CRITICAL PEDAGOGY SYMPOSIUM: Call for Proposals [mnylc.org]
May 17-19, 2021
CFP Deadline: March 8, 2021
More info: https://mnylc.org/cps/

A “working symposium” intends to give professionals within the library and information field, with or without the MLS, including students, the space to learn, collaborate, and engage with critical pedagogies. Our working definition of critical pedagogy includes: teaching and learning in the library that interrogates power structures, distributions of labor, histories, queer, racial inequities, environmental and social justices, and other forms of anti-oppression frameworks. We seek proposals from the perspective of reference, instruction, and fostering relationships outside the library through outreach, liaison work, and programming. Proposals may come in the form of:

• Individual presentations
• Panel presentations
• Discussions
• Workshops
• Posters
• Lightning talks

We envision a symposium that is a participatory learning environment where speakers and participants alike come together in community. Thematically, your work should align with anti-oppressive critical frameworks – such as race, disability, gender, ability, class, etc. We welcome descriptions of current projects, imagined projects, failed projects or theoretical discussions that speak to the following questions:

• How has the year of mass protest in response to police shootings of black communities impacted instruction practice?
• How has your library adapted to remote instruction?
• What are some strategies that you’ve used when engaging with Library patrons?
• What practices did your library or college develop to support remote instruction?
• How has the pandemic and its emerging racial and social disparities affected your experience of librarianship?
• How have you applied critical feminist pedagogy, critical librarianship, or the totality of critical race theory to a remote teaching environment?
• What is your experience in library school in relation to critical librarianship?

We welcome proposals from all positions within the library and information field, with or without the MLS, including students, and invite you to consider proposing on your various departments and experiences in relationship to the above questions and themes.

Proposal and Symposium Timeline: 
Proposals due: March 1, 2021
Notification of accepted proposals: Week of April 1st, 2021
Schedule released: April 12th, 2021
Free registration begins: April 19th, 2021
Symposium: Monday, May 17th – Wednesday, May 19th; 12pm – 4pm

Proposals can be submitted using this google form [forms.gle].

If you have any questions or comments, let us know at criticallibrarysymposium@gmail.com

The May Working Critical Pedagogies Symposium collaborators are:
Reference and Instruction SIG co-leaders: Kate Adler, Director of Library Services, MCNY, Linda Miles, Hostos Community College, & Shawnta Smith-Cruz, Associate Dean for Teaching, Learning, and Engagement, NYU,

Chair of the ACRL/NY Information Literacy/Instruction Discussion Group, Dianne Gordon-Conyers

Library Information Literacy Advisory Council, CUNY: Elvis Bakaitis, Graduate Center, Vikki Terrile, Queensborough Community College, and co-chairs Stephanie Margolin, Hunter College, and Emma Antobam-Ntekudzi, Bronx Community College