Pennsylvania Black Librarians' Caucus

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.