Photo taken from Kathleen de la Peña McCook’s blog A Librarian at Every Table
Luis Chaparro, 2008-09 President of REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking, has expressed the organization’s shared concern and distress over the recent arrest of library worker Marxavi Angel Martinez of Alamance County, North Carolina in a recent press release. Access a copy of the full press release here
REFORMA cannot remain silent. Ms. Martinez arrest affects us all: native born citizens, new and old immigrants and, of course, Native Americans-the truly indigenous people of this country. Ms. Martinez treatment by the law enforcement officials of Alamance County, North Carolina is a library, immigration, and human rights case—all wrapped in one. Additionally, the immigration issue touches on the history and legacy of colonialism, genocide, and injustice whose perverse effects still can be seen and felt by the communities served by REFORMA. As a library organization, REFORMA also advocates the confidentiality of personal information of library employers and patrons.
Visitor’s to the REFORMA website can make a donation via PayPal to the family of the detained library worker in NC.
Also of note from REFORMA’s website is the Librarian’s Toolkit for Responding Effectively To Anti-Immigrant Sentiment (dated May, 2006).
Tags: human rights, immigration, privacy, public libraries
