91´«Ã½

The Association of Specialized, Government and Cooperative Library Agencies is pleased to sponsor Victoria Crim as the 2020 ASGCLA Emerging Leader.

Victoria is a librarian at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in Chula Vista CA. She says that,” In my first year as a full-time Librarian, I have developed an awareness of the issues that affect our profession and hinder our service to our community. Through the Emerging Leaders program, I hope to take this localized view of the issues and contribute to meaningful discussion – and meaningful change – with an equally motivated group of my peers. Librarianship needs passionate leadership in order to continue moving our profession in a progressive direction, and to gain the support of key community representatives who can help effect that change. Maybe I’m still wearing those rose-colored glasses they hand out with MLIS degrees, but I got into this profession to serve my community, and to serve all parts of my community. My hope is that through participating in the Emerging Leaders program, I will be able to more effectively advocate for the communities that I serve. In prison, our library users often don’t have a voice of their own, so it is important that we stand up for them and provide services that will aid in their rehabilitation.”

Victoria comments on the diverse population she serves. “My current position at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD) sees me interacting with a wide variety of people, of all ethnicities, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, physical ability, and literacy levels. It has truly put to test the ideas of Whole Person Librarianship that were explored during my MLIS, the ideas that each person is more than just their ethnicity, or gender, or socioeconomic status, etc., and that the combination of those things translate to a unique lived experience that we carry with us in our daily lives. Prisons may not be a "typical" community by most standards, but the fact is these inmates lead complex social lives with not only each other, but with the free staff that work there.”

ASGCLA encourages Victoria in her career and in participation as an Emerging Leader. enables newer library workers to participate in problem-solving work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into 91´«Ã½ structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity. Following a kickoff session that includes orientation and training at the Midwinter Meeting, the program will continue in an online learning and networking environment for six months, culminating in a presentation of the groups' work at the 2020 91´«Ã½ Annual Conference. ASGCLA’s sponsorship includes $1,000 award toward to costs of attending the Midwinter Meeting and the 2020 Annual Conference.

About ASGCLA

The Association of Specialized, Government, and Cooperative Library Agencies is the premiere destination for 91´«Ã½ members to find information and build capacity to serve populations that are served by state library agencies, federal and armed forces libraries, libraries serving underserved populations with physical, mental, and intellectual disabilities, and those incarcerated, library cooperatives, and library consultants. Through nineteen interest groups, ASGCLA members participate in discussion groups, propose programs, and share expertise and ideas. ASGCLA is a division of the 91´«Ã½.