Arist (2007) chose three outstanding examples of libraries—academic, special, and public---that demonstrate how to provide information, technology, programming, and services to their communities. Her purpose is to encourage every library to do the same.
The first example is Northwestern University, which provides outstanding resources for African-American studies through their Herskovits Collection of Africana founded in 1954. . (Arist, 2007, p. 1-2) It includes 285,000 volumes, 2,800 current serials, and 250 current newspapers. The collection also includes 15,000 books written in 300 different African languages. In addition, there are collections of photographs, maps, etc. Online resources for the study of Africa, four staff members to help with questions, and bibliographical instruction make this library stand out.
Even the curator’s position exists because of protests in the 1960s and 1970s for an African-American to be in the position. Because of students’ demands, Northwestern has also established programs, departments, a research center for Asian-American studies, and an East Asian Studies Librarian is available. (Arist, 2007, p. 1-2)
Secondly, Arist (2007) mentions The Illinois State Library. It provides for multicultural diversity through the Illinois Diversity Program (IDP) created in 2003 “to assist the Illinois library community in developing cultural and minority diversity Initiatives.” (As cited in Arist, 2007) The program works with more than 100 Illinois librarians. Its staff also provides workshops in technology, works with an online forum geared to reach Spanish speakers, is formulating a Web page to provide resources for various groups, and trains staff to become experts in diversity.
In add...
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...erently. All of my teachers during my elementary years were Anglo-American, and at that time, they never took into account a different culture, language, or ethnicity. Things have changed for the better.
Works Cited
Arist, S. (2007). Success in Diversity: How Three Illinois Libraries Embrace Multiculturalism. ILA
Reporter, 25(5), 4-7. http://www.ila.org/pub/reporter.htm
Arsenault, R. & Brown, P. (2007). The Case for Inclusive Multicultural Collections in the School Library.
CSLA Journal, 31(1), 20-21. http://thejournal.com/Home.aspx
Asselin, Marlene (2003). Literacy and Diversity: Working with the Grain. Teacher Librarian, 30(4),
53-4. http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/
Gomez, Martin (2007, October). The Color of Diversity. Illinois Library Association Reporter, 25(5).
http://www.ila.org/pub/reporter.htm
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