Title: Practicing Social Justice in Libraries
Editors: Alyssa Brissett & Diana Moronta
Proposal Submission Deadline: January 31, 2021
Publisher: Routledge (Routledge Guides to Practice in Libraries, Archives and Information Science)
Anticipated Publication: 2022
About the book
This book will explore how library workers across various institutions, roles, and perspectives use tools and resources (libguides, syllabi, exhibits, programming, etc) to drive change and create a more socially responsible environment in their classrooms, institutions, and communities. Through everyday practice, including instruction, reference, collection development, and interactions with their communities, library workers are protesting, and advocating for equity and social change. The book will offer practical strategies to library workers for implementing inclusion practices in our collaborations, classrooms, collection development, programming and services across institutions and communities.
Tentative Timeline
CFP Distributed: December 4, 2020
Proposals due: January 31, 2021
Notification of acceptance/rejection: February 19, 2021
Contributor Contracts Due: March 15, 2021
First chapter draft due: May 1, 2021
Submission of Final Manuscript: December 1, 2021
Proposal Guidelines
We are seeking chapters about social justice work in libraries (including museums and archives) from a variety of perspectives, experiences, and marginalized identities. We are particularly interested in, and encourage submissions from BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) working in libraries. Final chapters should be approximately 4,500–5,000 words in length.
Submit your proposals via this Google form: https://forms.gle/
Submit your proposal as a .docx file
Please do not include any identifying information on your proposal
Include a description of the chapter (500 words max)
Include a tentative chapter title
1-2 sentences of which section you think your chapter fits and why
12 pt. Font, Times New Roman, double spaced, 1 inch margins
References/bibliography should follow the APA 7th edition citation style: https://apastyle.apa.org/
style-grammar-guidelines/ references If you are including charts, figures, and tables, follow the APA 7th edition citation style: https://apastyle.apa.org/
style-grammar-guidelines/ tables-figures
We are seeking chapter proposals that possibly address topics below, but feel free to propose ideas not included here:
Section 1: Theories and practice towards a framework
Theories, practice, concepts and motivations behind social justice/antiracist/anti-
oppression work for BIPOC/marginalized library workers Racist behaviors and systems within institutions/organizations
Libraries don’t exist in a vacuum: Libraries as a neutral space
Section 2: Self-care
Collaboration and self-care
Shine theory – mutual investment in collaborations with colleagues rather than competition (coined by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman)
Strategies for self-care
experiences with mental health professionals addressing burn-out, micro-aggressions, institutional/systemic racism, etc.
Section 3: Programming and Outreach
Programs/outreach for building community partnerships
Collaborating with student organizations and faculty
LIS organizations are partners in helping BIPOC navigate the profession
DEI committee strategies to form defined charge and objective for libraries
Curating knowledge with libguides as a form of resistance
Section 4: Pedagogical Practice and Library Instruction
Accessibility in online library learning
Strategies for addressing different needs in the one-shot session
Navigating micro-aggression and racism in the one-shot session
Guidelines for creating anti-racist materials and curriculum for classroom and learning objects.
Womanism pedagogy practices in the classroom
Anti-oppression strategies for teaching about database searching
Section 5: Navigating Structural and Systemic Racism
Antiracism coined as the new “diversity”
Authenticity in antiracist work
Thinking outside of the “ivory” tower and utilizing other frameworks and strategies that fall outside of academia
Repercussions of social justice work as a BIPOC/marginalized library worker
Upholding oppressive systems as a BIPOC/marginalized library worker
Section 6: Institutional and Coded Language
The importance of “naming the thing” - when discussing DEI initiatives within our institutions (anti-racism, anti-Blackness, anti-oppression, white supremacy)
Language as a tool of white supremacy that sustains systemic racism in institutions - it communicates power and domination with little effort
Strategies for resisting and responding to microaggressions in the workplace
If you have any questions or concerns, contact us at practicingsocialjusticebook@
Editors
Alyssa Brissett, MLIS
Social Work Librarian
University of Southern California
Diana Moronta, MSLIS
Instruction and Technology Librarian
New York Institute of Technology
