1. Colorado Cross-Disability (CCDC) Founded 1990 for naming Dale Buterbaugh as the PERSON OF THE MONTH for his leadership as President of Deaf Gathering Group, an affiliate of CCDC. http://www.chieftain.com/news/3316818-120/deaf-buterbaugh-president-pueblo

2. Nebraska School for the Deaf Alumni Association (NSDAA) Founded 1901 for honoring its alumnus: Joseph Schmitz as author of the recently released book called “The Adventures of Buddy Schmitz” http://outskirtspress.com/bookstore/details/9781478748014

3. American School for the Deaf (ASD) Founded on April 15, 1817 for honoring Nancy Rourke, a famed deaf artist who displays her oil painting – The Public Lecture, 1815 “ to celebrate the 200th anniversary when Thomas H. Gallaudet first met Laurent Clerc in England, In only two years, they with Dr. Mason Fitch Cogswell founded ASD.

Useful Links:

The link you will find herein is a pre-publication copy of the American Society for Deaf Children's flagship publication, The Endeavor, where Alice L. Hagemeyer and I co-authored an article observing the Deaf Culture Digital Library, DCDL.  The print edition is going out this week and it will be digitally posted on the ASDC website this summer.  We want to share this with you, and share in the work of the great state of Maryland.

Courtesy, Tami Hossler, Editor, The Endeavor
http://issuu.com/asdc/docs/endeavor.winter2015/1

More than a mere legislative milestone, the DCDL is part of a larger system designed to facilitate and propagate information, means, opportunities, understanding, and more.  Our article strives to explain that system, its four parts or types, and their dynamics.

These dynamics will be working for a very long time. Thank you, again, for helping make the DCDL a reality in Maryland.

Yours Sincerely,

Alec C. McFarlane
Library for Deaf Action (LDA)
2930 Craiglawn Road
Silver Spring, MD 20904
301-563-9062
www.folda.net


Related Links:
American Society for Deaf Children
http://deafchildren.org/