ISSN 1475-9462 Diversity Newsletter of the Diversity Council Advocating equality No. 4-5 July- November 2002 Editorial: Struggle for a relevant, “equal” library service Celebrate Black History Month “Change the World” Conference Reports Struggle for Equality, Diversity & Social Justice IFLA and Diversity Diversity News Diversity Council News and Documents Culture Corner Dr. E.J. Josey, founder of The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, is the recipient of the American Library Association’s highest award, “Honorary Membership” Diversity . No. 4-5 (2002) Diversity Newsletter of the Diversity Council Advocating Equality Editor: Shiraz Durrani P.O. Box 2908 London N17 6YY e-mail: [email protected] Tel. 020 8545 4061 Fax: 020 8545 3237 http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/CULTURAL-DIVERSITY/ This issue of Diversity is published with financial assistance from Resource (http://www.resource.gov.uk/) and Emerald (http://www.emeraldinsight. com/) Diversity is published 3 times a year, in March, July, and November. Copies are avail- able free of charge while stocks last — and for a small charge thereafter. Electronic version is available free of charge. The views expressed in Diversity are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Diversity Council. The Editor welcomes contributions in the form of articles, book reviews, news, future events etc. on issues of relevance to the work of the Diversity Council. We particularly welcome items on new ideas and practices. We positively encourage those who have not written before to start with Diversity - we will provide all the support and encour- agement you need. “Diversity” covers issues of race, religion, culture, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, age, disability – and other factors that result in discrimination and social oppression. The Diversity Council will work towards creating a just and fair society within a frame- work of equality and inclusivity, on the principles of social justice, human rights and democracy. If you wish to be added to, or removed from, the mailing list for Diversity, please con- tact the publisher with your details. Black is a political colour… "Where race is concerned, black has always been a political colour - one which describes a broad commonality of experience rather than a particular hue". - Gary Younge The Guardian. Monday July 29, 2002. 2 Diversity . No. 4-5 (2002) CONTENTS EDITORIAL: THE STRUGGLE FOR A RELEVANT, “EQUAL” LIBRARY SERVICE: SHIRAZ DURRANI.................................................................................................................................. 5 LETTER TO THE EDITOR........................................................................................................ 9 CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH ................................................................. 10 PROFESSOR E. J. JOSEY RECEIVES HONORARY MEMBERSHIP FROM ALA: PROFESSOR ISMAIL ABDULLAHI ............................................................................................................ 10 HISTORY OF BLACK PEOPLE ............................................................................................... 12 COLONIES, COLONIALS AND WW II: BY MARIKA SHERWOOD....................................... 12 CHURCHILL - THE TRUTH: GARY YOUNGE ........................................................................ 16 BRITISH BRUTALITY IN MAU MAU CONFLICT .................................................................... 18 “CHANGE THE WORLD” CONFERENCE REPORTS............................................ 21 PHILIP POTHEN REPORTS ON THE CONFERENCE................................................................. 21 VISION OF DIVERSITY: ISMAIL ABDULLAHI ....................................................................... 23 PROMOTING DIVERSITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WOLVERHAMPTON: MARY HEANEY .... 25 DCMS AND DIVERSITY: MARK MASON ........................................................................... 31 RESOURCE WELCOMES THE DIVERSITY COUNCIL: CAROLINE LANG................................ 37 QUALITY LEADERS PROJECT FOR BLACK LIS WORKERS: SHIRAZ DURRANI ................... 38 TAKING A DAY OUT OF OFFICE: JOHN PATEMAN ............................................................... 39 STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & SOCIAL JUSTICE...................... 43 ARE LIBRARIES CHANGING?: GUEST WRITER.................................................................... 43 CASBAH PROJECT: CAROL DIXON ................................................................................ 45 HEALTH INFORMATION FOR BME GROUPS: VERONICA FRASER...................................... 48 O CANADA! - DAVID OWEN .............................................................................................. 