Jean E. Coleman Lecturer announced for 2023 ALA Annual Conference

CHICAGO – Ady Huertas (she/her/ella), of the San Diego Public Library, will deliver the 2023 Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture at the American Library Association’s (ALA) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Chicago, IL. Presented by the ALA Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS), the 2023 Lecture will take place on Sunday, June 25th from 10:30am -12:00pm CST in room W195 at the McCormick Place Convention Center.

Ady’s career in library services and outreach to the San Diego and binational Baja California community spans over 26 years at San Diego Public Library.  She is the Program Manager of Youth, Family, and Equity Services where she executes large scale public programs. This role allows her to curate and contribute to library initiatives and policies that focus on equity and the impact on youth and families.  Huertas recently served as a member on the Joint Council of Librarians of Color Call-to-Action Taskforce. She is a longtime active member of REFORMA – The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking, where she has been directly involved with services to asylum seeking youth through the Children in Crisis project. 

Huertas co-created Creando Enlaces, a binational library conference that fosters community connections and cultural diversity in public, academic, and special libraries. This experience brings together libraries from the US, Mexico, and across the globe to share best practices and build more inclusive library spaces.  Huertas received her B.A. in Chicana/o/x Studies from San Diego State University and her MLIS from San Jose State University.  She is passionate about serving historically excluded communities and creating welcoming spaces for all.

Lecture Title:  Creando Enlaces y Abriendo Puertas: Creating connections and establishing trust to provide welcoming inclusive services for historically excluded communities.

Lecture Abstract: 

Libraries have a critical role in providing inclusive services that meet the needs of diverse communities, while fostering trust and engagement through authentic connections.  From our collections, programming, and outreach efforts, libraries can serve as powerful advocates for social justice, equity, and inclusion.  Through local, national, and binational collaborations and collective movements, libraries provide a voice for those who have been historically excluded.  By creating welcoming and open spaces that promote safety, inclusivity, and belonging, we contribute to the overall well-being of the communities we serve.

The lecture series honors Dr. Jean E. Coleman, the first director of the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (now the Office for Diversity, Literacy, and Outreach Services) for her leadership in focusing the Association's attention on issues affecting traditionally underserved and underrepresented people in libraries.

For more information, please visit www.alaannual.org.

The Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture is open to all attendees of ALA Annual Conference and is coordinated by the ODLOS Advisory Committee: Jennifer Shimada, Suzan Antoinette Alteri, Cathy Zimmerman, Rhonda K. Gould, Mr. Simon J.M. Healey, Conrrado Saldivar, Sally Stieglitz, Emily A. Bergman, Nadia Mira Orozco-Sahi, LaJuan Pringle, Mr. Sammie Johnson, II, Angela Steele, Vincci Wing Yee Kwong, Carrie Scott Banks, Carla Y. Davis-Castro, Anjelica T. Rufus-Barnes, Gwendolyn N. Weaver, Mr. Allan Martin Kleiman, Mrs. Shauntee Burns-Simpson, Mrs. Cindy Hohl, and Ray Pun.