About This Page
The Reading Room was established in the Valley Library in 2016 in part in response to calls for greater representation, cultural literacy, and advocacy on campus by students of color. This page seeks to continue to provide an inclusive atmosphere in a virtual space as a visible collection reflective of student needs and interests.
Reading Intersectionality was the first Reading Room theme. This theme was picked by Cece Lantz, the summer Promise Intern. This page was crafted to both commemorate this initial inspection of intersectionality and to recreate the inclusive intentions of the Reading Room.
Share Your Stories
Share Your Stories is an opportunity for members of the OSU community to share the stories they're reading, writing, or inspired by that touch on themes of intersectionality and representation. Submit 60-second videos here for display in the virtual reading room. This is a place where you can share a creative work you've read or created. Words of wisdom and encouragement are also always welcome. Stories submitted and featured here will be archived through the OSU Special Collections and Archive Research Center.
Ongoing Reading Room Goals
- Cultivate an inclusive, intersectional space
- Promote continual education and lifelong reading
- Inspire interest in current events and pique intellectual curiosity
- Showcase available OSU multimedia resources
Top picks - online resources
Untold Stories (2013) - a guidebook that focuses on the stories, activism, and accomplishments of students of color at Oregon State University. This link directs to an interactive timeline that showcases students William Tebeau, OSU's first African American male graduate, Carrie Halsell, OSU's first African American graduate, the 1969 Black Student Union Walkout, creation of inclusive centers on campus like the Women's Center and the Asian Cultural Center, alongside other pivotal moments in the progress toward inclusivity at OSU.
Top picks - videos
Algorithmic Justice League is an organization that seeks to combine both art and research to highlight the "social implications and harms of artificial intelligence. AJL's mission is to raise public awareness about the impacts of AI, equip advocates with empirical research to bolster campaigns, build the voice and choice of most impacted communities, and galvanize researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners to mitigate AI bias and harms" (ajl.org).
Judith Heumann discusses her experience as a person with a disability, issues with accessibility, and the ongoing battle for resources and representation that others continue to face.
Bogolo Joy Kenewendo shares the names, stories, and legacies of women who have been persistently erased historically either due to systemic systems of sexism or the active choices by their male counterparts in their respective fields of study and advocacy.
Anyssa Bohanan, a local reporter, lectures on her personal experience living as one of the very few African Americans living in both South Korea and then later in Bend, Oregon.
Shamichael Hallman discusses the the Cossitt Library in Memphis, TN and how reimagining library spaces can bring together all members of the community around shared common interests, causes, and opportunities. The future of libraries is in their ability to expand their services to the needs of their communities and create inclusive spaces.
Photo Credit: Karl Maasdam