November 20, 1 p.m., presented by Mahasin Abuwi Aleem and Ariana Sani Hussain
In this workshop, librarians Mahasin Aleem and Ariana Hussain will evaluate Muslim representation in youth literature through a critical lens, utilizing their Hijabi Librarians Toolkit for Evaluating Muslims in KidLit alongside Ed Trust’s Tool for Representational Balance in Books.
Participants will explore key themes, challenges, and best practices in assessing how Muslim characters and narratives are portrayed in literature for young readers.
As a result of this program, attendees will gain:
- An understanding of the significance of authentic Muslim representation.
- Critical Evaluation Skills.
- Actionable Strategies for Collection Development.
Mahasin Abuwi Aleem – Biography
Mahasin Abuwi Aleem is a library services manager for Contra Costa County Library. Before working for Contra Costa County Library, she was employed by Oakland Public Library (OPL) and served as OPL’s Collection Management Librarian for Children’s Services. She is co-founder of Hijabilibrarians.com, a collective of Muslim librarians who evaluate books that feature Muslim protagonists and Islamic-themed content.
Ariana Sani Hussain – Biography
Ariana Sani Hussain is a teacher librarian at the Blake School in Hopkins, Minnesota. Ariana reviews for Kirkus, Horn Book, and School Library Journal, has served on multiple book evaluation committees, and is currently chairing the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) Literature Awards: Young Adult Book Committee, contributing to the 2024 We Are Kid Lit Collective Summer Reading List, and is a co-founder of Hijabi Librarians.
The views expressed in webinars provided by PCI do not necessarily reflect the views or official policies of the State of Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Education, or the Arkansas State Library.
