Pennsylvania Black Librarians' Caucus
Injustice to one is injustice to all!
Pennsylvania Black Librarians' Caucus
Injustice to one is injustice to all!
Injustice to one is injustice to all!
Injustice to one is injustice to all!
OFFICERS:
Richard Ashby, President*
Falena Hand, Vice President
Maryam Phillips, Secretary*
Darlene Walker, Treasurer*
PABLC membership is personal. Any views or opinions expressed by officers or members of this organization do not represent the opinions
of our places of employment.
* Founding Member
SPONSOR
PABLC gratefully acknowledges the financial support of EBSCO Information Services. With EBSCO's support, PABLC was able to successfully complete the incorporation and tax exemption process.
In October 2019 at the Pennsylvania Library Association, a small group of African-American librarians encountered one another outside of the exhibit hall. They included Richard Ashby, President of the Black Caucus of ALA, Darlene Walker from the Yeadon Public Library; LaTanya Burno, from the Marple Library, and Maryam Phillips, Executive Director for the non-profit HSLC. We noted that while PaLA invited the esteemed current President of the ALA, Wanda K. Brown, to speak, there was no PA Black caucus to greet her. We also knew that ALA would hold its MidWinter meeting in Philadelphia in January of 2020. Conversation quickly turned to combining our efforts to form a Black Librarians' caucus for Pennsylvania – in time to be presented at the 50th anniversary of the ALA Black Caucus. Could we pull it off in less than three months' time? We did!
Each of us went back to our respective workplaces and to invite other PA colleagues to join the effort. In a short time, a Steering Committee was formed and began to meet. The working committee, led by Richard Ashby, included: LaTanya Burno (Marple Library ), Denise Graham (Carnegie Lib/Pittsburgh), Gabrielle Lee (Carnegie Lib/Pittsburgh), M. Rayah Levy (Bethlehem Public Library), Maryam Phillips (HSLC), Brahin Tabb (Penn Wynne Elementary School Library), Darlene Walker (Yeadon Public Library), LaMonica Wiggins (University of of Pittsburgh) and Sarah Wiggins (Orange Public Library).
Coordinating all of our busy schedules was not easy, especially with the holidays approaching, but commitment was high, and in short order our group had a name: Pennsylvania Black Librarians' Caucus; a shared Google Drive with draft by-laws and a constitution; a website (pablc.org) and the information needed to join the Black Caucus of ALA as an affiliate. By November, we elected a President: LaMonica Wiggins, and a Vice President: Gabrielle Lee.
All of these actions led to the formation of the Pennsylvania Black Librarians' Caucus in time for induction as an affiliate of the Black Caucus of ALA on the evening of January 26, 2020. The Steering Committee officially disbanded on February 23, 2020, turning the running of our Caucus over to its new executive leadership.
The Caucus became fully incorporated and received its non-profit tax exemption status in 2022. The first general membership meeting was held on November 3, 2022. General membership meetings are held twice per year, in February and during the PA Library Association conference.
The PABLC acknowledges the vision and efforts of its founding members, who left the hallways of the PaLA conference and got to work! The Pennsylvania Black Librarians' Caucus welcomes members and supporters of all types who are invested in growing African-American representation in the library profession.
Librarians with post-graduate degrees in Library/Information Science
Library Assistants, Para-professional staff
Currently enrolled
Retired Professional or Support Staff
Friends, Trustees, Volunteers, Authors, Publishers
Organizations that support Black Librarianship
TO JOIN BY MAIL:
Print out and complete your Membership Application.
Email your completed application to pablacklibrarianscaucus@gmail.com
or mail your application and check to:
Pennsylvania Black Librarians’ Caucus
c/o HSLC
3600 Market Street, Suite 550
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Or you may pay by credit card when you receive your invoice!
PABLC Member Application 2023 (pdf)
DownloadYour support and contributions will underwrite Programs and Scholarships. The DONATE button will take you to a PayPal page. You do not need a PayPal account to use it.
Or if you prefer you may mail a check to the address above. Thank you in advance!
Copyright © 2020 The Pennsylvania Black Librarians' Caucus - All Rights Reserved.
PABLC is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization
pablacklibrarianscaucus@gmail.com