The School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee is
pleased to co-sponsor a series of continuing education events for librarians
the last weekend of March.
All sessions will revolve around the growing Latino immigration to
Tennessee and its cultural and programmatic impact on librarians. Celebrated
Hispanic librarian Jose Aponte—director of the San Diego County library
system—will share his insight and deep experience with area librarians
through talks, lunches, and community meetings over two days. Coinciding
with Aponte’s visit is the SIS co-sponsored conference, “Latino Immigration
to Tennessee: Opportunities and Challenges conference.” Read more about the
conference below.
Continuing Education Events for Librarians
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| Jose Aponte with First Lady Laura Bush |
Friday, March 31
9:30 – 11:00 a.m. – Celebrated Hispanic librarian Jose Aponte will talk to
librarians about how public libraries must integrate and recruit socially
committed professionals to empower our communities. Read a full
abstract of this presentation below.* UT Conference Center.
11:15 – 1:00 p.m. – Lunch with Jose Aponte, regional library directors, and
SIS faculty and students at the Downtown Grill & Brewery on Gay
Street.
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Community meeting, tour and reception to provide
Hispanic information support services for Hispanic community leaders,
librarians, and SIS faculty. Jose Aponte will lead the discussion at
Knoxville’s downtown Lawson McGhee Library, 500 W. Church Ave.
Saturday, April 1
8.30 – 10:15a.m. - Conference Practitioner Panel on Challenges for
Professionals
Conference Information: Latino
Immigration to Tennessee: Opportunities and Challenges
Latino immigration to Tennessee has grown enormously from 1990 – 2000 and
is projected to double within the next 20 years. With this increased
multicultural diversity comes questions about policies, literacy, and
shifting cultural priorities—in short, opportunities and challenges. We
invite you to hear and discuss these issues with us. The conference will be
held at the University of Tennessee Conference Center in Knoxville,
Tennessee, on March 31- April 1.
This conference will include presentations by scholars engaged in current
research on contemporary migration and its impact, focusing on Latinos/as in
the U.S. Southeast and Tennessee. A block of continuing education
sessions has also been developed for local professionals in law, nursing,
and education, as well as sessions devoted to journalists and
librarians.
COST: $15 for one day; $25 for two days.
The conference is free for UT students, faculty and staff.
Jose Aponte BIO:
Mr. Aponte was named the 2004 Trejo Librarian of the Year by REFORMA, a
national affiliate of the American Library Association. He has a White House
appointment to the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries Advisory
Council and has been a tireless organizer creating councils to represent
low-income areas, expanding library hours, creating literacy and cultural
programs, and spearheading efforts to build branches in traditionally
underserved areas.
Aponte is the director of the San Diego County library system and has
actively promoted library services to Latinos throughout his career. You can
read more about Mr. Aponte at:
*Abstract of Jose Aponte’s Friday morning presentation:
“Dancing with the elephants: staying relevant in extraordinary times”
Last year’s twin sisters Rita and Katrina grabbed our nation’s psyche and
focused our collective conscious on the gapping holes in our nation’s social
and economic safety net. Today, Latinos have emerged as a touchstone,
fundamental to our national debate relative to the rapidly changing
political landscape and potential renewal of our nation. Libraries are
compelled to take note: our greater community of citizen-leaders needs our
active participation.
The institution of public libraries must transform itself by actively
recruiting Latinos and socially committed professionals dedicated to serving
and empowering our community in order to stay relevant in business, and
faithful to our original purpose. We do this through the creation of a
comprehensive plan of work that creates public value through reaffirming our
mission ‘to educate, inform, inspire and entertain’, and its relevance to
the social challenges and opportunities in public safety, health, education,
fair and equitable housing and economic development and opportunity.
While this rant doesn’t pretend to have all the answers we won’t be afraid
to ask the questions. Please join us in a provocative and spirited
discussion.
