[Web4lib] Code4lib 2008 Minority Scholarship

[K.G. Schneider]

 > goals of the Code4lib Conference.
> 
> You know, I just don't get this.  How can anyone think that these
> kinds of awards can do anything to counter racism or sexism?  What
> would we think of an award for which only white people were available,
> or only men?  Why would reverse discrimination be any better?  It's
> patronising at best and actively divisive at worst.

You write this, and yet in the past three weeks I've heard of several
instances of business as usual. Just to start with, only today someone
forwarded a discussion about speakers on 2.0 topics on a librarians'
discussion list and every speaker mentioned was male, even though
without even trying I can name half a dozen superbly qualified speakers
who happen to be women. 

For both women and persons of color, providing these scholarships
provides some balance to what actually goes on in the real world. I
guarantee that most applicants will be eminently qualified -- probably
overqualified. 

The only things hurt by affirmative action are the status quo and a few
assumptions. 

K.G. Schneider
kgs at freerangelibrarian.com