Name: Bringing Resilience To Light: Working With Communities Through Oral Histories
Start: 2026-09-10T16:00:00-0600
End: 2026-09-10T17:00:00-0600

Bringing Resilience To Light: Working With Communities Through Oral Histories

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT

Query Queen Breakout Room 3

Engaging with communities through oral history interviews enables librarian archivists to work towards amplifying voices traditionally excluded from historical records. Marginalized groups such as people of color, women, immigrants, differently abled, and LGBTQ represent a significant percentage of the population that has been severely underrepresented in archives.

This presentation covers the steps recommended to conduct oral histories and how to establish trust with community members. The mutual benefits and challenges of collaborative projects such as oral histories, committees, and donations will be discussed. Documenting cultural heritage and unique experiences with diverse communities on their terms provides a more inclusive archival record and creates opportunities to help empower these communities.

Speakers

Maria Smyer

Several years of experience working with diverse communities., Colorado State University Pueblo

Maria Elena Smyer is the University Archivist and Assistant Professor of Library Services for Colorado State University in Pueblo, Colorado. She has twenty years of library and museum experience working with the immigrant community, language instruction, collection development, and... Read More →

Charlene Garcia Simms

Several years of experience working with diverse communities., Colorado State University Pueblo

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm MDT
Query Queen Breakout Room 3

Breakout Session

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CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities

Maria Smyer

Charlene Garcia Simms

Attendees (5)

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Success you have shared X tickets.

CALCON 2026 Courageous Libraries Resilient Communities

Maria Smyer

Charlene Garcia Simms

Attendees (5)

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