May 9, 2018 Meeting of Mortenson Center Advisory Committee Charge and Membership

I. Welcome and Introductions

II. Approval of the October 9, 2017 minutes

III. Personnel update

IV. Reports and Updates

a. Grants: Project Welcome https://publish.illinois.edu/projectwelcome/; pending applications

b. Professional Development Programs (Associates 2018)

c. Partnerships/Training (University of Pretoria, Naseej Academy, iSchool, Center for Global Studies, University of Costa Rica, University of Illinois Library)

d. Recent and upcoming trips

V. Mortenson Center Initiatives and Communication – Libraries for Peace  http://librariesforpeace.org/, Community-Library Inter Action (CLIA) [US, Colombia, India, Qatar, Canada, Costa Rica, Peru, Spain, South Africa, Uganda, Argentina], Policy briefs

VI. Lecture 2018

VII. Other: Committee volunteer (due: May 15th) https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/6856555

Documents:
1. October 8, 2017 Meeting Minutes

2. Project Welcome Quick Guide

3. CLIA description

Present: Clara Chu, Ellen Moodie, Shuyong Jiang, Qiang Ji, Martin Wolske, William Schlaack

Not Present: Susanne Belovari, Yoo-Seong Song

I. Welcome and Introductions

Clara began the meeting with introductions, asking about approval of the agenda for the day. The attendees took some time to review the minutes from last meeting, which were accepted by the committee.  Clara shared updates about the staff changes, including Emily’s new position at the Senate, and Rebeca’s position finishing given that it depended from a specific funding.

II. Approval of the October 9, 2017 minutes

III. Personnel update

a. Clara shared that she is trying to talk with the dean to acquire additional funding to hire another position like Rebeca’s or Susanne. The Dean denied additional funding, but Clara asked for a part-time job from somebody already at the library who could contribute with their specific expertise to work with the center. The current librarians would split their time between their positions as librarians, and the Center. They could be hired only upon approval from their supervisors.

IV. Reports and Updates

a. SILL

1. Clara shared the finished website of SILL and the facebook community which was conformed as an ending step of Susan’s and Rebeca’s works. The SILL work and train-the-trainers is still ongoing and Clara continues to support the SILL workshops and shares that she will give another workshop in Peru with the same -train the trainers approach. She shares that all the materials are available for download at the SILL website, and is available in several languages.

b. Grants: Project Welcome https://publish.illinois.edu/projectwelcome/; pending applications

1. Clara shares that Project Welcome is also coming to an end at the Mortenson, and produced the quick guide and extended guides. She explains that the quick guide will be sent to librarians at ALA (? -I think-). If librarians want the full guide they can download it from the website.

2. Clara explains that ALA will have a group on Asylum Seekers and Refugees (verify this group’s name), that are working to connect the libraries with resources and organizations.

i. Ellen Moodie asks whether there is a resource database or lists of organizations. To support asylum seekers to apply for asylum. Clara says that there is not such list, but that it will be proposed to ALA for the meeting.

ii. Ellen Moodie offers to contribute a list of organizations working on that field.

c. Professional Development Programs (Associates 2018)

1. Clara provides a general overview of the participants coming to the Associates Programs, and shares that the librarians are coming from nine countries, Japan, South Kora, Nigeria, Zambia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Oman, Jordan, and Sierra Leone. Clara explains that the librarian from Sierra Leone is coming with the

d. Partnerships/Training (University of Pretoria, Naseej Academy, iSchool, Center for Global Studies, University of Costa Rica, University of Illinois Library)

1. Naseej Academy is awaiting for a proposal from the Mortenson Center for leadership and librarianship for librarians in the Middle East, which will be completely funded by the Naseej Academy.

2. Executive Leadership Program

3. Susan had previously provided The University of Pretoria workshops of professional training. Clara will continue to provide a workshop this year.

4. The Mortenston Center has partnered with the iSchool to provide study aboard program in Costa Rica, which although had some logistic challenges, facilitated collaboration with the University of Costa Rica.

i. Martin asks which other collaborations the Mortenson Center may have with the iSchool.

ii. Jean presents the Minitalks program. She presents that this year the program was expanded through IFLA to reach audiences from the Caribbean and Latin America. The project changed the schedules for the sessions, which included a broader audience

iii. Martin asks about the possibility of expanding the collaboration with the Mortenson Center for teaching more courses, or other kinds of programs.

iv. Clara agrees that the Center is open to all sorts of collaboration, although this summer there will not be enough time. She shares, however that one possibility that has been discussed is working with Miryam Centeno from preservation, who has been working to support in preservation in Puerto Rico, to have a one moth course to offer more experience for understanding.

