Bridge Building, Intersectionality and Inclusion

Poster Session

Overview of Government Alliance on Racial Equity (GARE) White Paper on Public Libraries: Advancing Racial Equity in Public Librarian: Case Studies from the Field

Poster Organizer(s)

• MT

  Marcellus Turner

  Chief Librarian and Executive Director
  Seattle Public Library

Poster Presenter(s)

• DS

  Deb Sica, MFA, MLIS

  Deputy County Librarian
  Alameda County Library
• DL

  Diana Lopez, MLIS

  Branch Manager
  Marin County Free Library
• TC

  Tiffany Casey

  Youth Services Librarian
  Hennepin County Library, Sumner Library

This poster session will provide an introduction to GARE and the GARE white paper on public libraries, which defines racial equity, outlines approaches to addressing structural racism, and shares specific case studies where public library systems have applied equity principles in their respective organizations.

Individual case studies will be highlighted from Seattle, Hennepin, Oakland, Marin, Alameda and more. An example of case study content: The City of Seattle was first in the nation to adopt a citywide commitment to end racial disparities and achieve racial equity. In 2004, Seattle established the Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), a citywide effort to end institutional racism and race based disparities in city government. The Seattle Public Library renewed its commitment to RSJI in 2015 and has since made advances in its approach to and implementation of equity efforts through their Change Team, an internal cross-classification, cross-divisional committee. Examples of successful equity-driven changes to library programs and services are featured, including a redistribution of Mobile Services and a redesign of a flagship program, Seattle Reads.

 

Learning Objectives:

• Audience understands the GARE organizational mission and the summary findings of the GARE white paper.
• Audience understands the basic principles of structural racism and the strategy for normalizing, organizing and operationalizing equity.
• Audience understands individual case studies as models for adopting and/or implementing equity initiatives in their respective organizations.