Genesis Barrera to present at Rhode Island Library Association conference

May 13, 2024
A sample of the work that Genesis will be describing at the RILA conference. Two collages are shown side by side containing words in pink and black.

Genesis Barrera '21 recently joined the John Carter Brown Library as Public Services Librarian. She had previously worked as the Senior Library Specialist at the John Hay Library, also at Brown University, and is finishing her MLIS at the University of Rhode Island. In addition to her work in the Reading Room at the JCB, Genesis will soon will be presenting at the Rhode Island Library Association conference at Providence Public Library.

Her session Libraries as Partners in Community-Based Publications, will be held on Wednesday, May 22 at 1:45 PM. Genesis will highlight some of what she has learned through managing a grant-funded community-based publication program as part of California Rare Book School's Radical Librarianship Institute. 

According to its website, the Institute is "the most extensive library continuing education program focused on supporting library professionals to push for widespread systemic change that is centered on social and racial equality, collective action, community strengthening, and public participation." The entity has founded "a Community Publishing Press as a joint venture between UCLA and the California State University, Northridge’s (CSUN) Book Arts Lab, which will provide communities with social communication networks to build solidarity and community during these turbulent social times."

"The program has six dedicated participants who bring a range of experience to the publication including teaching, creative writing, visual art, public policy, and community organizing," Genesis explains. "We have collaborated with local printmakers Jacques Bidon of Bidon Community Press as well as MJ Sanqui of Queer.Archive.Work/Binch Press."

The image at the top of this post showcases one of the products that Genesis and other program participants produced. RILA conference attendees will have an opportunity to hear more about this work.

For more details on the RILA conference, visit https://rilibraries.org/conference2024. 

Welcome, Genesis! And congratulations!