Promoting African American Writers: Library Partnerships for Outreach, Programming, and Literacy

by Grace M. Jackson-Brown

Overview

Learn how to successfully develop diverse programming through reading books by African American authors and how to build strong partnerships among libraries, public organizations, and academic departments for multicultural outreach.

Promoting African American Writers is written for librarians and others who are committed to developing programming that promotes reading of books by African American authors and books with multicultural themes. It is an outreach guide to be used by librarians, other educators, and community service advocates to develop educational programming that helps young people find their voices. It supports creativity and teaching of critical thinking skills to youth through literature.

Grace Jackson-Brown is an academic librarian with more than 25 years of professional experience and a personal passion for developing educational cultural library programming. Over the years, her efforts forged mutual working bonds between institutions of higher learning with community organizations in the spirit of community engagement and for the goals of promoting diversity and reading to K-16 youth. In this book, she teaches readers how to duplicate her efforts and build fruitful partnerships of their own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440870279
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/11/2022
Pages:	164
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Grace M. Jackson-Brown is a professor for research and instruction at Missouri State University Libraries in Springfield, MO.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction ix

Chapter 1 Working Together for Library Outreach: Promoting African American Writers 1

Chapter 2 The National African American Read-In: A Model Program That Works 17

Chapter 3 Building Partnerships and Developing Programs That Promote African American Writers 29

Chapter 4 Identifying African American Writers for Programs 53

Chapter 5 Library Programming Assessment and African American Writer Programs 81

Chapter 6 Reflective and Intentional Programming to Promote African American Writers 95

Conclusion 113

Appendix: Brief Biographies of African American Writers and Culture Keepers 119

Index 143

What People are Saying About This

Shauntee Burns-Simpson

"This book highlights the importance of Black writers to the library’s ecosystem."

Regina Greer Cooper

"Dr. Grace Jackson-Brown's new book is an excellent guide for librarians and others to building partnerships and designing programming for promoting African American writers. I am happy to recommend it to everyone in the field."

Yvania Garcia-Pusateri

"Access to reading and literacy continue to be important factors in the development of our children. Access to libraries is vital, and it is important that the library remain a staple of our communities. Outreach is key, and Dr. Jackson-Brown does a great job of not only providing a framework, but enacting this framework. For those looking for tools or resources on how to enhance outreach efforts, look no further, because Dr. Jackson-Brown's book has the answers."

Valerie Grim

"Dr. Grace Jackson-Brown has written a smart, intelligent, and practitioner-oriented book with instructions and evidence of learning that communities at every level can use for intellectual and community-building purposes. This book is timely, needed, and should be regarded as a contribution to the breadth of librarian collaborations with communities across intellectual borders."

Cheryl Clay

"Such an excellent program and explanation for the need to empower young authors. The opportunity, described in the book, for African American youth to meet authors that look like them was priceless."

Editorial Reviews

Dr. Grace Jackson-Brown's new book is an excellent guide for librarians and others to building partnerships and designing programming for promoting African American writers. I am happy to recommend it to everyone in the field.” —Regina Greer Cooper, Executive Director, Springfield-Greene County Library District

“Access to reading and literacy continue to be important factors in the development of our children. Access to libraries is vital, and it is important that the library remain a staple of our communities. Outreach is key, and Dr. Jackson-Brown does a great job of not only providing a framework, but enacting this framework. For those looking for tools or resources on how to enhance outreach efforts, look no further, because Dr. Jackson-Brown's book has the answers.” —Yvania Garcia-Pusateri, Chief Equity and Diversity Officer, Springfield Public Schools R-12

“Such an excellent program and explanation for the need to empower young authors. The opportunity, described in the book, for African American youth to meet authors that look like them was priceless.” —Cheryl Clay, Former President, Springfield, MO, NAACP

“This book highlights the importance of Black writers to the library's ecosystem.” —Shauntee Burbans-Simpson, 2020-2022 President, Black Caucus of the American Library Association

“Dr. Grace Jackson-Brown has written a smart, intelligent, and practitioner-oriented book with instructions and evidence of learning that communities at every level can use for intellectual and community-building purposes. This book is timely, needed, and should be regarded as a contribution to the breadth of librarian collaborations with communities across intellectual borders.” —Valerie Grim, Professor, African American and African Diaspora Studies, Indiana University-Bloomington

From the Publisher

07/21/2023

For seasoned professional Jackson-Brown (research and instruction, Missouri State Univ. Libraries), one cannot overestimate the importance of library programmers in raising the profile of Black writers past and present. Drawing on decades of experience working in institutions across the Midwest, Jackson-Brown presents readers with a practice-oriented guide to promoting Black authors through an interlocking strategy of programming, promotion, and community partnerships. Divided into six chapters, the book introduces readers to key concepts in both outreach and topic-specific programming, studded with gems such as Jackson-Brown's seven-step process for developing programs and examples from librarian peers of programs centered on the National African American Read-In. Other topics include strategies for building reciprocal partnerships and ideas for identifying regional and national Black writers for programs. Final chapters on assessment and intentional programming are useful if abbreviated reminders of the importance of baseline outreach skills to achieve the goals at hand. VERDICT A welcome guide to promoting Black authors through library programming, laden with examples and advice from an experienced and dedicated practitioner. Especially recommended for outreach-minded MLIS students and early-career librarians.—Robin Chin Roemer

Library Journal