Diversity: ALA holds 5th Annual Diversity Fair in Atlanta, June 2002
| Pages | 91-92 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120310454575 |
| Published date | 01 February 2003 |
| Date | 01 February 2003 |
| Author | Patricia Layzell Ward |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
Diversity: ALA holds 5th
Annual Diversity Fair in
Atlanta, June 2002
Patricia Layzell Ward
The 5th Annual Diversity Fair was held at the
American Library Association Conference on
15 June 2002. DEMCO INC sponsored the
Fair, organised by the ALA's Office for
Literacy & Outreach Services, Ethnic &
Multicultural Information Exchange Round
Table and the Council Committee on
Minority Concerns and Cultural Diversity.
So what is a Diversity Fair? It's a part of a
programme that could be easily introduced at
any national conference. At Atlanta it was
open for two hours and held in a largish room
that provided tables for 40 participants. The
participants laid out their publicity material
and handouts, and had staff standing by to
explain more about their activities. With the
help of the sponsor a leaflet was produced
which listed the participants and gave contact
snail mail and e-mail addresses, phone and
fax numbers. Simple but very effective.
The exhibitors were grouped into Programs
and Services to: Children, Youth and
Families; New and Non-Readers; People
Geographically Isolated; People
Discriminated Against Due to Race, Ethnicity
and Language, Sexual Orientation, Age,
Social Class; and People with Disabilities.
Other initiatives included a number taken
within universities to promote the diversity of
their services; services for international
students; to increase diversity in ILS schools;
services provided by public library services;
and the work of the Social Responsibility and
Ethnic and Multicultural Information
Exchange Round Tables of the ALA.
The range of organisations and variety of
their work indicated the breadth and depth of
activities within the US that are promoting
diversity. All of the exhibitors had valuable
experiences to share.
Thelma Tate described the activity at
Rutgers University Libraries in conversation.
She indicated that there are four project goals
to: participate in cultural activities that
reinforce positive attitudes about all of the
people in our community and beyond; learn
some of the contributions made by diverse
cultural groups represented in the workplace;
provide programs that support the
Multicultural Blueprint of the University and
Rutgers Library Systems; and improve
cultural understanding for better relations in
the workplace. Co-sponsored diversity
programs are held in association with
community groups, business and industries.
Examples of the programmes are: ``brown
The author
Patricia Layzell Ward is Editor of
Library Management
.
Keywords
Equal opportunities, Cultural synergy,
Library management
Abstract
Reviews a Diversity Fair held at the American Library
Association Conference, June 2002. Attention is drawn to
the range of programmes organised in US libraries
relating to diversity in its widest interpretation, and a
number are highlighted.
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91
Library Management
Volume 24 .Number 1/2 .2003 .pp. 91-92
#MCB UP Limited .ISSN 0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/01435120310454575
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