Public Libraries Supporting African American Writers

As the go-to destination for book lovers, public libraries offer a wide collection of materials, including those authored by local writers. However, not all writers are well-represented. African American writers are often underrepresented in libraries, especially in local author sections. To address this issue, libraries must assert intentional efforts through outreach and community collaborations to welcome African American writers into their collections. One of the barriers that African American writers face is a lack of representation, which can lead to a lack of exposure and make it difficult for them to gain a following. Additionally, they may face issues related to publishing, marketing, and distribution. In this free on-demand webinar, learn how to help overcome these barriers by consistently providing resources and support to African American writers. This includes providing workshops, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this free on-demand webinar, participants will be able to:

• Analyze the impact of underrepresentation of African American writers in local author sections of libraries and identify the barriers they face in gaining exposure and establishing a following;
• Develop strategies for outreach and community collaborations to welcome African American writers into their collections, including providing resources and support such as workshops, mentorship programs, and networking opportunities; and
• Implement intentional efforts to address the underrepresentation of African American writers, with a focus on increasing their visibility and providing equitable access to publishing, marketing, and distribution resources.

Additional Resources

• Slideshow (Canva)
• Chat Transcript (PDF)

Who Should Attend

This free on-demand webinar is intended for library directors and administrators, as they are the ones who have the power to make changes in their libraries. However, reference services staff and all public library staff would also benefit from learning about the importance of including African American writers in local author sections and how to provide support and resources for them. Overall, anyone who is interested in promoting diversity and inclusivity in libraries and the literary world would find this topic relevant and informative.

Panelist

Dr. Denguhlanga Julia Kapilango (she/her) is passionate about inspiring and motivating Black African American communities to achieve greatness. She is the director of operations and communication for Homage to Black Excellence (H2BE), which works to promote, honor, and celebrate Black excellence through the literary arts in Dearborn, Michigan and virtually. Dr. Kapilango is an transformative leader dedicated to helping tell Black history’s full potential and make a positive impact with Black history in the world.

As the daughter of two revolutionary leaders who devoted their minds and skills to helping Black peoples achieve their goals in liberation movements physically and spiritually, Dr. Kapilango lives in and on these legacies of her mother, Julia Ida Ann Wanza, and father, Dr. Adao Jose Domingos Kapilango.

Accommodations

This on-demand webinar is captioned in English (United States).

If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your access to this on-demand webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) prior to registering so we can attempt to provide appropriate accommodations.

Tech Requirements

To play this on-demand webinar you should use a browser with native HTML5 support. Please use the most up-to-date version available of Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, or Edge. A fast Internet connection and computer is recommended.