The DERAIL (Diversity, Equity, Race, Accessibility, and Identity in LIS) forum started in Spring of 2016 as student-led event initiated to address the need for critical discussions of the intersections between social justice issues and our roles as students and information professionals. We acknowledge that LIS institutions including academic departments are not neutral in larger discussions of power and privilege, and DERAIL seeks to address the gaps in professional standards and curriculum to recognize how the complexity of our individual and collective identities can work towards equitable information systems, environments, and practices. Participants of DERAIL will be able to connect to a larger community of students and practitioners engaged in critical LIS work and gain experience presenting research. DERAIL will be held on March 4-5, 2017, at Simmons College in Boston, MA.
We don’t expect presenters to be masters of any topic– this is a forum for students to bring our perspectives and ideas to the DERAIL community and generate discussions about the role of social justice in our work.
Possible topics for proposals include (but are in no way limited to):
- Race, racism, and whiteness in LIS institutions
- Social justice and diversity in LIS curriculum
- Bias in subject heading and description standards
- ‘Diversity’ in hiring and promotion practices
- Case studies or specific LIS projects using social justice frameworks
- Accessibility in online environments
- Representation in archival and library collections
- Bilingual service and finding aids
- Racism in children’s literature/responsibility of publishing companies
- Critical perspectives on “diversity and inclusion” initiatives and programs
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
- Follow the conversation on Twitter @derailforum
- Email us at derailforum [at] gmail [dot] com.
- If you would like to support the Forum in other ways, please consider donating or volunteering during the event.
- Spread the word about DERAIL!
- Start thinking about coordinating a similar event to engage in these critical discussions in a meaningful way at your graduate school.
DERAIL Forum 