Topical Lunch: Sharing Perspectives about Diversity Recruitment and Representation in Special Collections
Sponsored by Northeast Document Conservation Center
Recent calls to diversify the field have been answered with scholarships and recruitment initiatives. But are these effective tools for attracting—and retaining—new perspectives that will strengthen and evolve the profession? What unexpected challenges and successes do recruits encounter?
This session invites participants to share experiences, perspectives, and strategies for forging a “diverse” professional path. Topics may include representation in LIS and Rare Book School curricula, conferences, mentorship, ageism, and encounters with bias. To help frame the discussion, an anonymous questionnaire will be circulated prior to the session, targeting diversity fellows, residents, and other stakeholders, to solicit honest feedback and provide a venue for those unable to attend the conference to share their voices.
This will be an engaging, candid, and thought-provoking dialogue led by past recipients of the IMLS-RBS Fellowship for Early-Career Librarians.
A lunch buffet with sandwiches and salads will be available for $9.00 at The Mill Restaurant. Attendees will also have the option of purchasing lunch from the restaurant’s Quick Lunch Menu.
Suggested reading: http://bit.ly/lunchreads