ALA+Midwinter+2018+Report

= ALA Midwinter 2018 Report =

//** Save the date now: FTF 50th Anniversary at ALA Annual in Chicago, June 25-30, 2020 **//

Women of Library History
FTF's Women's History Month project **Women of Library History** will return in March. Start working now on stories of women who have been significant to the libraries, services, and systems you know and love. This is a great way to remember the contributions of these important women in librarianship—perhaps a founder, a mentor, or an activist in your community. Need ideas? Why not spend some time looking at archived issues of Women in Libraries - issues from 1970 (when FTF was the SRRT Task Force on the Status of Women in Librarianship) to 2002 are available online. Founding members mentioned in v.1, n.1 are Ruth Beasley, Kay Cassell, Sheila Conneen, Ellen Gay Detlefsen, Marion Figlio, Susan Geschwinder, Judith Krug, Beth Rebman, Linda Robson, and Anita Schiller.

Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at ALA Annual 2018
FTF will hold a Wikipedia edit-a-thon at ALA Annual 2018, using the FTF Women of Library History project content to expand the representation of women librarians/library folk on Wikipedia. This will have the direct impact of expanding coverage of women in library science and the indirect impact of bringing in more women as editors, which will help chip away at the systemic bias of a project that's mainly written by relatively affluent white men. Of course, men will also be welcome at the event because feminist/allied men who are attracted to the project through FTF will go in with an understanding of the systemic bias of Wikipedia and will be more likely to take that into account in their editing. No Wikipedia experience is needed - participants will learn how to add content and get started building articles. We will also be seeking co-sponsors and supporters. If you'd like to help with this event, contact Sherre Harrington (sharrington@berry.edu).

I am a feminist because ...
The Idea Exchange is an area of the Networking Uncommons where people at ALA conferences can contribute to “fill in the blank” type statements. Planners tend to try to capture current issues and give voice to them from the library world perspective. The prompt for the Midwinter 2018 Idea Exchange was “I am a feminist because ...” Thanks to Crystal Carrazco, Tina Coleman & Jody Gray at ALA for making it happen. And it’s not too late to contribute – just use #feministlibrarian along with your statement.