The Gender and Sexuality in Information Studies Colloquium emerged from the Litwin Books and Library Juice Press Series on Gender and Sexuality in Information Studies, and was founded by the series founding editor, Emily Drabinski. The first GSISC colloquium was held in 2014, inspired in part by the Feminist and Queer Information Studies Reader (2013). Its aim was to respond to the challenges posed by critical perspectives on gender and sexuality in our field. This gathering seeks to create an inclusive space for difficult, fruitful conversations that foreground gender, sexuality, and the body, with consideration for libraries and cultural heritage institutions as sites of both liberation and oppression. The colloquium intends to foster dialogue among librarians, archivists, and information workers on our profession and its locus among the intersections of gender, queerness, race, sexuality, and the freedom to exist and thrive in our bodies.
The planning committee was traditionally formed by volunteer library and archival workers from across North American academic libraries and archives, holding an intentional variation of transnational, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender perspectives. Current committee members include Sara Howard (chair), Princeton University, August Roberts, Princeton University, Bernadette Birzer-Floresca, Tulane University, Caitlin Shanley, Temple University, Chloe Raub, Dumbarton Oaks, Holly Smith, Spelman College, Kristan Shawgo, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Shawn(ta) Smith-Cruz, New York University, and Valencia Johnson, Princeton University.
Learn more about the Litwin Books and Library Juice Press series on gender and sexuality in information studies.