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Anti-Racism: Library Statements on Anti-Racism

Lovejoy Library Anti-Racism & Social Justice

Lovejoy Library supports diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work.  We understand that in the context of our current social climate it is not sufficient to reaffirm our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion and that we must disavow racism and oppression in our work, in our communities, and in our country by removing both from our structures and creating and applying a social justice model for our library.  We are dedicated to identifying racial and social injustices and dismantling them in the following ways:

  • We will be forthright on difficult issues.
  • We will develop library programs, services, collections, policies and practices that center anti-racism and social justice.
  • We will work to facilitate conversations about racism and social justice that impact our community and our profession.
  • We will revise and review our employment practices to ensure that we recruit and retain faculty and staff from underrepresented groups.
  • We will create structural change at the individual and institutional level.
  • We will generate and analyze data to determine the efficacy of our anti-racism and social justice work.
  • We will engage with campus and community stakeholders to help convey a diversity of ideas, perspectives, experiences, and resources.
  • We will develop a strategic plan that will acknowledge, challenge, and address structural racism in our library.
  • We will listen.

This is just the beginning of our work.  Please provide feedback and suggestions to help us in our efforts to advance social justice and anti-racism practices in our library. 

Illinois Library and American Library Associations' Statements

From Statements to Action

A statement from the Illinois Library Association.

Together Against Racism

A joint statement from Core and the ALA, committing to dismantling racism and white supremacy.