This interview was conducted via email with Sofia Leung and Jorge López-McKnight, co-editors of the recently published Knowledge Justice: Disrupting Library and Information Studies through Critical Race Theory, an anthology of essays focused on challenging the foundational principles, values, and assumptions of library and information sciences (LIS) in the United States. Sofia and Jorge opened up the conversation to include several authors who contributed to this anthology: April M. Hathcock, Dr. Antonia (Toni) Olivas, and Lalitha (Lali) Nataraj. Mimosa Shah (MS): What...
Spectrum News
Round-up of news from the Spectrum Scholarship Program. This blog features announcements from the community of Spectrum Scholars including new jobs, promotions, publications, presentations, scholarships, awards, and life accomplishments.
The Spectrum Advisory Committee has compiled this list of Spectrum Scholars standing for office in the 2021 ALA Elections. We encourage you to support the mission of the Spectrum Scholarship Program by supporting these leaders! The 2021 ALA Elections open March 8, 2021 and close on April 7, 2021. If you're a Scholar standing for office in the upcoming ALA election, and you do not see your information listed here please let us know at spectrum@ala.org and you will be added. Additionally, check out the Spectrum Advisory...
The Spectrum Advisory Committee compiled topics from the Spectrum community and created three questions to pose to the candidates for the 2022-2023 ALA Presidency: Stacey A. Aldrich, Ed Garcia, and Lessa Kanani'opua Pelayo-Lozada. Each candidate's responses are included below. The 2021 ALA Elections open on March 8, 2021, and close on April 7, 2021. Be sure to also check out our 2021 Spectrum Elections Guide highlighting Spectrum Scholars standing for election across our organization. What does Equality,...
Javier Barrios is a librarian for the Writers Guild Library in Los Angeles, California. The Writers Guild Library is the world’s only library and archive devoted entirely to writing for the screen and endeavors to preserve and promote the history and craft of screenwriting. He’s keenly well-versed in past and current writing trends which makes him a valued asset to library patrons and emerging writers. Some of the library’s initiatives include the Veterans Writing Project and Volunteer and Mentorship Programs. Javier studied screenwriting at the University of Southern...
Linda White (nee Crichlow) is a 2001 Spectrum Scholar. After graduating from the Catholic University School of Library Science in 2003, Linda went on to serve as a School Library Media Specialist at Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools until her retirement. As Linda and her husband Eric White, an Adult Services librarian for the Washington, D.C. Public Library, were downsizing and preparing to move to a retirement community, they were contacted by Michelle Evans Oliver. Oliver was a consultant for the Legacy List with Matt Paxton television show and President of the Richmond, Virginia...
Jesus Espinoza (he/him/his) is the Student Success Librarian at the University of Michigan. He is a 2016 Spectrum Scholar. His work centers around instruction, outreach and DEIA in academic libraries. In his spare time he enjoys travel, horror movies and boba. Jesus is interviewed here by Denisse Solis (she/her/ella), also a 2016 Scholar, and Interim Digital Collections Librarian at the University of Denver. Her work centers around digital collections, outreach, and DEIA in academic libraries. In her spare time, she enjoys naps with her cat Murphy, running and...
By: Veronica Ramirez, MLIS Student, San Jose State University When I was 12 years old, my family relocated from a small town in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico to Mountain View, California. I was placed in ESL classes and experienced a challenging time trying to learn a new language. My teacher suggested that my mother take me to the local public library so that I could check out books and practice reading in English. Coming from a small town in rural Mexico, this was my first time going to a public library. My favorite books to check out were the ones with animals as protagonists such...
With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, economic instability, and public murders of multiple Black individuals (including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd), our community has been and is going through trauma. We are committed to supporting Spectrum Scholars and providing multiple spaces for individuals to process, grieve, and express the ways these events and systems are impacting them as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in LIS. The Spectrum Advisory Committee (SAC) has collected stories and responses from Scholars and we share here to provide space for individuals...
Congratulations to Victor Betts (2015 Scholar) and Carol Ng-He (2019 Scholar) who were recently honored with 2020 awards from the Society of American Archivists. Carol Ng-He, who is pursuing a master of library and information science degree at San Jose State University, is a 2020 recipient of the Harold T. Pinkett Minority Student Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes minority graduate students of African, Asian, Latino, or Native American descent who, through scholastic achievement, manifest an interest in becoming professional...
With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, economic instability, and public murders of multiple Black individuals (including Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd), our community has been and is going through trauma. We are committed to supporting Spectrum Scholars and providing multiple spaces for individuals to process, grieve, and express the ways these events and systems are impacting them as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in LIS. The Spectrum Advisory Committee (SAC) has collected stories and responses from Scholars and we share here to provide space for individuals...