AkLA 2014 Culturally Relevant & Responsive Libraries panel presentation Organized and moderated by Valarie Kingsland Panel: Patricia Brown, Stacey Glaser, Linda Lyshol, David Ongley, Sue Sherif, and Sandy Tharp In 2001, a group of Alaskan library directors developed the Culturally Responsive Guidelines for Alaska Public Libraries (akla.org/publications/culturally-responsive-guidelines-for-alaska- public-libraries/) in a workshop facilitated by Lotsee Patterson and sponsored by the Alaska State Library. Revisit these guidelines as they are put into context with similar efforts across the globe and join a panel discussion about how libraries are striving to make their libraries relevant to their culturally diverse community members. The discussion will include an exploration of goals and objectives for these guidelines in the future. Brought to you by the Alaska Native Issues Roundtable. http://akla.org/anchorage2014/presentation/culturally-relevant-responsive-libraries/

1. Culturally Relevant
& Responsive
Libraries
AkLA 2014
http://www.webtexture.net/photoshop-resources/patterns/15-high-resolution-grunge-textures/

2. Introductions
Patricia Brown Director - Haines Borough Public Library, Haines
Stacey Glaser Director - Chukchi Consortium Library, Kotzebue
Linda Lyshol Director - Ketchikan Public Library, Ketchikan
David Ongley Director - Tuzzy Consortium Library, Barrow
Sue Sherif Head of Library Development - Alaska State Library, Anchorage
Sandy Tharp Director - Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Library, Perkins, OK
Moderator - Valarie Kingsland - SJSU SLIS Circle of Learning, Seward

3. 2010 IMLS Public Libraries by justgrimes - http://justgrimes.cartodb.com/tables/plout10/

4. Agenda
Cultural Competence
Global Context
History & Overview of Guidelines
Panel Presentations
Panel Questions
Break Out Exercise
Discussion
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shaireproductions/3901311799

5. Objectives
• Place cultural competence in a broad context
• Become familiar with the Culturally Responsive Guidelines for
Alaska Public Libraries
• Hear real life examples how libraries are relevant and responsive
• Apply concepts to your professional philosophy and practice
• Share ideas about how to bridge theory with practice
• Ask how we move the effort forward
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

6. Cultural Competence
A congruent set of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that
enable a person or group to work effectively in cross-
cultural situations; the process by which individuals and
systems respond respectfully and effectively to people of
all cultures, languages, classes, races, ethnic
backgrounds, religions, and other diversity factors in a
manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of
individuals, families, and communities and protects and
preserves the dignity of each.
National Association of Social Workers, 2001
Used for the ACRL Diversity Standards, 2012

7. Leading Disciplines
• Education: NEA Diversity Toolkit
• Medicine:
o NAMI Multicultural Action Center
o National Institute of Health
o National Center for Cultural Competence
• Research: Harvard Catalyst annotated bibliography
• Social Work: NASW Diversity & Cultural Competence

8. Global Efforts
Africa
Australia
Canada
Circumpolar Arctic
Oceania
South America
https://www.flickr.com/photos/80497449@N04/10012162166

9. Terminology
Culturally Responsive
Culturally Relevant
Cultural Competence
Diversity
Globalization
Inclusive
Multicultural
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

10. History
Culturally Responsive Guidelines for Alaska
Public Libraries (2001)
Stacey Glaser
David Ongley
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

11. Define
What does it mean to be culturally responsive?
What does it mean to be culturally relevant?
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

12. Components
Library Environment
Services and Programs
Collections
Library Staff
*Applicable to all cultural groups
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

13. Panel Presentations
Sandy Tharp
Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Library Director
Welcome to our Library
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

14. Welcome to our Library
The history of the Ioway people is written in many books and being written
today. We invite all people to read, learn and share the rich heritage of the Iowa
Tribe and of our relatives.
We are dedicated to promoting the love and teaching of reading beginning with
the youngest to the young of heart. Our library belongs to our people. It is
for them and the community that our people live in that we strive to offer
literacy, educational, computer skills, employment and health resources.
“Our library door is always open.”
http://www.iowanation.org/page/home/government/library
Sandy Tharp, Library Director 405-547-2402 ext 213
stharp@iowanation.org

