Connecting a Community: The Black Pacific Northwest Collection at Multnomah County’s North Portland Neighborhood Library
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5399/osu/1093-7374.26.01.07Keywords:
Oregon, library, association, Oregon libraries, academic library, libraries, librarians, northwest, information science, information literacy, social media, writing, library trends, books, donors, library funding, Oregon library association, quarterly, Oregon library association quarterly, American library association, ala, ola, reading, library success, success, evolving roles, OSU, Oregon state, University, web services, public, new discipline, changes in libraries, career, careers, library careers, library career, professional journal, scholarly, academic, circulation, Portland, innovative, inventive, solution, oregon librarians, librarian, civics, civic education, inspiring, engagement, role, participation, skills, create, creating, resources, develop, source, evaluate, evaluation, evaluating, collections, community, connecting, communities, history, Lee Catalano, Israel Fin, Kirby McCurtis, Black Pacific Northwest Collection, Multnomah County, North Portland, Neighborhood Library, Juneteenth, Black Resource Center, MCL, African American, Library Writer’s Project, Library Music Project, Brew Stories, Black, BPNW, VanportAbstract
June 19, 1865, referred to as “Juneteenth,” celebrates the date when the official word of President Lincoln’s 1863 Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas, the most remote state of the former Confederacy.
On June 19, 1987, the North Portland Neighborhood Library was buzzing with excitement at the official opening of Multnomah County Library’s Black Resource Center. There were speeches, music, activities for kids and families. The culmination of a community-led process nearly 20 years in the making, the Black Resource Center was a dedicated space holding a collection of materials of interest to the County’s African American community.
On June 19, 2018, North Portland Administrator Kirby McCurtis and Regional Librarian Lee Catalano spent the morning unpacking the new and recently recataloged items that will initially comprise the Black Pacific Northwest Collection (BPNW Collection). A prominent display space is carved out and the Collection is unveiled as the Library’s regular patrons enter at opening time.
An official notice that the BPNW Collection was available to library patrons was shared on Multnomah County Library’s social media channels and in a press release. The creation and opening of the Collection was an important milestone in North Portland’s 30+ year history of thoughtful and intentional service to its African American patrons.
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