<div dir="ltr"><div>Thank you, Lori; you took the words right out of my mouth. :-)</div><div><br></div><div>I also want to add something about intellectual freedom. There are many in our profession who feel that intellectual freedom is the most important professional value we hold and that when it comes into conflict with other library values around diversity, accessibility, and inclusivity, intellectual freedom should always dominate. This was <a href="https://krisjoseph.ca/2019/10/23/tpl-mm-part-one/" target="_blank">recently the case with the Toronto Public Library</a> which allowed a speaker who does not recognize that transwomen are women and was banned from Twitter for her anti-trans rhetoric to speak on the topic of "gender identity and its legislation ramifications on women." While for many of us, this is an academic discussion, for transpeople, the question is existential and the speakers' arguments support a denial of their existence and civil rights. How can we say as librarians that we welcome everyone into our libraries if we welcome folks who explicitly make people from marginalized groups feel unwelcome or unsafe? When it's a choice between harming people from historically marginalized groups and intellectual freedom dogmatism, an increasing number of library workers are starting to question the hegemony of intellectual freedom.</div><div><br></div><div>While discussions of whether diversity has gone too far similarly are academic for white people of privilege, they are truly hurtful and harmful to our colleagues of color and are a barometer for how inclusive our profession really is. In a profession that is embarrassingly homogenous, we need to think deeply about how welcome we make library workers from historically marginalized groups feel through our professional communication. When Max Maxias, Dr. Debbie Reese, and other library professionals from underrepresented groups in our profession are saying that this article is <i>harmful</i>, we white library workers would be irresponsible to dismiss them out-of-hand or say that it doesn't matter because intellectual freedom matters more. </div><div><br></div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="font-size:12.8px">Meredith Farkas, Faculty Librarian, </span><span style="font-size:12.8px">Library SAC Chair</span></div><div><span style="font-size:12.8px">Pronouns: she/her</span></div><div><a href="https://pccffap.org/" target="_blank"><b><font size="4">#YESSToAFairContract</font></b></a><span style="font-size:12.8px"><br></span></div><div dir="ltr"><div>Portland Community College Library, Sylvania Campus<br>971-722-4966<div><a href="mailto:meredith.farkas@pcc.edu" target="_blank">meredith.farkas@pcc.edu</a> <br><a href="http://www.pcc.edu/library" target="_blank">www.pcc.edu/library<br></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Nov 13, 2019 at 12:25 PM Lori Van Deman <<a href="mailto:LoriV@wccls.org" target="_blank">LoriV@wccls.org</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">Several folks (including the editor) have already pointed out the problems with Heather McNeil’s piece.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">“Both sides” can apply when we’re discussing a concrete issue or difference of opinion. It does not apply when we’re talking about the inclusion of people who
libraries and many, many others have excluded and injured repeatedly throughout history. “Both sides” should not be used as a ticket to ignore the pain caused by racism and to thereby continue it. The idea that Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work has gone
“too far” is not worth debating or publishing in our professional literature while librarianship is still
<i>vastly</i> disproportionately white.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">Lori Van Deman<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">Portland, OR 97229<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"><a href="https://library.cedarmill.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt">Library.CedarMill.org</span></a></span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Libs-Or [mailto:<a href="mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Max Macias<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, November 13, 2019 10:58 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Judy Anderson <<a href="mailto:JuAnderson@cu-portland.edu" target="_blank">JuAnderson@cu-portland.edu</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> libs-or <<a href="mailto:libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Libs-Or] Editorial Response to OLAQ 25(2)<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">If BIPOC had freedom of speech I would respond.<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Max <u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">On Wed, Nov 13, 2019 at 10:47 AM Judy Anderson <<a href="mailto:JuAnderson@cu-portland.edu" target="_blank">JuAnderson@cu-portland.edu</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">I would like to thank editor, Elaine Hirsch, for including Heather McNeil’s piece in the OLA Quarterly.
It gives perception and positive suggestions for rectifying past wrongs and offers a different perspective. It is a valuable piece in solving the balance needed to ensure we serve all of our clientele. The recent historical attempts to begin rectifying the
past show how awareness of an issue is needed to correct past mistakes and prevent future blunders on all sides. Silencing that voice only harms the dialog for finding solutions.
