Everywhere and Nowhere

Diasporic communities seeking to find their histories and narratives within libraries are often confronted with library structures and classification systems that are incongruent with their own understandings of their histories and lived experiences. The narratives of diasporic communities are widely dispersed yet without a singular home that is recognizable either individually by people of their own communities nor broadly as part of the larger diasporic experience.

Everywhere and Nowhere: Understanding Diaspora in the Library examines the relationship between the library and its (mis)understanding of diaspora. It calls to attention the detrimental ramifications of misunderstanding the diaspora in its (mis)classifications and the impact this has not only in the library world but also in the formation of knowledge itself and our collective understandings of citizenship.

About the author: Teresa Helena Moreno is the Undergraduate Engagement Librarian and the African American Studies Liaison at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). With over a decade in the academe, she has been an educator and academic administrator teaching undergraduate courses in feminist and critical race theories, most recently co-running the Department of African American Studies at UIC. In her current position she is co-building a social justice and critical theory praxis-infused undergraduate engagement program that centers on supporting a diverse undergraduate student body. She holds a BA in English, an MA in Women’s and Gender Studies, and a forthcoming degree MS in Library and Information Science.