51 DR. MAHBUB AHMAD'S LIFE: RAIHANA AHMED .............................................................. 53 THE NOOSE OF HUNGER - KINGSLEY JOSEPH OGHOJAFOR ................................................ 55 WHAT’S OIL GOT TO DO WITH IT? - JAAMIT DURRANI .................................................... 57 PROMOTING DIVERSITY – ANTONY BREWERTON .............................................................. 59 PROGRESSIVE AFRICAN L & I WORKERS GROUP: SHIRAZ DURRANI............................... 60 TEN POINT PROGRAM FOR PROGRESSIVE LIBRARIANS: MARK ROSENZWEIG.................... 62 BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ACHIEVING EQUALITY: SHIRAZ DURRANI ............................. 63 NETWORK FOR PALESTINIAN LIBRARIES - ERLING BERGAN ............................................. 64 ALL CHILDREN DESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION - KINGSLEY JOSEPH OGHOJAFOR ... 65 WHAT’S WRONG WITH BEING SIMPLE? - JAAMIT DURRANI............................................. 68 IFLA AND THE DIVERSITY COUNCIL...................................................................... 71 THE 3 D’S: DEMOCRACY, DIVERSITY AND DELIVERY- PHILIP POTHEN........................... 71 IFLA 2002, GLASGOW: I WAS THERE TOO! KAMALJIT BEDI .......................................... 73 IFLA, BULLIES AND OTHER MONSTERS – SHIRAZ DURRANI ............................................. 79 DIVERSITY NEWS ............................................................................................................ 83 1997 YEAR AGAINST RACISM ............................................................................................ 83 QUALITY LEADERS PROJECT STARTS STAGE 3................................................................... 84 NYA SPONSORS THE QUALITY LEADERS PROJECT’S YOUTH STRAND............................. 85 3 Diversity . No. 4-5 (2002) UNITY IN DIVERSITY CONFERENCE REPORT 2001............................................................. 87 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON EQUALITY & DIVERSITY ................................................... 89 TUC’S LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER CONFERENCE............................. 92 CULTURAL DIVERSITY NETWORK NEWS 2001 – 2002 ..................................................... 96 A LITTLE ABOUT THE FAR-REACHING PATRIOT ACT... ...................................................... 99 WHAT IS DIVERSITY? ........................................................................................................100 EQUALITIES NEWS ............................................................................................................101 A SHORT HISTORY OF PALESTINE.....................................................................................105 THE GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ............................................................105 GATS AND LIBRARIES .....................................................................................................106 THE NETWORK – TACKLING SOCIAL EXCLUSION.............................................................106 THE NETWORK WEBSITE..................................................................................................106 “DIVERSITY TODAY” NEW MAGAZINE LAUNCHES IN THE NEW YEAR.............................107 DIVERSITY COUNCIL NEWS & DOCUMENTS.....................................................109 THE ELECTED OFFICERS OF THE DC .................................................................................109 EAST MIDLANDS DIVERSITY GROUP: HILARY WARD....................................................109 DIVERSITY COUNCIL – DRAFT THREE-YEAR ACTION PLAN (2003-06)..........................110 DC RESPONDS TO CILIP’S DRAFT CORPORATE PLAN: PHILIP POTHEN ...........................115 CULTURE CORNER .......................................................................................................118 PETER NAZARETH REVIEWS JAMEELA SIDDIQI’S THE FEAST OF THE NINE VIRGINS. ....118 MIRZA (ASSADULLAH KHAN) GHALIB - "GODLESS LOVER": JAMEELA SIDDIQI .............119 BLACK ARTS ALLIANCE ...................................................................................................124 A MESSAGE FROM A PALESTINIAN CHILD TO THE WORLD ...............................................126 ORDINARY NEWS..............................................................................................................126 4 Diversity . No. 4-5 (2002) Editorial: The struggle for a relevant, “equal” library service: Shiraz Durrani There has been a quiet revolution in the public library world, reflected in the museum and arts fields as well. This Government has taken a firm grip on the information field and has used a carrot and stick approach to drag libraries to the 21st century. The changes may appear to be disjointed and piecemeal and a casual observer may miss the full impact of the