Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture
The Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture presented at the annual conference of the American Library Association (ALA) is tribute to the work of Jean E. Coleman to ensure that all citizens, particularly Native Americans and adult learners, have access to quality library services. Dr. Coleman directed the ALA, Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) which served the Association by identifying and promoting library services that support equitable access to the knowledge and information stored in our libraries.Lippincott, Kate, Comp.; and others. [https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED396755 25 Years of Outreach: A Bibliographic Timeline of the American Library Association, Office for Literacy and Outreach Services.]. 1996. ERIC ED396755 OLOS focused attention on services that are inclusive of traditionally underserved populations, including new and non-readers, people geographically isolated, people with disabilities, rural and urban poor people, and people generally discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identification, age, language and social class. The Jean E. Coleman lecture is now sponsored by the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services (ODLOS).2016. “Interview: Mary Ghikas on Merging the ALA Office For Diversity and the ALA Office For Literacy and Outreach Services.” SRRT Newsletter Social Responsibilities Round Table), no. 194 (March): 12.
The inaugural lecturer was Barbara J. Ford in 2000.
Jean E. Coleman
The Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture series is an opportunity for library workers to learn more about their roles in providing equity of access. The Social Responsibilities Round Table Action Council of the American Library Association approved the following testimonial to the work of African American librarian Jean Coleman in outreach during her work from 1973 to 1986 for the ALA Office for Library Outreach Services (now Office for Literacy and Outreach Services: OLOS):
:Jean Coleman ... was outstanding in her willingness to listen to the members of the groups she worked with and to make their wishes effective, translating ideas into action and program, unlike the model of the staff who organizes the agenda and steers the meetings in a controlled setting.
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:She offered her services especially warmly to the minority librarians and those from small libraries, and did not play a career-promoting role of special services for the powerful. She therefore fully represented the original concerns of ALA in proposing the many outreach organizations and diverse programs under the OLOS umbrella.
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:She is especially missed by those who found in her the education to become competent officers and received from her the support to make their groups effective.Jean Coleman Testimonial. Library Journal. May 1, 1987, p. 19.
So important were her contributions to the world of diversity in librarianship, that in 1999 it was noted that the Smithsonian Institution accepted two items for its collection from Coleman's estate, including two Apache toy cradle boards, and a sand painting.{{cite web|title=Annals of the Smithsonian Institution 1999 National Collections Program|url=https://archive.org/stream/annalsofsmithson1999smit/annalsofsmithson1999smit_djvu.txt|website=Internet Archive|year=1994|accessdate=19 May 2015}}
File:Satia Marshall Orange Tribute.jpg
The inaugural lecturer was Barbara J. Ford in 2000.
Legacy
For background on the development of outreach services in U.S. libraries The evolution of library outreach 1960–75 Weibel, Kathleen. 1983. The evolution of library outreach 1960-75 and its effect on reader services: some considerations. [Champaign]: University of Illinois, Graduate School of Library and Information Science. provides historical background in the context of the War on Poverty.
Jean Coleman's legacy is the evolving mission of the Office of Literacy and Outreach Services. This also includes the ideals of equity of access. Carla Hayden chose equity of access as her theme when she was American Library Association president (2003–04). A book written during Hayden's presidency, From outreach to equity: Innovative models of library policy and practice includes an introduction coauthored by Satia Marshall Orange (director, OLOS, 1997–2009). The book suggests reframing outreach based on equity rather than underserved populations.Osborne, Robin. 2004. From outreach to equity innovative models of library policy and practice. Chicago: American Library Association.
A report highlighting the work of OLOS was initiated by President Hayden, Rocks in the Whirlpool: Equity of Access and the American Library Association McCook, Kathleen de la Peña. 2002. [https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED462981 Rocks in the Whirlpool: Equity of Access and the American Library Association] ERIC ED462981 which examined unifying visions for equity of access and making new technologies work for human development.
Satia Marshall Orange, 2019 lecturer, gave a history of the series in her presentation, "Backstories: Reflections of the Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture: 2000–2019".Backstories: Reflections of the Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture.:2000-2019.
[http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/olos/olosprograms/jeanecoleman/jeanecoleman Jean E. Coleman Outreach Lecture]. American Library Association.
Lecture Series
See also
- Children's Literature Lecture Award known as the May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture from 1970-2020.
- A.S.W. Rosenbach Lectures in Bibliography
- Alice G. Smith Lecture
References
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External links
- [https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/diversity/jeanecoleman Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture] American Library Association
- [https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/diversity/ Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services].
Category:American Library Association
Category:American librarianship and human rights
Category:2000 establishments in the United States
Category:Recurring events established in 2000
Category:Native American librarianship
Category:Library science awards