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I have 20 minutes before a meeting, so let me have a mini rant for a bit. I'm just now getting around to LJ's Materials Survey results.
Listen.
Listen.
I try to give people some benefit of the doubt. The amount has gone down over the past few years, for sure, but I do try and reserve a little. Because I know folks don't get it. If they got it, we wouldn't be where we are. And they're not gonna get it overnight.
But y'all know I am NOT a patient person. You know that, right? Okay.
Listen.
This right here? This is bullshit.
Listen.
This right here? This is bullshit.
First, the word salad? It sounds like you're trying to say something, but you don't know how to say it. Spit it out. Second, why are you starting off with Urban Fiction? Wait, wait. I know why. But is Urban Fiction really the standard bearer of Black fiction?
If that's your first thought, you may need an update.
I might suggest that picking that out as the exemplar of "Black Authors" might be a mistake. But, you won't listen so let's continue.
Third, define AA Fiction? Show your work. If you're scraping categories
I might suggest that picking that out as the exemplar of "Black Authors" might be a mistake. But, you won't listen so let's continue.
Third, define AA Fiction? Show your work. If you're scraping categories
are you just getting books that are, actually, written by Black Authors? Because I can tell you that the categories are never that clearly defined. Every single database that I've seen has mistakenly (I hope) put in books with Black characters that aren't written by Black people
There is no indication in this article of what you're talking about. I'm assuming, since the header is Black authors, that you're talking about Black authors. But experience tells me just gathering stats isn't going to yield that result.
"As interest in building diverse and inclusive collections accelerates, librarians are clearly looking beyond key social justice titles to provide broad reading for their communities."
Okay, yes. This is how the discussion has been framed. But, again, this doesn't just represent adding more Black authors. Diverse and inclusive can mean a whole lot of things. HOPEFULLY, people are adding these books (and then reading and recommending them) BECAUSE THEY ARE GOOD.
Because they should have been there all along. How many Black authors (since that's all we're gonna talk about when it comes to diversity and inclusion, I guess) are included in all the other categories listed above? They are INTEGRATED in the genre categories, as they should be.
"Black authors" is not a genre. Trying to compare it to whole genres is ridiculous. Even your beloved "Urban Fiction" is not *just* comprised of Black authors.
You shouldn't need this explained to you in 2021.
Shit, let me go load the dishwasher. It's more productive than this
You shouldn't need this explained to you in 2021.
Shit, let me go load the dishwasher. It's more productive than this
