The public is invited to the Latino Literacy Roundtable  at the UA on Friday March 14.

The Roundtable is part of the School of Information Resources and Library Science (SIRLS) and was founded by Patricia Montiel-Overall, associate professor in SIRLS, in 2012.

“The idea (is that) we must focus on Latinos and literacy is a good place to start,” Montiel-Overall said. “Our Latino kids are way far behind. Why? They’re very literate in lots of things. They have these rich backgrounds. Why are we so far behind our non-Latino peers?”

When most people think of literacy, they think about the ability to read and write, Montiel-Overall said. But there are many types of literacy, including digital literacy.

Montiel-Overall said studying Latino literacy could help identify the social and political factors that affect the literacy rates of this demographic.

Every year, the roundtable focuses on a particular topic and organizes panelists to guide discussions with the community. This year’s topic is on digital literacy and  presenters includes Janet Ceja, assistant professor in UA-SIRLS, Rosario Carillo, assistant professor in the UA Mexican American Studies department, and Veronica Reyes-Escudero, associate librarian and Borderlands Curator for the UA.

The roundtable is traditionally hosted on the Friday before the Tucson Festival of Books. This year’s festival runs from March 15 and 16 on the UA mall.

Undergraduate and graduate students will also be hosting a poster session to present their research on literacy. The Latino Literacy Roundtable is sponsored by SIRLS, the UA Libraries, the UA department of Mexican American Studies and other organizations.

The event is at the Arizona Historical Society, free of charge. Parking at the Euclid and Second Street Garage will be validated at the event.

If you go: 

Third Annual Latino Literacy Roundtable
Arizona Historical Society, 949 E. Second Street
(Corner of Park Ave. and Second Street)
Friday, March 14, 2014 from 9:30 am to 3 pm
RSVP to [email protected]