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">We information professionals consider helping our clients find varied opinions and viewpoints to assist
their learning as a treasured responsibility. In our work, we have taken that duty very seriously. When our public space policies are challenged because community members oppose the content that is being shared, we stand up for the right for all sides to
be heard. Why are we abandoning that principle within our own local organization? Heather McNeil prefaced her well thought out article (<i>Yes, but … One Librarian’s Thoughts about Doing It Right</i>) with reservations about bringing up her areas of concern
to her colleagues. <i>That should alarm each of us</i>. Self-censorship is as deadly to freedom of speech as the external forces in censorship. Had the piece been poorly written or grossly inflammatory, exclusion from the OLA Quarterly might have been appropriate.
That was not the case <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">Heather’s work is a positive, well written piece designed to inform by chronicling some of the progress
that has occurred to address diversity concerns</span><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:red">
</span><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">and provide awareness for an issue of concern that impedes rectifying under representation in our collections. She goes on to suggest positive ways to move
the cause forward, i.e., she has examined the issue and taken the time to find some ways to recognize and encourage improvement, not just condemn and dwell on past behavior. The reaction of some of our members to the work is a concrete illustration of the
type of negativity briefly addressed in Heather’s article. A negativity that stands in the way of progress for all sides of the spectrum. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">Organizations have the right to set editorial policy for their publications. I hope the editors of OLA
Quarterly will continue to provide varying opinions in their selection of articles for publication. Encouraging a variety of viewpoints on topics illustrates to our readers that we practice our belief in non-censorship among our colleagues as well as championing
that right for clients. It shows that we are interested in making the future better through honest dialog and respectful consideration for the ideas and concerns of all of our members.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">Judy Anderson<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:150%"><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:150%;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">Past co-Chair of the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> Libs-Or <<a href="mailto:libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or-bounces@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>>
on behalf of OLA President <<a href="mailto:olapresident@olaweb.org" target="_blank">olapresident@olaweb.org</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, November 4, 2019 7:59 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> libs-or <<a href="mailto:libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us" target="_blank">libs-or@listsmart.osl.state.or.us</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Libs-Or] Editorial Response to OLAQ 25(2)</span> <u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Dear OLA Colleagues, </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">I am writing in response to the conversation surrounding the Oregon Library Association Quarterly (OLAQ) Summer issue, 25(2). I understand
the concerns Max Macias, Meredith Farkas, and others have expressed about the final article in the issue, “Yes, but … One Librarian’s Thoughts About Doing It Right” and agree with the valid criticism that the OLAQ editorial standards need to be strengthened. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">As the guest editor of this issue, I take responsibility for choosing the theme, reviewing proposals, selecting contributors, and reading the
first draft of the authors' submissions before passing them on to the editorial team. My goal is to provide a forum for a variety of voices on the topic of equity, diversity and inclusion in Oregon libraries, including library type, career experience, and
geographic location within the state. I missed my responsibility to more critically reflect on the article by Heather McNeil and engage the author in an editorial conversation, particularly in relation to her commentary on Dr. Debbie Reese’s 2018 May Hill
Arbuthnot Lecture, <i>An Indigenous Critique of Whiteness in Children’s Literature</i>. I am sorry for the impact and distress it has caused. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">I want to thank Meredith Farkas for her letter to the OLAQ editorial board, which has provided an opportunity for critical reflection which
will strengthen the OLAQ, one of OLA’s most important venues for professional discourse. Yes, the editorial team of the OLAQ needs to better develop the journal’s editorial standards and are already beginning to address them.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">The conversations we are having surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion are challenging and necessary. The Oregon Library Association
has much to learn as an organization and understands open dialogue and constructive criticism help OLA grow as an association. I look forward to our continuing dialogue on equity, diversity, and inclusion. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Sincerely,</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">Elaine Hirsch</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">OLAQ 25(2) Guest Editor</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black">OLA President, 2019-2020</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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