Community Connections
Cultivating Cultural Competence Through Reading and Literature: Impact Within our Communities
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Michele A. L. Villagran
This study offers insight into how cultivating cultural competence through reading and literature makes an impact within our communities. Our organizations, schools, libraries, and information centers are hubs of resources for communities. Literature can be the bridge or the outlet for those of difference to help them explore, identify and resolve issues causing resistance and adversity. Becoming immersed in literature is a starting point to understanding and gaining insight about not only your own culture, but other cultures. The research question is how multicultural readings enhance cultural competence and cultural intelligence. The approach is a literature review and meta-analysis. By utilizing literature and reading to help promote cultural competence, we may have a significant impact in a student or patron’s life. An individual becomes immersed in the literature through reading with an open mind, and begins to see aspects of representation within the literature. This leads to a self-awareness of your own culture. Additionally, an individual becomes aware of other representation that is different than their own and may be curious to learn more. The anlysis concludes with how this intercultural knowledge and cultural awareness impact our communities.
Building a Reading Community in a War Zone: A Mobile Library in San Vicente del Caguán, Colombia
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Christian Vasquez
In San Vicente del Caguán, one of the most affected areas by the war in Colombia, a couple converted a van into a mobile library - La Casita de los Sueños (The Little House of Dreams) - with which they visit remote villages, isolated by the war. In their visits, they offer reading and writing workshops, as well as talks about protecting the environment. Through this work, the library project aims at covering the cultural and educative gaps that affect communities marginalized by violence and enables spaces to create community around reading and writing. Beyond introducing this project to a larger audience, this paper responds to the following questions: What motivated them to undertake this project? What are the main challenges that they have faced in these eight years of work? Which are their more important achievements? What lessons have they learned that have allowed them to improve and continue their practice? This research provides further insights to comprehend and analyze how practices related to writing and reading work outside formal educational and academic contexts, especially in areas with complex social conditions.
Digital Documentary Heritage for the Construction of National/Regional Identity : The Role of National Libraries
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jolanta Budriūnienė
The question of self- and national identity has been relevant to many nations of the world, especially to the people of the post-Soviet bloc, Lithuanians included. In recent years, it has contributed to more active research, which is instrumental in trying to better understand and analyze national historical processes, people and their role in the formation of a nation and state. Memory institutions, national libraries in particular, which archives contain the most complete collections of cultural heritage artefacts, are among the key institutions for providing information in researching the topic. Digitized and suitably presented content of cultural heritage is a crucial factor for broadening and encouraging interest in the past and self-identity both for the researchers working in different areas and the representatives of young generation. The study analyzes the services of documentary heritage digital content which are available in today’s libraries in order to bring it closer to the society. It also looks into the expectations of the target group. I base my research on the recent experience of implementing new projects in libraries.
