Resources:
- Queer Liberation Library: The Queer Liberation Library (QLL) is “fighting to build a vibrant, flourishing queer future by connecting LGBTQ+ people with literature, information, and resources that celebrate the unique and empowering diversity of our community.” The library features a few different collections: a Libby/OverDrive collection of 600 ebooks and digital audiobooks, and a page of resources with helplines, information centers, online resources, and more. Membership is free to get access to these resources.
- 2024 American Indian Youth Literature Awards announced: Awarded biennially, the award identifies and honors the best writings and illustrations for youth, by and about Native American and Indigenous peoples of North America. Works selected to receive the award, in picture book, middle grade, and young adult categories, present Native American and Indigenous North American peoples in the fullness of their humanity in present, past and future contexts.
- 2024 Youth Media Award Winners: On January 22, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults—including the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz awards—at ALA’s 2024 LibLearnX conference in Baltimore.
Continuing Education:
- Building Inclusive Online Tutorials, February 7, 1 pm. We will discuss content and structure choices that are possible in online tutorials to create inclusive, welcoming learning environments even without the benefits of personal interaction. Topics covered include diverse visual cues, multimodal approaches, and gender inclusive language.
- Autism: A Conversation with Carly Danesh-Jones, February 8, 1 pm. Carly Danesh-Jones is an autistic woman and advocate, shaping policy and practice related to autistic women and girls since 2008. Over the last 15 years, Carly’s books, films and advocacy campaigned for greater acceptance, equality of diagnosis, education and safeguarding of autistic women globally. She was the first British autistic women to address the UN on rights in 2014. In 2021, her book, Safeguarding Autistic Girls, was distributed to all UK police forces to use. During the interview, Carly will share her experience of how homelessness and autism intersect after previously being homeless as a teenage mother.
- Identity, Burnout, and Vocational Awe with Fobazi M. Ettarh, February 29, 1 pm. It has been 4 years since the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated just how far employers and vocational awe were willing to push workers— past the edge and beyond. And in our rush back to normalcy, vocational awe has been weaponized against even more library workers. If anything, the pressure to be seen and always available has gotten worse since before the pandemic! And those from marginalized groups bear the brunt of this pressure. How can we as library workers stay sane and prevent the burnout from unrealistic expectations from our library administrators, boards, colleagues, community, and even ourselves? Come and learn from the librarian-scholar who coined the term vocational awe about how to maintain your authentic self at work, while preventing burnout and a total subsumption of self.
- Spring UW iSchool Classes:
- Trauma-Informed Care: An Introduction for Libraries April 8-May 19. Taught by the amazing S. Bryce Kozla, this class will teach you how to apply a trauma-informed lens to improve your service, space, and work culture.
- Creating a Welcoming Space for Immigrant and Refugee Families April 8-May 5. Through this course, you will learn about and explore best practices for cultivating a welcoming space and supportive library services to immigrant and refugee children and families both in and beyond the physical library walls.
Consumables:
- Leading Museums Remove Native Displays Amid New Federal Rules
- Trauma, Book Bans, and Libraries: A Resource Guide for Library Workers, Library Supporters, and Beyond
Diverse Holidays in February:
February is Black History Month in the United States and Canada since 1976. Carter Woodson, the twentieth-century historian, created Black History Month. He believed Black Americans were not adequately represented in the study of American history. Carter Woodson also hoped for the day when Americans would accept Black history as a part of American history.
February 1: National Freedom Day, which celebrates the signing of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States in 1865
February 1: Imbolc, a Gaelic traditional festival marking the beginning of spring
February 2: Candlemas, a Christian holiday that celebrates three occasions according to Christian belief: the presentation of the child Jesus, Jesus’ first entry into the temple, and the Virgin Mary’s purification
February 3: St. Blaise Day (The Blessing of the Throats), the feast day of St. Blaise of Sebaste celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church and some Eastern Catholic Churches
February 3: Setsubun-Sai (Beginning of Spring), the day before the beginning of spring in Japan, celebrated annually as part of the Spring Festival
February 3: Four Chaplains Day commemorates the fifty-fifth anniversary of the sinking of the US Army transport Dorchester and the heroism of the four chaplains aboard.
February 4: Transit Equity Day is a national day of action celebrated on civil rights hero Rosa Parks’ birthday each year. This day is an opportunity to promote the idea that public transit is a civil right for everybody, including people living with vision loss.
February 8: Lailat al Miraj, Commemorates Prophet Muhammad’s nighttime journey from Mecca to Jerusalem where he ascended to heaven, was purified and given the instruction for Muslims to pray 5 times daily.
February 10: Losar, Tibetan New Year festival. During the ceremonies, people burnt a large quantity of incense to appease local spirits, deities, and protectors. Later this religious festival developed into an annual Tibetan Buddhist festival.
February 13: Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras. Historically, on this day, people were meant to use all the fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence.
February 13: Vasant Panchami. Hindu holy day dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, patron Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology
February 14: St. Valentine’s Day, a Western Christian feast day honoring one or two early saints named Valentinus. This holiday is typically associated with romantic love and is celebrated by people expressing their love with gifts.
February 14: Ash Wednesday, is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and falls on the first day of Lent.
February 15: Parinirvana Day (or Nirvana Day), the commemoration of Buddha’s death at the age of 80, when he reached the zenith of Nirvana; February 8 is an alternative date of observance.
February 20: Presidents Day, a federally recognized celebration in the United States that honors the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays, as well as those of every US president.
February 24: Magha Puja, also known as Sangha Day and Buddhist All Saints Day. It is a significant Buddhist festival where Buddhists celebrate the creation of an ideal and exemplary community.
February 24: Lantern Festival, the first significant feast after the Chinese New Year; participants enjoy watching paper lanterns illuminate the sky on the night of the event.
February 24: Maghi-Purnima, a Hindu festival especially for worshippers of Lord Vishnu. Devotees take a holy bath on this day and also carry out charity work.
February 26–29: Intercalary Days or Ayyám-i-Há, celebrated by people of the Bahá’í faith. At this time, days are added to the Bahá’í calendar to maintain their solar calendar. Intercalary days are observed with gift-giving, special acts of charity, and preparation for the fasting that precedes the New Year.