Social Justice in the Stacks: Progressive Activism in the Information Professions

The new Edmonton chapter of the Progressive Librarians Guild (PLG) is presenting a panel discussion at SLIS about the intersections between social justice and the information and library professions. Admission is free and the event will be on Thursday, November 4th at 7pm in Henderson Hall on the U of Alberta campus.
 

Social equality issues such as access to information, documentation of society, and free distribution of knowledge are core principles of modern libraries and archives.  However, these principles are often de-accentuated in the day-to-day management of libraries and archives and information professionals can find themselves detached from a social justice perspective.

 
Topics discussed will include academic freedom, professionals as workers, access to archival holdings, representation of marginalized voices, public libraries as sites of contention, and the purpose of the PLG.  Speakers include the following (please note that speakers are not appearing on behalf of their respective institutions):
 

• Toni Samek – Professor, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta
• Amanda Bird – Librarian, Edmonton Public Library
• Braden Cannon – Archivist, Provincial Archives of Alberta/University of Calgary
• Raymond Frogner – Archivist, University of Alberta
• Rene Georgopalis – Archivist, Musée Héritage Museum and Archives (St. Albert)

 
For more information about PLG and this panel discussion you can visit their main website:  http://libr.org/plg/index.php