September Inclusive Services Update

Resources:

• PLA releases first Staff and Diversity Survey report – This month, the Public Library Association (PLA) announced the publication of the 2021 Public Library Staff and Diversity Survey Report. The national survey updates information on beginning librarian and library director salaries; documents traditional and emerging staff roles; explores staff diversity, recruitment, and retention efforts; and captures information about public library equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) goals and activities. The report is available to everyone on the PLA website. Libraries can register for a free PLA webinar on Oct. 4 at 1:00 p.m. Central to learn more about the survey results and what opportunities and challenges they present for the future of public libraries.

• ALA/ARL Approve Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity: A Framework – The Joint ALA/ARL Building Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity Framework Task Force’s final draft of the Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity: A Framework (PDF) is a tool both theoretical and practical in its orientation; a guide for developing personal, organizational, institutional, and systems-level knowledge and understanding of the nature of racism and its many manifestations.

• Are You Nearsighted or Farsighted? Here’s How to Make Windows More Accessible

Continuing Education:

• Racial microaggressions: Their effects on mental and physical health – Virtual, September 9, 12 pm : In this session, guest speaker Jaena Alabi will present a brief history of racial microaggressions research, focusing on the negative mental and physical health outcomes associated with experiencing subtle racism.  Strategies for mitigating the negative effects of racial microaggressions, such as incorporating cultural competence into one’s practice of librarianship, will also be shared.

• Reading the Future: New Ways of Accessing NLS Books and Other Digital Materials -Virtual, September 15, 4 pm : The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) has developed new tools to distribute materials, including a revamped digital talking book player that can download books directly from the internet and a refreshable braille display available to any patron who uses braille.

• Classes from UW Madison’s iSchool:

  • Designing For Accessibility, Sept 19 – Oct 23

  • Inclusive Marketing: What Is Your Marketing Really Saying?, Sept 26 – Nov 6

  • Trans-Inclusive Librarianship, Nov 14 – Dec 11

• Adaptive Umbrella Accessibility Workshop – Virtual, October 6, 9-2:30 : This workshop features interactive sessions about current accessibility topics, led by disability self-advocates and professionals working with the disability community. The day is geared to library staff, educators, and caregivers.

• Wisconsin Open Education Symposium – Virtual, October 28: This Symposium is a space for inclusive and open sharing and conversation, and creating meaningful collaborations to advance open education. The theme this year is ‘Open for Equity.’ The Keynote speaker is Ursula Pike, Associate Director of the Digital Higher Education Consortium of Texas and a Creative Writing instructor for Austin Community College. She is a member of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee for the Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources (CCCOER) and completed SPARC’s Open Education Leadership Program in 2021. Ms. Pike earned her Master’s degree in Economics from Western Illinois University and her MFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts. She is an enrolled member of the Karuk Tribe and the author of the openly licensed book OERigin Stories: Pathways to Open Education and An Indian Among Los Indígenas: A Native Travel Memoir (2021) from Heyday Books.

• Toward One Wisconsin – UW-Superior, November 3-4: This year’s theme is ‘Where are we Going? How do we Continue?’ The Toward One Wisconsin Conference prioritizes the work of diversity, equity, inclusion and access throughout Wisconsin by encouraging community members to collaborate, share, and learn. Attendees will learn best practices, insights, and implementation tools to foster and sustain an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture across all sectors of business and life.

Consumables:

• From Book Stacks to Psychosis and Food Stamps, Librarians Confront a New Workplace

• Don’t walk on by: how to confront bias and bigotry aimed at others – Bystander-intervention programmes use humour and other tools to call out bullying and harassment in science.

• Public library creating ‘gender affirming closet’ for students at Oregon school – A public library in Oregon plans to hold a “donation kickoff” Thursday to launch a local high school’s “gender affirming closet,” which will offer “clothes, makeup, and accessories” to transgender students.

• CultureRoad Podcast – CultureRoad delivers fresh content monthly to help professionals at all levels thrive in the contemporary workplace. Stay up-to-date with best practices on DEI, and acquire the necessary skills and tools to effectively lead, manage, and influence others.

