Contact: Macey Morales
JCLC Media Relations
312-280-4393
mmorales@ala.org
Joint Conference of Librarians of Color 2018
The 3rd National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color in 2018, “Gathering all Peoples: Embracing Culture & Community” will take place September 26-30, 2018 at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico. Conference sponsors include the five ethnic affiliate associations of the American Library Association (ALA): are the American Indian Library Association (AILA), the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA), and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking.
The conference is open to all library staff, students, influencers, and decision-makers interested in exploring inclusive policies, practices, and issues of diversity in libraries and how they affect the ethnic communities who use our services. 15 travel scholarships have been awarded to LIS graduate students.
Almost 1000 individuals plan to attend the conference and take advantage of five days of themed programming that will provide a platform for the exchange of ideas related to best practices on how to serve diverse user populations. The JCLC will offer preconference sessions and four days of tracked programming for a wide range of attendees who serve diverse communities. Programming focuses on a range of areas such as advocacy, outreach, collaboration, leadership, multicultural services, research, mentorship, collection development, and emerging technologies. Much anticipated is the all-conference awards gala to celebrate our successes and honor our member leaders in their work as advocates, as quality distinguished service providers, as authors, and those providing a legacy of excellence and to our rising leaders.
Special offerings include keynote speakers, author Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and author E. Ethelbert Miller. Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to explore the beautiful Albuquerque culture and community with tours of the University of New Mexico Library and Archives and a cultural evening at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
American Indian Library Association (AILA)
The American Indian Library Association (AILA) is a membership action group that addresses the library-related needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives. AILA was founded in 1979 in conjunction with the White House Pre-Conference on Indian Library and Information Services on or Near Reservations. AILA members are individuals and institutions interested in the development of programs to improve library and information services in all types of libraries that serve Indian communities.
Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
Founded in 1980, the Asian/Pacific Librarians Association (APALA) was incorporated in Illinois in 1981 and formally affiliated with the ALA in 1982. A predecessor of APALA, the Asian American Librarians Caucus (AALC), was organized in 1975 as a discussion group of the ALA Office for Library Outreach Services reflecting the interest in library services to minority communities and professional support of librarians of minority ancestry that prevailed in the ALA in the 1960s and 70s. APALA and AALC, before it was organized/founded by librarians of diverse Asian/Pacific ancestries, committed to working together toward a common goal: to create an organization that would address the needs of Asian/Pacific American librarians and those who serve Asian/Pacific American communities.
Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA)
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) serves as an advocate for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services and resources to the nation’s African American community. Founded by ALA Past President E. J. Josey in 1970, the organization provides leadership for the recruitment and professional development of African American librarians, and also serves as a clearinghouse for information about Black Librarians in promoting their wider participation at all levels of the profession.
Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA)
The Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA) started in 1973 as Mid-West Chinese American Librarians Association, a regional organization in Illinois. A year later, Chinese Librarians Association was formed in California in 1974. In 1976, Mid-West Chinese American Librarians Association was expanded to a national organization as Chinese American Librarians Association. By 1979, CALA had five chapters in Northeast, Mid-West, Atlantic, Southwest and California respectively. Chinese American Librarians Association and Chinese Librarians Association were merged in 1983. The merged organization retains CALA’s English name and Chinese Librarians Association’s Chinese name 美國華人圖書館員協會 (hua ren tu shu guan yuan xie hui).
Dr. Arnulfo Trejo founded REFORMA in 1971. As an affiliate of the ALA, REFORMA has actively sought to promote the development of library collections to include Spanish-language and Latino oriented materials. The organization works to recruit bilingual and bicultural library professionals and support staff, and the development of library services and programs that meet the needs of the Latino community. REFORMA supports efforts to educate the U.S. Latino population in regards to the availability and types of library services, as well as efforts to preserve existing library resource centers serving the interests of Latinos.