World Café – St. Thomas Libraries Blog
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World Café

photo of the whiteboard in the library. Full text is in the accompanying post
Libraries, News & Events

You belong here

Statement from the University Libraries, posted Dec. 13, 2019:

In regards to the conversation started by the posters in the library stairwell. We want to thank everyone for the passionate and constructive dialogue around a difficult topic.

No matter how you may have felt

  • upset
  • accused
  • thoughtful
  • supported
  • silenced threatened
  • reflective
  • empathetic
  • marginalized
  • seen
  • ashamed
  • challenged
  • called out
  • intimidated
  • relieved
  • uncomfortable
  • empowered
  • grateful

Remember that the library supports the exploration of all points of view and welcomes everyone.

The library is a place to

  • encounter…
  • engage with…
  • find support for…
  • be challenged by…

…IDEAS

You belong here!
photo of the whiteboard in the library. Full text is in the accompanying post


You can read more in the TommieMedia article about the World Café posters.

News & Events, O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library, Subjects/Topics

2019 Annual World Café posters in the library

photo of library stairwell with poster reading "Did you acknowledge your privilege today?"

the poster reads, “Did you acknowledge your privilege today?”

If you come into O’Shaughnessy-Frey library this week and head up the stairwell, you’ll see some new posters posing questions and potential answers around institutional and structural racism.  Those posters came out of the 2019 Annual World Café, a faculty-led event at which St. Thomas students from multiple disciplines came together for discussion in October.

The World Café model has been used at St. Thomas since 2012 to facilitate conversations around critical issues.  Each year, this interdisciplinary event involves large groups of students participating in faculty-facilitated dialogue as a way of gaining perspective from people with different viewpoints.  This year’s event covered issues related to structural, cultural, and institutional racism.  Students emerged from the discussion with questions and/or action steps regarding racial justice in our community.

The questions and action steps are posted in the main staircase of the library.  They are provocative and thought-provoking and intended to spark conversations. If you wish, please continue this conversation by sharing your thoughts on the rotunda whiteboard.

You can read more about the World Café dialogue model and last year’s program at St. Thomas in the article “The World Café: Promoting Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Global Health Issues” published in the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Diversity & Democracy by Dr. Roxanne Prichard, Dr. Starr Sage, and Dr. Amy Finnegan.

Below is a selection of photos of the posters as well as a photos of the responses left on the whiteboard.   We will add more photos of responses as the conversation continues.