When Leadership Falls Short: The Crisis of Care in Library Work
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Commemorating National Hispanic Heritage Month with TIE and Choice Content
Including book reviews, interviews, and more, this post features TIE and Choice resources that highlight Latinx scholarship, literature, and activism.
Posted on September 16, 2025 in Blog Posts
National Hispanic Heritage Month
In commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Toward Inclusive Excellence team put together a list of TIE and Choice resources from the past year that highlight the history, art, and culture of those with Latin American ancestry. Choice, the publisher of TIE and a publishing unit at the Association of College & Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association, provides book reviews to help librarians identify academic sources and professional development tools like webinars, podcasts, and white papers.
National Hispanic Heritage Month originated as a week-long celebration in 1968 before extending to 30 days in 1988. Beginning on September 15th, the month’s starting date marks the anniversary of several Latin American countries gaining independence, in addition to Mexico and Chile’s independence days later in the month.
We hope these resources will aid in learning more about the histories, cultures, and achievements of Latinx communities this month and throughout the year.
TIE Blog
This selection features an interview on how the US-Mexican War impacted Mexican American identity and upcoming reads on race and ethnicity. To keep up with upcoming TIE content, subscribe to the TIE newsletter.
TIE Talks with Omar Valerio-Jiménez
This TIE Talks features Omar Valerio-Jiménez, Professor of History and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for the College of Liberal and Fine Arts at the University of Texas at San Antonio. In this interview, Omar discusses key themes and issues in his latest book, Remembering Conquest: Mexican Americans, Memory, and Citizenship. Underscoring the impact of the US-Mexico War on Mexican American identity, Omar shares how Mexican Americans have utilized collective memories of the war in civil rights activism, also highlighting the circulation of these memories across borders. Further, Omar previews his upcoming project on textbook reform to better represent Mexican Americans and digs into aspects of Mexico-US immigration most misunderstood by the American public. Read the interview with Omar.
TIE Preview of Upcoming Reads on Race and Ethnicity, 2025
Review of the Week
Each week Choice highlights a review that addresses a topical issue, event, or holiday—or simply, a review we believe deserves more attention. These picks discuss undocumented youth social movements, Latin American comics, and the work of Chicana feminist writer Sandra Cisneros.
Ask an Archivist
Ask an Archivist is a monthly feature that explores the research and production behind compelling special collections through interviews with their curators, archivists, and directors. These archives explore Princeton’s Latin American Ephemera Collection, Miami’s Cuban Heritage Collection, and the Oregon Multicultural Archives’ contributions to the “Colegio César Chávez: The Legacy Lives On / El legado sigue vivo” exhibit.
Oregon State University’s Oregon Multicultural Archives and OSU Queer Archives
This Ask an Archivist takes a deep dive into two Oregon State University (OSU) archives—the Oregon Multicultural Archives (OMA) and OSU Queer Archives (OSQA). Curator Natalia Fernández, also an Associate Professor for the Special Collections and Archives Research Center (SCARC), walks through the background of the collections and their aims to center the voices of marginalized communities in Oregon. Fernández notes the value of oral history interviews and summarizes OSU’s myriad outreach efforts. Fernández further shares the benefits of archivist-professor partnerships and details how OSU incorporates anti-racist descriptions and decision-making. Read the Ask an Archivist interview.
Princeton’s Latin American Ephemera Collection
Fernando Acosta-Rodríguez, Librarian for Latin American, Iberian, and Latino Studies at the Princeton University Library, provides an overview of the Latin American Ephemera Collection. Fernando details how the collection acquires thousands of ephemera and explains its work to provide digital access to these materials. Fernando also covers examples of the collection’s use in teaching and beyond the classroom. He further reveals how the Latin American Ephemera Collection informs current understandings of Latin America and reflects the interdisciplinarity of Latin American Studies. Read the Ask an Archivist interview.
The Cuban Heritage Collection
Esperanza Bravo de Varona Chair and Director Amanda T. Moreno joins Choice to discuss the Cuban Heritage Collection (CHC) at the University of Miami Libraries. Amanda describes the mission and history of the Collection, along with its work to facilitate research on Cuba and its diaspora. Amanda underscores the value of CHC’s oral history projects and shares how members of CHC’s team serve as “memory workers” to preserve the Cuban exile experience. Throughout the conversation, Amanda also touches on CHC’s community outreach, fellowships, and connection to the University of Miami’s Program in Cuban Studies. Read the Ask an Archivist interview.
Featured Review
Featured Reviews consider how a title exposes racist systems and inequities or proposes means of dismantling them. These important works from valuable perspectives are of use to undergraduates, faculty, and anyone interested in learning more about racism and racial inequalities. This review examines the memoir of Chicana/o/x scholar Albert M. Camarillo.
Revisiting El Barrio: Compton Receives a Personal Reappraisal from Albert M. Camarillo
Our memories of home, family, and life play a crucial role in how we experience the world around us. They shape our personal narratives and are deeply ingrained in who we are. Historian Mario Garcia highlights this idea in Literature as History (CH, Jul’17, 54-5307), noting that these narratives are more than just ways to communicate; they are also our histories. A compelling example of this can be found in Albert M. Camarillo’s memoir, Compton in My Soul. Read the full review of Compton in My Soul: A Life in Pursuit of Racial Equality.