SLO 5, ARTIFACT 5:
Webinar: Examining Privilege in Classifications: Connecting Critical Information Literacy to Conversations on “Latinx” I attended this webinar to learn more about how Latino, Latina, and Latinx people are represented in the library catalog. It was an enlightening presentation that emphasized the impact of naming on people’s self-concept and the need to think critically about the categories in which we classify people and library materials. The concept of "naming" is one that has particular relevance for marginalized and minority individuals, as they are often the subject of pejorative labels and stereotypes. This presentation made me aware of some considerations that I need to think about when working with and advocating on behalf of library users who might be likely targets of denigration or discrimination. Presenting librarian Catherine Fonseca urged webinar participants to question whether the term “Latinx,” which is meant to be a gender-neutral version of the term “Latino,” is more inclusive than the terms “Latino” and “Latina.” She pointed out that the term is used primarily in the United States, that it originated among an elite group of people in the U.S., and that it could represent a type of U.S. “value judgement” of the Spanish language. Drawing on the ideas of librarian Emily Drabinski, Fonseca also encouraged a critical reading of the catalog, during which we interrogate the assumptions and privilege underlying it. Prior to this presentation, I had not even thought about the origins of the term “Latinx” or that it could be seen as an elitist or culturally hegemonic term. Fonseca’s presentation made me think more deeply about the terms I use when referencing Latino, Latina, and Latinx people and Latino cultures. This knowledge will be valuable to me in my public library outreach work with minority and marginalized communities. |