2026 HLA Conference

The information environment for Hawaiʻi and Pacific resources exists as complex networks of knowledge shaped by place, identity, community, colonial histories, institutional collecting practices, and competing claims to authority. For librarians and information workers, creating a research guide is never a neutral act. The sources we select, the voices we amplify, and the annotations we write all shape how patrons come to understand people, places, and histories. Therefore, how do librarians thoughtfully and intentionally engage with these complex networks to build and manage our collections and provide reference and public services for our patrons?

Drawing from our experiences creating Pacific Islands research guides in LIS 631: Introduction to Hawaiʻi and Pacific Librarianship, we will share how research guides can become tools for engaging with networks of knowledge and power more intentionally: helping patrons identify perspective, context, and authority; making underrepresented voices more findable; and supporting more ethical library praxis. Presenters will reflect on how we selected sources, wrote annotations, and navigated moments of uncertainty, humility, and responsibility when working with Hawaiʻi and Pacific materials. The session will provide space for attendees to identify concrete steps they can take to more thoughtfully engage networks of knowledge and power in their own library work.