(Posted February 19, 2020)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The next installment of the Diversity and Democracy series hosted by the Juniata College Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will be “Academic Libraries: Practice Ground for Democracy” presented by Lisa McDaniels, dean of the library, and Christine Elliot, learning services and assessment librarian.

The event will feature a pop-up library, staffed by Sara Kern, access services and instruction librarian and Jacob Gordon, archives and special collections librarian, and will be held from 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, in the Sill Boardroom within the von Liebig Center for Science at Juniata College. 

Libraries have always aspired to be champions of democracy, with the American Library Association first adopting the Library Bill of Rights in 1939. This bill of rights is a statement which affirms the rights of libraries to provide resources representing all points of view and the rights of people to use their library regardless of age, origin, background, or views. 

Today, academic libraries are embracing a more active civic engagement identity, moving from merely informing to fostering civic literacy and empowering students to become actively-engaged citizens.

Participants are encouraged to visit Beeghly Library at Juniata College to learn more about civic engagement and to help library staff plan future programs. 

The pop-up library will be available before and after the workshop in Sill Boardroom and will have informational materials on hand. 

This presentation is a part of the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion’s Diversity and Democracy series, which hosts events that present an opportunity to advance Juniata’s institutional goal of creating a campus community of inclusiveness from the classroom to the residence hall room to the conference room. Each event from the series is open to all members of both the Juniata and Huntingdon communities. To learn more, visit: www.juniata.edu/diversity.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.