*Cross posted to multiple lists*
Core Webinar (2 of 2): Understanding & Fighting Anti-Trans Misinformation
Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2023
All webinars are one hour in length and begin at 11 am Pacific, noon Mountain, 1 pm Central, and 2 pm Eastern time.
Description: This is the second webinar in a two-part series about transgender people in libraries. As the transgender population increases in size and visibility, a resulting backlash has gripped America--and libraries are in the crossfire. Misinformation campaigns targeting transgender people are being leveraged as part of a concerted effort to censor books, displays, and programs; reduce free access for patrons of all ages; harass or threaten LIS workers; and interfere with or even shut down the operations of libraries across the country. Thus, LIS workers have a major stake in understanding and combatting anti-trans misinformation when they encounter it; but, due to these campaigns' widespread nature, it can be difficult for the average person to discern between what is fact, what's fiction, and what's opinion. Learn how and why anti-trans misinformation is created and spread, how you can distinguish between reliable and unreliable information, and why LIS workers have a uniquely important part to play in speaking out against anti-trans misinformation in what prior attendees have called "the most powerful session I have attended in a while" and "the first authentic information I've gotten on this civil rights issue."
Learning outcomes:
By the end of this webinar, the attendees will be able to:
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Define the concepts of cultural narratives and frameworks, and explain how misinformation campaigns leverage them to spread misinformation more effectively.
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List common American cultural narratives and frameworks about transgender people.
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Identify the animating goals of anti-trans misinformation at the root of today's misinformation campaigns.
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Distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources of information about transgender people, lives, and experiences.
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Take action to call out and speak up against anti-trans misinformation where it intersects with the professional LIS values of access, literacy, inclusivity, and equity.
Who should attend?
Administrators and managers seeking guidance in responding to anti-trans/anti-LGBTQ+ challenges to books, programs, and/or staffing decisions in their libraries; library workers at all levels seeking to better understand and fight back against collection, displays, and/or programming censorship efforts; targeted individual harassment against library workers; and anti-trans misinformation campaigns.
Presenter:
Heath Umbreit (they/them), MLIS, is the Adult Services Librarian at Morrill Memorial Library in Massachusetts. At Drexel University, they earned their Master’s in Library & Information Sciences, conferred in 2014. Their career as a librarian spans over a decade; they started as a part-time Circulation Assistant at their local public library in 2011 before working as a temp assistant at MIT Libraries (2014-2016), and then as the Information Services Librarian at Sharon Public Library (2016-2021). Mis- and disinformation has been a professional and personal interest of theirs for several years; their study of the phenomenon focuses on a critical examination of popular narratives about disinformation, the concept of epistemic supremacy, and the ways in which information and disinformation intersect with systemic power differentials in American society. As a nonbinary trans person, Heath intentionally brings a unique perspective to the field of professional librarianship and centers the values of equity, access, and social justice in their work.
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Registration fees for webinar: Core Member $57.67; ALA member: $71.10; Non-member $79.00
For additional information and access to registration links, please go to the following website:
https://elearning.ala.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=1004
Core webinars are recorded and registrants receive a link to the recording shortly following the live event.
For questions about registration, contact ALA Registration by calling 1-800-545-2433 and press 5 or email registration@ala.org.
For all other questions or comments related to Core webinars, please contact Core CE staff at corece@ala.org.
*Posted on behalf of the Core Continuing Education Committee.*
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Searching for your place in ALA? If your role is in buildings, collections, management, or technology, then Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures may be the perfect fit for you! Six sections let you tailor your membership to the areas that match your interests and career aspirations. Our interest groups offer networking and problem-solving, while our volunteer opportunities give you practical experience for your résumé. Our members are critical to implementing and maintaining core library services; they come from every level of responsibility and help shape the future of the profession. We hope you’ll consider joining and finding your home in Core!
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Jen Montavon-Green
Head of Electronic Resources
University of Kentucky
She/Her/Hers
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