Dealing with Controversy: Public Library Programs That Challenge
17
Dealing with Controversy Public library programs that challenge American Library Association "NEH's Latino Americans: 500 Years of History, National Orientation Programs June 28 2015
-
Upload
lesley-williams -
Category
Education
-
view
32 -
download
0
Transcript of Dealing with Controversy: Public Library Programs That Challenge
Dealing with Controversy
Public library programs that challengeAmerican Library Association "NEH's Latino Americans: 500 Years of History, National Orientation Programs
June 28 2015
Common Faux Pas
One sided publicity efforts
Panel not balanced
No clear vision for the program
Weak or overly polemical speaker
Ignorance of topic or of speaker – no surprises!
Be Prepared!
Know your topic
Know your speakers
Know your institutional policies
Know your community
Know the law
Dealing with Your Administration
Relate program to your mission
“All publicity is good publicity”
No such thing as controversy-free
Community connections
Dealing with the Media
Have an elevator speech ready
Anticipate the “gotcha” questions
Stay on topic, on message
Have a “cheat sheet” handout
Handling Tough Conversations
Acknowledge the emotions involved
Acknowledge the controversy
Don’t expect miracles
Demand respect, but empathize
Work With Your SpeakersIntroduce your panel
Highlight their background, accomplishments
Use their experience
Ask them for humanizing stories, anecdotes
Facilitator StrategiesReview ground rules/agreements
Control the mic
Use written questions
Resist shout outs
Sample Agreements for Dialogue
Speak only for yourself, not for your “group”
Allow others to finish speaking
Ask questions to learn, not to convince others
Address people by the names and terms they prefer
Avoid assigning beliefs, or motives to others
What’s said in the room stays in the room
Icebreaker QuestionsWhat brings you here today?
What do you hope to get out of today’s conversations?
Can you tell us about a time when you felt you were “the only one” in the room, the office, the dorm…
What do you love best about this town/college?
What’s your family story?
Some Key Phrases“Excuse me, but do you have a question?”
“Please don’t generalize about any group”
“Does anyone have a different view?”
“I appreciate your passion. Let’s give someone else the floor”
Specific Issues Relevant to Latino Themed Programming
Fear, loss of “my country”, becoming a foreigner
Make sure you are addressing the real issues
Ask, “Why does this make you angry?”
Everyone has an immigration story
Specific Tools Relevant to Bilingualism Programming
Bilingual Education Roadmap moramodules.com/Prop227/BERoadmap.htm
Pew Study on Latinos and English http://www.pewhispanic.org/2015/05/12/english-proficiency-on-the-rise-among-latinos/
Limited English Proficiency Federal Interagency site www.lep.gov/faqs/faqs.html
Resources for ELLS and their families http://www.colorincolorado.org/librarians/
Specific Tools Relevant to Immigration Programming
ALA Resolution in Support of Immigrant Rights - www.ala.org/offices/sites/ala.org.offices/files/content/wo/reference/colresolutions/PDFs/012407-CD20.2.pdf
Librarians Toolkit for Responding Effectively to Anti—Immigrant Sentiment - reforma.membershipsoftware.org/content.asp?pl=51&sl=8&contentid=67
US Citizenship and Immigration Services http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/organizations/libraries
Keeping Everyone SafeHire security, make them visible
Greet everyone at the door; make eye contact
Speak calmly, keep your voice low
State your expectations and enforce them
ResourcesPublic Conversations project,
www.publicconversations.org/
We Need Diverse Books weneeddiversebooks.org/
PEW Statistical Portrait of Hispanics in the US www.pewhispanic.org/2015/05/12/statistical-portrait-of-hispanics-in-the-united-states-2013-key-charts/
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death
your right to say it.”
Lesley Williams
Head of Adult Services, Evanston Public Library
847-448-8646
www.facebook.com/crankylibrarian
www.linkedin.com/in/lesleyawilliams/
