This class has been cancelled. Please email cbroomfield@rrlc.org with any questions.

In 2020-2021, the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) created a comprehensive rubric for evaluating AAPI representation in youth literature, guided by the Council on Interracial Books for Children’s “Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children’s Books for Sexism and Racism.” Their goal is to empower librarians, educators, and other stakeholders with tools and resources for critically assessing AAPI media representation, to combat misinformation, and embrace the intersectionality of diverse readership.

In this interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to practice evaluating works and apply their new learning to their library! Participants will also leave with a list of suggested works and resources.

Attendees will need to bring a laptop or device for this workshop.

Learning Outcomes
1. Participants will recognize the importance of maintaining a current understanding of the wide diversity of AANHPI communities and to disaggregate and acknowledge cultural specificity in daily interactions, programs, and collection practices.
2. Participants will build an understanding of how centering voices of cultural-insiders and honoring the full, complex humanity of AANHPI individuals and communities all year long can promote cultural appreciation and avoid cultural appropriation.
3. Participants will gain an understanding of utilizing the APALA Rubric as a guide for critically evaluating AANHPI materials for problematic character and story elements.
4. Participants will gain an understanding of implementing the APALA Rubric into their collection management practices so that library collections can honor the humanity, nuance, and cultural specificity of AANHPI communities.

Presenter: Becky Leathersich is an associate librarian at SUNY Geneseo, where she teaches library research skills to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the School of Education programs. She is also an adjunct faculty member in St. John Fisher University’s Library Media Specialist graduate program and a former school librarian. Her research interests include Asian American youth literature, inclusive pedagogy, and library collaborations. She was named a New York State Outstanding Librarian in 2023.