Sandra Hughes-Hassell

Toward a Model of the Everyday Life Information Needs of Urban Teenagers, Part 1: Theoretical Model

This is the first part of a two-part article that offers a theoretical and an empirical model of the everyday life information needs of urban teenagers. The qualitative methodology used to gather data for the development of the models included written surveys, audio journals, written activity logs, photographs, and semistructured group interviews. Twenty-seven inner-city teens aged 14 through 17 participated in the study. Data analysis took the form of iterative pattern coding using QSR NVivo 2 software (QSR International, 2002). The resulting theoretical model includes seven areas of urban teen development: the social self, the emotional self, the reflective self, the physical self, the creative self, the cognitive self, and the sexual self. The researchers conclude that the essence of teen everyday life information seeking (ELIS) is the gathering and processing of information to facilitate the teen-to-adulthood maturation process. ELIS is self-exploration and world exploration that helps teens understand themselves and the social and physical worlds in which they live. This study shows the necessity of tying youth information-seeking research to developmental theory in order to examine the reasons why adolescents engage in various information behaviors.

Inside Board Books: Representations of People of Color

Research suggests that exposure to books and other resources about people who look like them, and stories that reflect their world, may contribute to an infant and toddler of color’s developing appreciation of self. The purpose of this study was to examine children’s board books published between 2003 and 2008 to determine the representation of people of color. The findings were analyzed using the lenses of critical race theory and the typology developed by Rudine Sims Bishop to describe African American children’s literature. The results indicated that, despite the increasing ethnic and racial diversity in the United States, board books that feature people of color are rare and often present inauthentic and monolithic representations. Even rarer seems to be the creation of board books by authors and illustrators of color. The authors conclude that the lack of board books featuring children of color denies these children an important resource for developing a positive self‐concept.

Multicultural young adult literature as a form of counter-storytelling

Counter-storytelling is defined by critical race theory scholars as a method of telling the stories of those people whose experiences are not often told, including people of color, the poor, and members of the LGBTQ community. This article discusses multicultural young adult literature as a form of counter-storytelling, with an emphasis on how counter-stories challenge the stereotypes often held by the dominant culture, give voice to marginalized youth, and present the complexity of racial and ethnic identify formation.

Librarians Form a Bridge of Books to Advance Literacy.

A group of school librarians enlisted in an effort to raise literacy among black males by reaching out to them with books and programs aligned with their interests and culture.

We Will Not Be Silent: Amplifying Marginalized Voices in LIS Education and Research

This article focuses on the role of LIS faculty and researchers in the aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. Key points include our responsibility to educate ourselves about marginalization and silencing; to help our students build theoretical, practical, and ethical foundations for engaging with communities in ways that prioritize their needs and uphold the values of the profession; to amplify the voices of people systematically targeted by the presidential administration’s policies and actions; and to engage in public discourse about the implications of current administrative policies as related to the core values of LIS, such as the right to privacy, access, freedom of speech, and intellectual freedom. The article draws parallels between social oppression, as demonstrated in campaign rhetoric and presidential policy, and institutional oppression within library spaces.

Chapter 4: Critical Race Theory in the LIS Curriculum

Abstract Purpose – We examine the reading lists for required foundational library and information science (LIS) courses at the top 20 American Library Association-accredited LIS programs in North America; explore the extent to which critical race theory (CRT) and other critical literatures, methods, and approaches were engaged; and discuss the implications of the findings for LIS education. Methodological Approach – We conducted quantitative and qualitative content analyses of foundational required readings for the top 20 Master of Library Science/Master of Library and Information Science programs (as ranked by U.S. News & World Report). The sampling process was twofold. The initial sampling included development of the foundational course sample, and the secondary sampling included development of the sample of required readings. Findings – The vast majority of the required foundational courses examined provided students with little to no exposure to CRT or critical theory. Originality/Value – CRT and its related concepts provide a structural framework for preparing LIS students and graduates to recognize and address racism, to understand “how power and privilege shape LIS institutions and professional practice” (Cooke, Sweeney, & Noble, 2016, p. 107), and to embrace social justice as an LIS value. Incorporating CRT into existing courses is the first step in pushing the profession in this direction.

Moving the Needle: An Examination of Diversity in LIS in Three Acts

Abstract Purpose This chapter argues that despite efforts to increase the diversity of the library and information science profession, little has changed in the last four decades. Methodology/approach This chapter presents historical and current data on diversity within the profession and examples of initiatives to improve diversity in schools of library and information science. Findings The chapter explores the ways in which the racial climate of the profession has impacted all of these efforts to improve diversity in the field.