Anti-Racist Acquisitions: Learning to Interrogate Whiteness in Processes and Policies
The process and policies of acquiring materials are often overlooked when considering developing an inclusive and anti-racist collection. This presentation will reflect upon how Whiteness manifests in library processes for acquiring materials, such as through approval plans, and is grounded in Diane Gusa’s White Institutional Presence (WIP) framework. From Gusa’s framework, the authority and advantage generated from Whiteness’s historical position of power and dominance are embedded into the structures and economics of purchasing materials. This presentation will offer questions participants can use to interrogate their own processes and policies, and will engage participants in small group discussions.
Speakers
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Arthur AguileraCollection Assessment Librarian, University of Colorado BoulderHe/Him/His
Arthur Aguilera is the Collection Assessment Librarian at the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries. He is a Co-Chair of the ALA-Core Collection Evaluation & Assessment Interest Group. -
Juleah SwansonAcquisitions & Accounting Section Lead, University of Colorado BoulderShe/Her
Juleah Swanson is an Associate Professor and Acquisitions and Accounting Section Lead at the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries. -
Natalia TingleBusiness Collections & Reference Librarian, University of Colorado Boulder