Kristyn Caragher (MS '14) successfully completed her Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) on July 12 with the presentation of her project, "Anti-Oppression Workshop Series at the University Library."
Her committee includes Professor Linda Smith (chair), Associate Professor Kathryn La Barre, and Zoe Revell (Business Information Services library operations associate, University Library).
About the project: The idea for the Anti-Oppression Workshop Series was first conceived by Caragher in the fall of 2015 and was actualized in the spring of 2016 through institutional support from Lori Mestre, the University Library Diversity Committee, and the University Library Administrative Council at the University of Illinois. The Anti-Oppression Workshop Series report chronicles the goals, processes and challenges, design and implementation, and evaluation results of the series. The origin of the concept of diversity, as well as policies like Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) legislation, are discussed in the report as setting the stage for more emphasis being placed on valuing difference and less emphasis on resisting oppression in efforts to achieve racial parity (or justice). Caragher makes a call for using anti-oppressive and anti-racist language and policies in order to address the systems of oppression that have contributed to hostile environments for People of Color within the field of library and information science. Finally, Caragher reflects on lessons learned and offers next steps for libraries interested in integrating anti-oppressive workshops and practices into their respective institutions.
Caragher's current plans are to move to Chicago, get experience in the field, and pursue a PhD. Learn more about her project at kristyncaragher.com.