16. Computer Lab – seven public computers
and one early literacy station

17. Iowa Collection
Ba-kho-je
“People of the Grey Snow”

18. Iowa Digital Collection
1843 Hymnal Videos
Language
Photos
9 Original
Treaties
Books
Newsletters

19. “Standing Together”
Oklahoma Tribes Collection

20. “When a child enters a room everything changes.” anon

21. “Gathering Hope” – Afterschool Youth Program
Homework Lab
Monday – Thursday
3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Cultural Activities
Fridays and School
breaks
.
Ih t(d)eh Geh kho doh heh
[hope] [gathering]

22. •Art
•Beading
•Fieldtrips
•Finger Weaving
•Gardening
•Language
•Pottery
•Reading
•Storytelling
•Traditions
•Writing

23. Fishing for the Eagles

24. Fishing for the Eagles

25. Gardening
“In my garden I want to grow macaroni and cheese.”

26. Bison Traveling Education Program
Past
Present
Future

27. Iowa Equine Program
Meet Appy

28. Health Literacy – “Free”
Indian Health Service (IHS)
http://www.ihs.gov/MedicalPrograms/Diabetes/RESOURCES/Catalog/index.cfm

29. American Indian Health Portal
http://americanindianhealth.nlm.nih.gov/
“When Darkness Calls”
Suicide Prevention Comic

31. Funding for Health Literacy
National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM)
http://nnlm.gov/
Membership is Free

32. Panel Presentations
David Ongley
Tuzzy Consortium Library Director
NPR Recording
Study: Stereotypes Drive Perceptions of Race
Environment
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

33. Panel Questions
How do you apply or see libraries applying the
concepts in the Guidelines?
Library Environment
Services and Programs
Collections
Library Staff
http://justgrimes.cartodb.com/tables/8e506d89-8d7a-453f-b013-47c67a69b1ef/public/map

34. Bridging the Gap
It’s not just about one cultural group, it’s
about acknowledging all of them and
welcoming them.
• How does this information change you?
• What are your ideas?
• What are the challenges?
• How do we connect theory to practice?
• Where do we go from here?

35. Break Out Exercise
Break into four groups:
1. Library Environment
2. Services and Programs
3. Collections
4. Library Staff
Discuss and share ideas about your topic.
Write them down.
Choose one to share.
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

36. Discussion
Each group will share an idea.
Questions?
Comments?
Ideas?
Do share!
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html

37. Resources
ACRL - Diversity Standards: Cultural Competency for Academic Libraries
(2012)
ACRL - Library Instruction for Diverse Populations Bibliography
First Archivist Circle - Protocols for Native American Archival Materials
SAA - “Protocols for Native American Archival Materials”: Information and
Resources Page
UNC - Libraries, Literacy, and African American Male Youth
Module 9 Activity: Culturally Responsive Library Walk [pdf]

38. Further Reading
Kumasi & Hill - Examining the Hidden Ideologies within Cultural Competence Discourses
among Library and Information Science (LIS) Students: Implications for School Library
Pedagogy (2013)
Mestre, Lori - Culturally Responsive Instruction for Teacher-Librarians (2009)
Overall, Patricia Montiel - Cultural Competence: A Conceptual Framework For Library and
Information Science Professionals (2009)
Programming Librarian - Multiculturalism Happens: Targeting Multicultural Literacy in
Libraries
Ramsey, Elizabeth - Cross Cultural Competence as an Aspect of Improving Diversity in
Library Collections (2013)
Rivera, Alexander – Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Competencies in the Library
Profession: From Theory to Practice (2013)

39. Patricia Brown, Haines
Stacey Glaser, Kotzebue
Linda Lyshol , Ketchikan
David Ongley, Barrow
Sue Sherif, Anchorage
Sandy Tharp, Perkins, OK
Valarie Kingsland, Seward
Brought to you by the Alaska Native Issues Roundtable
Thank you
for
joining us!
http://lostandtaken.com/blog/2010/9/26/goodbye-summer-a-textural-tribute.html