5. Clara shares that the University of Costa Rica and the Naseej Academy

6. Another collaboration that was presented was the Cultures of Peace talk, organized in collaboration with the Library’s Diversity Community

7. One more collaboration of the Mortenson Center with the Library will be hosting a ChaiWai in association with the International and Area Studies Library

8. Clara speaks about a collaboration in association with the Unesco Center for Human Rights, concerning the celebration of the 70th anniversary, which within human rights does not mention the rights to peace. This will be a conversation that will be taking place in the Libraries for Peace day.

e. Recent and upcoming trips

1. Peru: SILL and CLIA workshops Kuala Lumpur: IFLA meeting

2. South Africa- Cape Town: potential talk and CLIA workshop

3. Medellin: CLIA + Professional conference

V. Mortenson Center Initiatives and Communication
Libraries for Peace http://librariesforpeace.org/, Community-Library Inter-Action (CLIA) [US, Colombia, India, Qatar, Canada, Costa Rica, Peru, Spain, South Africa, Uganda, Argentina], Policy briefs

a. Clara shares the experience of CLIA as an experience that is part for Libraries for Peace. She shares how CLIA has been offering training for librarians, but also hosting community conversations. Clara shares the experience of the mobile library at the public market in Lima (?) and shared how in the conversation the librarians would know more of the actual needs of the communities in the market. The librarians were able to provide information and resources to support the community in their felt needs. Clara shared the example of the young woman at market who did not have her ID and that after the conversation, was able to get support from the librarians to find a way to issue her national ID.

b. Clara shared another example in Cape Town. She shared the experience of how, after the community conversation, citizens were able to realize how their interests overlap in their use of the library for using the computer and searching for jobs. They were able to support each other, for example, to improve their skills and preparation for putting together their CV’s, and be more effective in the job search.

c. Clara also shared that there is a potential collaboration with IFLA’s president, and potentially making CLIA part of her program.

d. Ellen Moodie was concerned about how to deal with local politics when suggesting solutions and actions that CLIA want to encourage. Ellen adds that a lot of the times taking these kinds of actions would constitute political actions that would generate counterproductive consequences.

i. Clara responded that CLIA is all about local actors and challenges. CLIA is building case-studies approach that document which are the local challenges, the characteristics of the community, and the actions that have been taken. This, to emphasize that CLIA is not recommending specific actions, but sharing an approach about how to engage in a process. Clara emphasizes that CLIA is not providing a step-by-step action plan, but offering a way to work in community engage in a long-term process.

ii.Martin adds that CLIA is working together, to be together in the work, with all our different perspectives. Clara responds that this is true, but that we have also had moments of “reality check”, where we have been able to identify what librarians identify as the downside of CLIA, like utopian or extra work, which was the case of CLIA-Spain.

VI. Lecture 2018

a. Clara says that there are a few ideas for the 2018 Lecture. She adds that ideally, the lecture would invite someone related to but beyond the Library School dates.

b. This year the Lecture would be on the international day of Peace, Sept 21st.

c. One of the options that she introduces is the film “500 years of Guatemalan Struggle”, and the organization Skylight, which documents different struggles.

i. Ellen Moodie says that she knows the narrator of the film, and that she will be a good idea for the Lecture. She got her PhD from Texas

d. Other option that Clara presents is Ai Wei Wei’s film “Human Flow”

e. One more option is the author of “The inconvenient Indian”, Thomas King

f. The poet Emtihal Mahmoud came to the U.S. as a refugee. She is a young poet.

i. The attendees seem all interested in the options that Clara shared.

ii.Ellen Moodie offers the possibility of contacting the narrator of the film on “500 years of the Guatemalan Struggle.” She offered to ask the Center for Latin American Studies whether they may be interested in supporting with bringing the film

g. Martin suggests the author of Braiding Sweetgrass, by indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmer. Martin says students at the iSchool have had a very good reception. The book presents an analysis of indigenous language and grammar.

h. Clara adds that she may collaborate with other library and campus units to bring one of the more famous potential speakers for future speakers.

VII. Other: Committee volunteer (due: May 15th) https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/6856555

a. Clara ask all committee members if they want to continue being part of the committee, and they all agreed in continuing serving in the committee.

b. Clara reminded the attendees from the Library that we sent the invitation.

i. William responded volunteering

ii. Available Before June 10th: Shuyong Jiang

iii. Available After May 30th: Qiang Jig

Martin is interested in collaborating with the Mortenson to include CLIA in this community engagement course in the fall.

Documents:

1. October 8, 2017 Meeting Minutes

2. Project Welcome Quick Guide

3. CLIA description