• The Water We Swim In Podcast – Meet the Wisconsinites and Great Lakes advocates working toward equity in a society where environmental injustice, racism, ableism and economic injustice are the waters we swim in. Join Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Bonnie Willison and Hali Jama as we bring you inspiring stories from the community organizers, researchers, and leaders navigating Wisconsin’s waters. Episode 6 focuses on Native American books!

Diverse Holidays in September:

September is National Suicide Awareness Month Also known as Suicide Prevention Month, the month brings awareness to a topic not often talked about. Learning about suicide prevention during the month of September is a great way to educate yourself and others. If you or someone you know needs emergency assistance, contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. Find more help at www.nami.org/Find-Support.

Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15. This month corresponds with Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16, and recognizes the revolution in 1810 that ended Spanish dictatorship.

September 5: International Day of Charity on September 5th encourages organizations and individuals to help others. The day also emphasizes increasing solidarity and promoting social responsibility. Mother Teresa of Calcutta is one of the most well-known humanitarians in modern history. It’s due to her selfless devotion to serving the poor that September 5th was chosen as International Day of Charity. It was on this day in 1997 that Mother Teresa passed away at the age of 87. In 2011, the Hungarian Parliament chose to commemorate the anniversary of her death by making it a national holiday for their country. In 2012, the UN General Assembly resolved to make the Hungarian holiday an International one.

September 5: Labor Day in the United States. Labor Day honors the contribution that laborers have made to the country and is observed on the first Monday of September.

September 8: Onam marks Kerala’s annual harvest festival. It falls during the Malayali month of Chingam (Aug – Sep) and marks the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. It’s a celebration of Malayali culture and tradition and celebrated with great enthusiasm.

September 8: International Literacy Day. The day focuses on the importance and value of literacy. On October 26, 1966, UNESCO pronounced September 8th as International Literacy Day.

September 10: Autumn Moon Festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival, Moon Festival, or, less commonly, Mooncake Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday falling on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunar calendar.

September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day aims to promote ways to prevent suicide. The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) organizes the observance.

September 11: Ethiopian New Year. Rastafarians celebrate the New Year on this date and believe that Ethiopia is their spiritual home.

September 15: Every year on the third Thursday in September, the International Day of Listening promotes the importance of listening to one another. It’s also a day to practice the art of listening.

September 18: International Equal Pay Day, celebrated for the first time in September 2020, represents the longstanding efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value. It further builds on the United Nations’ commitment to human rights and against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.

September 21: The International Day of Peace on September 21st urges humanity to set aside its differences and commit to making peace. Also known as Peace Day, the observance is designed to bring the world together. The United Nations established International Peace Day in 1981 with the first observance held on September 21, 1982.

September 21: World Alzheimer’s Day when health organizations across the globe focus their efforts on raising awareness about this disease.

September 23: Ostara Mabon, a celebration of the vernal equinox commemorated by Pagans and Wiccans.

September 23: International Day of Sign Languages on September 23rd recognizes the importance of language through signing. Sign language is not a universal language. On December 19, 2017, the United Nations passed the resolution and declared September 23rd International Day of Sign Languages.

September 23: Celebrate Bisexuality Day unites the bisexual community, their friends, and their supporters. It also raises awareness and provides an opportunity to educate the public about bisexuality. This day is also known as Bisexual Pride Day and Bi Visibility Day. Three U.S. activists who founded this day chose the birthday of Freddy Mercury (Queen’s lead singer) to establish the date.

September 23: Native American Day, a Federal holiday observed annually on the fourth Friday in September in the state of California and Nevada and on the second Monday in October in South Dakota and Oklahoma, United States.

September 26-27 (sundown to sundown): Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year celebration, marking the creation of the world.

September 26-October 4: Navaratri. Festival of 9 nights celebrating the Goddess in her various forms, most typically as Ma Durga.

September 28: Teacher’s Day in Taiwan. This day is used to honor teachers’ contributions to their students and to society in general. People often express their gratitude to their teachers by paying them a visit or sending them a card. This date was chosen to commemorate the birth of Confucius, the model master educator in ancient China.

September 28: the International Day for Universal Access to Information is observed. This day promotes the idea that every individual around the world has a right to seek and receive information.