Name
Complicating the Politics of Belonging, Resisting, and Thriving: Locating Latinx Joy & Justice in the Academic Library
Date & Time
Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM
IDEAL Locations
Sheraton E
Session Type
Poster
Description

The Latinx/Hispanic population in the United States has grown significantly in the last few decades; similarly, the enrollment of Latinx/Hispanic students in higher education has also increased. With this in mind, are academic libraries meeting the needs of this growing demographic in colleges and universities? Conversations about inclusion, diversity, and equity are present within library discourse and critical scholars in LIS have explored the possibilities of an inclusive profession by examining services, space, staffing, technology, accessibility, instruction, and collection development. Simultaneously, scholars have also examined Latinx/Hispanic experiences in the academic library to address areas of concern. However, how do we go about ensuring our Latinx/Hispanic students, feel included as a member of the student community, and embraced in such a way that reduces anxiety with the library and encourages individuals to show up just as they are? The Latinx/Hispanic experience in the US is diverse and encompasses various intersecting facets including bilingualism, codeswitching, immigration, colonialism, indigeneity. As such, some questions we will explore are how can we contribute to Latinx/Hispanic student success? How can we create inclusive spaces that feel culturally and linguistically welcoming? How can we ensure our approaches are socially just, politically relevant, and informed?

Track
Poster
Keywords
Latinx/Hispanic, justice, inclusion, diversity, equity