The Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), also known as the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association,[3][4] is an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA). It was created to "address the needs of Asian/Pacific American librarians and those who serve Asian/Pacific American communities."[5]
APALA was the successor to the Asian American Librarians Caucus (AALC), a discussion group within the ALA Office for Library Outreach Services.[6][5] That discussion group was founded at the 1975 ALA Annual Conference, by Janet M. Suzuki, Henry Chang, and Yen-Tsai Feng.[7][8][9] It was the first Asian-American library organization that served the pan Asian American librarian community.[4]
APALA itself was established in 1980, was incorporated in 1981, and became part of the ALA in 1982.[6][5][10][11]
The founders of APALA included Lourdes Collantes, Suzine Har Nicolescu, Sharad Karkhanis, Conchita Pineda, Henry Chang, Betty Tsai, and Tamiye Trejo Meehan.[12]
Asian Pacific Americans comprise one of the four ethnic/racial groups that is underrepresented in the library profession as compared to the U.S. population as a whole.[12] As of 1997, APALA had approximately 300 members, of whom 40% were Chinese, 16% were Korean, 14% were East Indian, 10% were Filipino, and the remaining 20% belonged to 13 additional ethnic groups.[1]
In 2020, Patty Wong, former APALA President, was elected as the first Asian American president of ALA for 2021-2022.[20] In 2021, Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada, former APALA President, was elected as ALA's first Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander American president for 2022-2023.[21]
Publications and programsedit
APALA publishes a quarterly newsletter and meets annually at ALA conferences.[22][23] It also provides scholarships to library school students and awards the annual Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature, which honor books by or about Asian Pacific Americans.[24][23]
Executive Directors and Presidentsedit
Executive Directors of APALA serves three-year terms and as ex officio of the Executive Board.[25] Past and current executive directors of APALA are:
Presidents of APALA serve three-year terms, including one as Vice-President/President Elect and one as Past President.[26] Past and current presidents of APALA are:
Cynthia Mari Orozco, APALA Vice President (2024-2025)
Jaena Rae Cabrera, APALA President (2023-2024)
Annie Pho, APALA Immediate Past President (2022-2023)
^ abEchevarria, Tami; Andrew B. Wertheimer (Fall 1997). "Surveying the Role of Ethnic-American Library Associations" (PDF). Library Trends. 42 (2): 373–391.
^ abYamashita, Kenneth A.(2000), Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association— A History of APALA and Its Founders, Library Trends 49 (1) 2000: Ethnic Diversity in Library and Information Science, pg. 91
^ abPlummer Alston Jones (2004). Still Struggling for Equality: American Public Library Services with Minorities. Libraries Unlimited. p. 134. ISBN 978-1-59158-243-4.
^Janet Hyunju Clarke; Raymond Pun; Monnee Tong (8 December 2017). Asian American Librarians and Library Services: Activism, Collaborations, and Strategies. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 25–. ISBN 978-1-4422-7493-8.
^Yamashita, Kenneth A (2000). "Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association - A History of Apala and Its Founders" (PDF). Library Trends. 49 (1): 88–109. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 24, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
^Hall, Tracie D (June 27, 2020). "A Memorial Resolution Honoring Dr. Yen-Tsai Feng" (PDF). American Library Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 19, 2022. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
^Franklin Ng (1995). The Asian American Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Marshall Cavendish. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-85435-678-9.
^Cora P. Dunkley and Kathleen de la Pena McCook. "In Union There is Strength: Library and Information Science Educators and Librarians' Associations of Color". In Maurice B. Wheeler (2005). Unfinished Business: Race, Equity, and Diversity in Library and Information Science Education. Scarecrow Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-8108-5045-3.
^ abYamashita, Kenneth A. (Summer 2000). "Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association: A History of APALA and Its Founders" (PDF). Library Trends. 49 (1): 98–99. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
^"Blazing Trails". American Libraries Magazine. 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2019-01-14.
Yamashita, Kenneth A. (Summer 2000). "Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association- A History of APALA and Its Founders" (PDF). Library Trends. 49 (1): 88–109.