Call for Proposals

Ending the Library Stereotype: 

Non-traditional practices for the 21st-century 

 *****Click HERE to submit proposals*****

Librarianship and libraries, through the eyes of the public, have consistently been viewed as a house of books and documents where librarians help their patrons with readers' advisory and directions. Though these elements of being a librarian exist, the stereotype of this is far from accurate. Today in 2020, Librarians perform a myriad of tasks in order to provide fluid functionality to academic, public and special collections libraries. These tasks create a multifaceted librarian where multi-departmental duties fall squarely on the shoulders of one librarian. This year’s LACUNY Institute will illustrate this multifaceted librarian to gain understanding and perspective of the reality of librarianship as we enter a new era of technology and digital scholarship.

The underlying question LACUNY Institute 2020 aims to address is what role do 21st-century librarians and library support staff play in our society? Although perceptions about librarians have changed over time, librarian stereotypes still persist. This is the case even in popular culture. For instance, Barbara Gordon, Batgirl’s alter-ego, is a librarian with a doctoral degree, yet it is often speculated that the character’s role as an information professional is part of the character’s effort to conceal her identity by working in a safe, slow-paced environment. 

Librarianship is a multifaceted and creative profession. This year’s conference will highlight the different roles that librarians play in our society as librarians wear different hats. We are mentors, supervisors, activists, instructors, unofficial guidance counselors, gamers, artists, and so forth. In some instances, we may even be the “cool” professor on campus. 

Paper and Panel Proposals

We are collecting individual papers and panel topic proposals pertinent to the personal and professional experience of information professionals and staff that address but are not limited to the following areas:

• Activism within and outside the library
• The roles of non-librarians or non-information professionals within the profession   
• Partnerships between libraries and communities   
• (In)Visibility of non-librarian and part-time workers
• How our unique experiences and/or biases influence cataloging, collection development, the hiring process, etc. 
• How information professionals bring creativity into the profession including classrooms, reference consultations, etc. 
• Multiple identities within the workplace 
• The changing role of the library and what library workers are doing to adapt
• Interdisciplinary nature of librarianship  
• Library as a place of refuge 
• Information professionals as artists

*****Click HERE to submit proposals*****

Please Note: Conference registration starts on Monday, December 2, 2019.

Feel free to contact us should any questions or concerns arise. 

Contact Info: 

Nelson Santana

nelson.santana02@bcc.cuny.edu